Our talents

Originaire du Nord, j'ai fait l'essentiel de mes études à Lille. 
Mes parents étaient professeurs et nous sommes allés visiter tous les monuments, châteaux et sites culturels français durant les vacances scolaires, ce qui m’a donné l'amour du patrimoine. 
Petit, j’avais été impressionné par la visite du Palais des Papes. Ce bâtiment qui a traversé les siècles et s’est adapté aux changements.

J’ai mon métier en tête depuis au moins l’adolescence. Je suis arrivé à Paris en 2000, afin de suivre des études d’ingénieur à l’ESTP (École spéciale des travaux publics, du bâtiment et de l'industrie). Après 3 ans d’études je suis devenu ingénieur et j’ai eu mon premier poste chez UBC Ingénierie, que je n’ai jamais quittée depuis bientôt 20 ans. 
Mon tout premier chantier a été le couvent des Bernardins à Paris et j’ai travaillé sur le château de Versailles durant ma première année d’embauche. Prestige, beauté et technique étaient au rendez-vous.
 
Aujourd’hui je suis directeur projets et je dirige le pôle Monuments Historiques d’UBC. Nous sommes 4 ingénieurs dans ce pôle. Je chapote l’équipe, je réponds aux appels d’offres et je dispatche le travail entre les autres ingénieurs. Nous réalisons les études, les diagnostics, missions de maîtrise d’œuvre et suivis de chantiers. 
 
Ce qui me plaît le plus dans ce métier, c’est avant tout la diversité des chantiers (cathédrales, églises, châteaux, musées et tout ce que les monuments historiques peuvent offrir), car nous travaillons sur l’ensemble du territoire français.
Les chantiers prestigieux et les défis techniques sont sans cesse différents, nécessitant de se remettre en question mais également d’adapter les techniques modernes aux contraintes des anciennes.
« Je dis souvent que mon travail est bien fait lorsque qu’il est invisible une fois achevé. »
Ma mission est de transmettre le monument restauré le plus fidèlement possible aux générations futures afin qu’il continue à traverser les âges.
 
Faire partie du Groupe Aurige, c’est avoir un panel de métiers très diversifié et donc de côtoyer aussi bien des tailleurs de pierre, que des charpentiers anciens ou encore des couvreurs… 
Discuter avec tous les compagnons c’est toujours apprendre énormément sur leur savoir, du laboratoire aux bureaux d’études.
Pour la suite, je reste chez UBC ou je me sens bien, pour de nouveaux projets, de nouvelles techniques à découvrir et de nouveaux défis à relever !

Après plusieurs années passées dans le secteur médico-social, je me suis lancée à l’âge de 35 ans dans une reconversion professionnelle, afin de devenir conductrice de travaux.
J’ai dû reprendre un parcours d’étude, en commençant par le BAC et j’ai poursuivi par un D.U.T. de Génie Civil.
Lors de ma première année, j’ai choisi de réaliser un stage au sein d’une entreprise spécialisée et ce fut une révélation : J’ai décidé de devenir Conductrice de Travaux en maçonnerie-pierre-de-taille !
J’ai donc intégré une licence professionnelle Conservation et Valorisation du Patrimoine Bâti. Mon stage s’est déroulé au sein de l’entreprise Sèle à Nîmes, à la suite duquel j’ai été embauchée comme aide-conductrice de travaux en 2019.
 
Au quotidien, je suis l’interface entre l’architecte et les équipes de travaux. Je me suis tournée vers ce métier pour la diversité des tâches et l’alternance entre le bureau et le chantier.
J’ai choisi l’entreprise Sèle pour la spécialisation taille de pierre, les monuments sur lesquels elle intervient, pour ses savoir-faire et pour l’équipe professionnelle. J’aime voir quand un chantier prend forme, j’aime quand ce qui se trouve dans les dossiers et sur les plans devient réalité.
Dans mon enfance, je passais beaucoup de temps avec mes parents à reconstruire les murs en pierre qui entouraient la maison et j’étais toujours impressionnée par les bâtiments anciens en me demandant comment on construisait de tels édifices. Désormais j’y participe d’une certaine manière !

Le travail d’équipe est aussi très motivant. Le partage d’idées, de connaissances et la recherche commune de solutions est essentielle dans ma pratique professionnelle. J’ai besoin de continuellement m’enrichir !
J’ai également la chance de faire partie du Groupe AURIGE. C’est un groupe humain, qui donne la chance de pouvoir apprendre et évoluer dans le domaine du patrimoine, n’importe où en France. 

My passion for stone came from childhood with the discovery of Romanesque and Gothic art, through numerous visits to monuments with my parents. I remember saying to my grandfather, in front of the Struthof memorial, that one day I would restore this monument!

