5 minutes | Tuesday, 10 December 2024
This week on Swiss Up!, we discuss the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Switzerland's surprising contribution to its restoration. The Swiss Jura-based Corbat Sawmill was the only non-French company involved, processing oak wood for the cathedral's spire. Though they worked with French wood provided by the organizers, Corbat's craftsmanship highlighted Swiss expertise in this symbolic project.
Corbat was selected due to their ties with the French wood industry and proximity to the border. They processed 40 oak pieces, a modest 2% of the 2,000 needed. Remarkably, their work was pro bono, reflecting co-director Gauthier Corbat’s passion for Gothic architecture and historic preservation. His efforts, driven by an art historian’s love for medieval craftsmanship, elevated the company’s profile and led to new opportunities, such as restoring a 16th-century mosque. This collaboration underscored a commitment to heritage over profit.