After a stone-cutting CAP in 1999, I did a Tour de France for 7 years, to become a journeyman.
In 2009, I joined Léon Noël as a stonemason. At that time there were only two of us in the Strasbourg agency. I climbed all the levels there: site manager, then fitter, then works supervisor, to finally take over as head of the agency in 2016.

I have seen the agency develop over the years. We are now in our twenties. The transmission being essential in the culture of companionship, we currently welcome 4 young companions who are doing their tour of France. The goal now is to perpetuate the agency, to continue to recruit, to train teams, to meet the demands of our customers.

In 2018, we obtained the Struthof restoration site and my dream came true. I feel real pride when I pass by the monuments that we have helped to restore.

One of my most striking memories remains the restoration of the National and University Library in Strasbourg. It was my first major project as a works supervisor. We have worked on all the facets of stone cutting. There were also 26 other companies of all trades; a beautiful team project, delivered on time.

All my professional career and my current commitments were born at the Student Fair in 1993. It was there that I met a journeyman carpenter who told me about his job. He had the somewhat crazy project of setting up a school in the Jura to obtain a CAP-BEP, by setting foot on the Tour de France.

This is how I joined the first class of the European Training Institute for Companions of the Tour de France IEF-CTF. I was received Compagnon carpenter 7 years later. Why did you choose to work at Aurige? Because the Companions and Charioteer have common values: transmission, sharing and excellence.

After a few years as a works supervisor and well established in my Berry region, in 2007 I joined the MDB company based in Bourges, to take over the management and develop the carpentry activity. At MDB we have many qualifications and since last year the Bourges workshop has obtained the Label Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) - The excellence of French know-how. What I like is being able to combine ancestral techniques and contemporary tools (numerical control, 3D plans, etc.).

It is also thanks to this that we can attract young talent, that the company remains competitive and attractive and that we can provide our customers with asset solutions that respond to current environmental, technical and thermal issues. My most memorable memory? Restoration of the framework of the nave of Saint-Etienne Cathedral in Bourges. 5 years of work on the little sister of Notre-Dame de Paris, that will not be forgotten.

When I was 16, during a crafts exhibition, I discovered "the Taurus" by Serge Marchal, craftsman and metal sculptor. It was a revelation, and I found my calling. I wanted to draw, design, fabricate, with my own two hands. I then did an apprenticeship with the Compagnons and I completed my Tour de France to become an artistic ironworker. This craft mixes fire and matter to shape it and to give metal a soul.

In 1995, I created my company, Art Forge et Métal, then a few years later I joined forces with another companion to create Dunod Mallier Ferronniers d'Art. It is a profession of sharing and passion, every year I welcome apprentices and traveling companions in the workshop.

For 10 years, I had been running the worshop alone and it was getting heavy. That’s why in 2020, I decided to work with Aurige so that I can developp Dunod Mallier. we share the same human values, the same philosophy and a taste for a job well done, so the integration happened naturally. Today I can focus on my passion and creation and thus build a new balance for myself.

One of the most notable projects was a monumental banister in Moscow. Made for a private owner, it is a "signature" work that highlights the entire artistic and technical range of the workshop, from stylish ironwork to contemporary creations in locksmithing and fine metalwork.

After studying building engineering in Rennes, I did an internship devoted to the restoration of the old city center of Rennes, than I applied to Lefèvre. A job was available in Caen. This is where I started my career in 2008. A year later, my partner was hired in Paris, a place became available at Lefèvre in Gennevilliers, the planets were aligned, we left for the capital.

I was in charge of the Paris intramural public markets: les Invalides, the Opéra Garnier, Le Palais Royal, the Louvre. My first project: the restoration of the north tower of the Saint-Sulpice church. A project worth several million euros. For a start, it was a great project and I'm proud of the result!
In 2014, back to basics, in Rennes, in the local Lefèvre agency. Two years later I was promoted to work supervisor.

My role as Works Manager is to ensure the proper functioning of the sites. I supervise works foremen, I ensure the good administrative and financial management of the project and the management of about fifty companions. I like this versatility and the diversity of the people with whom I come to work.

What I like about Lefèvre is that we give young people a chance. I was trusted very early on, on major projects, and that is motivating. It has helped me grow and develop professionally.

My best memory? The Garnier Opera, with the restoration of the Emperor's Ramp. The site was technically complex, with a lot of equipment work and 3D surveys. We had the stonecutting and rehabilitation lots. We put everything down with the crane, for a nice end result and on time.

I studied precision mechanics, but fate got involved to point me toward the painting business. At the time my rugby coach was a works foreman in a painting company. He brought me in for a summer job and a year later as an employee. I started by hanging wallpaper, then painting, then worked my way up through the ranks, until I became a site supervisor. After ten years or so, the company closed and it was an opportunity for me to change companies.

I then applied to a job offer for Duval and Mauler; that was 22 years ago ... With the present team, we developed the Historical Monuments market, in which we had little presence. Today we work a lot with the Chief Architects. By their side I learned a lot. I have been able to follow several exceptional projects over the years. It’s beautiful to see a monument come back to life, to see its colors revive and finally regain their former glory!

As part of Aurige, we often collaborate between subsidiaries. With other exceptional know-how, the group's various workshops complement each other perfectly to address the many facets of heritage restoration.

What do I like most about my job? Working every day with different people and sharing my years of experience with others, with the same goal: the safeguard of our heritage.

My father wanted me to become a math teacher, but the passion for stones and Historical Monuments was already rooted in me. As a child, I befriended the guardian of the Royal Monastery of Brou because this place fascinated me. Thanks to him I was able to discover how it was behind the scenes of this wonderful monument. This feeling of having access to a secret and privileged part of historical monuments that prompted me to make it my profession. Years later, I worked at the Brou Monastery that I discovered and loved so much as a child. This was a key moment of my career.

I have spent my entire career at Barberot. During my studies, I was already working there on construction sites in the summer. In 1980, after completing my trainin, I joined the company as a quantity surveyor. I then got promoted works supervisor, and then works manager. In 1998, the company experienced economic difficulties. I came up with a recovery plan and my project was accepted. I then went from employee to employer.
Barberot is a family business, founded three generations ago. In 2018, when I was looking to hand over, Aurige offered to take over Barberot and it made sense; our values and our past are similar. I am now trying to pass on some of my 45 years of know-how and let the company benefit from my network, until next summer when I retire.

Since my childhood, through my family, I have always been immersed in this culture of safeguarding historical heritage. I think this has been ingrained in me for a long time! After a construction supervisor diploma, I joined the engineering cycle to complete highschool.

I joined Lefèvre a little over 11 years ago. I first did my internship on the restoration site of the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris, then I was hired to work at Lefevre Renovation’s price study office. My various experiences have led me to work for the preservation of the monuments of the 20th century.

In 2016, in order to offer a specific response to the restoration of the first historic concretes, we integrated within Lefèvre a small company specializing in this subject: Novbéton. The idea of running a small structure within the Aurige group is a great opportunity. I find it reassuring to be able to rely on a well-knowed and well-organized group.

My mission at Novbéton is to respond to the requests of the project owners and project managers who have problems with the maintenance and conservation of monumentse built in concrete. What I really like taking ancient buildings through time. It is a multitasking job, in which you need a good ability to adapt and be very client-oriented.

After a construction management degree and a few years spent as a draftsman in an architectural firm, I found myself unemployed. A friend of my father's, at the time director of the Soporen, was looking for a fitter. During the job interview, I was able to highlight my drawing skills and my eagerness to learn. But I knew little about Historic Monuments. They told me “No problem, we'll train you, you start in two months!”. Thus began a wonderful human adventure that would last 36 years. I then worked for several other entities of the group, to come back where I started:  Soporen; so I came back full circle.

I am thankful to Aurige for giving me such a great career. After these 36 years dedicating myself to Monuments, I am passing the torch. I’m retired, but I still work part time. I am staying to support my successor, pass on my knowledge and train the young people who are starting out. This role of transmission is very important for me, because our job is above all a matter of Men and Women. My daughter, a former nurse, is completing her professional reconversion within the company itself to become a fitter too ...

Stone cutter by profession, restorer of historical monuments by passion.

Fort Boyard, Tour Saint-Nicolas, Tour de la Chaîne, Saint-Louis Cathedral or the Town Hall of La Rochelle ... I work for the rebirth of historical heritage and I like to put my hands in old stones. After obtaining a CAP in the Stone Industry, a Professional CFA Certificate and a first experience as a stonemason, I put my expertise at the service of monuments in danger! I have worked with the Compagnons de Saint-Jacques since 2003. They trusted me when I knew nothing about the trade. They gave me time to learn and today it’s just happiness.

On a daily basis, I take care of the management of several projects and companions. I ensure that the rules for identical catering are respected. I chose to do this job because I wanted manual work, unusual, artistic and never repetitive. My job fascinates me, it is always a pleasure to restore monuments that have such a history and which often take place in unique settings. This is also made possible thanks to the Aurige group, which provides us with a good quality of work and exceptional projects.

My best professional memory at Les Compagnons de Saint-Jacques? Certainly, the construction site on Fort Boyard because we slept there, we enjoyed the sunsets in the middle of the ocean. We went there every Monday morning by helicopter then we left every Friday evening by helicopter. The deliveries of materials and equipment were made by helicopter hoisting. Then ... cut a pebble and put it in place for Fort Boyard, it’s incredible luck!

In general, after each completed project I feel pride. I am proud to have been able to participate in the renovation of a building built by our ancestors, and for which all possible energy had been given. No question of cheating with history; when a restoration is unveiled, the monument must closely resemble what it was when it was built!

I grew up in Touraine, where heritage is truly omnipresent; it marks childhood by its richness and diversity. I therefore directed my studies towards a BTS in tourism sales and production in Tours and then a Bachelor in Hotel and Tourism Management in Angers before pursuing a Master in Marketing and Tourism Management at ICOGES Lyon. Coming from the world of travel and responsible tourism, through my past experiences, I derive knowledge and requirements such as respect for the visitor in his differences or the requirement of quality of service. I have been working at Alfran, as manager of the Cassinomagus site, since March 2017. I arrived here a bit by chance, first by personal and family geographic choice. The opportunity for a position of responsibility was a fortuitous discovery. From my passion for the territory on which Cassinomagus is built, I take pride in promoting a heritage that belongs to all of us.

Strictly speaking, I did not choose this profession, I chose to respect my values ​​even at work, which I do today by combining a work in a magical space in the heart of nature and an ethically perfect profession because linked to culture. On a daily basis, I take care of a versatile team in skills: botany, communication, maintenance, guided tours and HR management. I define the educational orientations and the themes of the tours, then I manage the relations with the heritage institutions and the archaeologists who excavate the site.

My best moments? In summer, before the days often busy with summer visitors, I particularly appreciate arriving before the team to "wake up" the different areas of the site: open the gates of the thermal baths classified as Historic Monuments, browse the park, its ancient garden and its orchard or illuminate the remains of the aqueduct. In these moments, I am extremely proud of my mission and the teamwork carried out at Cassinomagus. It is wonderful to realize that under the "ALFRAN Era" the record for the number of annual visitors is reached on the site, with an excellent level of satisfaction.
The Aurige group? It brings credibility and seriousness to our activity.

Nothing predestined me to pursue the career I have made. When I was younger, I never paid attention to historic monuments or the woods. Son of surgeon parents, I naturally turned to a career in medicine. In 1998 I gave up everything to return to a manual trade. I then took a carpenter's CAP at the Fédération Compagnonnique des Métiers du Bâtiment. I like to redo the same and I have satisfaction in dismantling, reassembling or replacing a frame. What I like is that I work as much with my head as with my hands! Most carpenters make new wood, I have been passionate about restoring old wood from the start. I got to know MDB during my tour of France and I have been part of it for 15 years now. From the start there was a good understanding and interesting projects. I particularly remember the construction site of Notre-Dame de Paris where the belfries and bell supports were restored. Or again, at the Palace of Versailles - the site of the royal opera house in which the framework had been demolished. I'm happy to be part of a solid group like Aurige. This is our source of references. Without the group we would probably not have such beautiful sites.

Since childhood I have been drawn to heritage in all its richness. During family visits to historic sites, I was constantly looking for hidden passages and details in the sets. I lived in Canada and discovered the recent history of this country and its built heritage there. It made me realize the richness of our French heritage and the chance we have to be able to intervene in these places steeped in history. After preparatory classes in Physics and a course at the Polytechnic school of Grenoble, I carried out my end of study internship in the Tollis workshop. I was then hired there in October 2018. I will long remember my first day at Tollis: my chef handing me a helmet and telling me that we were leaving for the construction site… the Royal Chapel of the Palace of Versailles! Versailles seen from the roofs, under the snow and without any visitors in the gardens ... unforgettable! The environment and the conditions in which this work is carried out suit me, because a significant part of the work supervisor's missions takes place in the field and thus leaves no room for routine! In addition, this job allows me to go behind the scenes of construction sites and follow a project in its entirety, which is an essential aspect for me to give meaning to the actions carried out. On a daily basis I take care of the technical aspects of the sites, to provide answers that are in accordance with the rules of the art and the conservation of the aesthetics of the ornaments that we are restoring. I organize the logistics and supply of the sites, I implement the safety instructions, I constitute the teams and I participate in site meetings. You have to be organized, inventive and pragmatic to deal with the many “urgent” situations. What motivates me the most? Participate, even on an ad hoc basis, in the conservation and renewal of a site, or a building, which has witnessed many human histories and to ensure that it can still mark future generations. And then there is the interaction with the companions and the measurement of the before / after, of what was made possible by their know-how. I chose to stay at Tollis for the diversity of the interventions, the nature of the know-how present within the workshop, as well as its human size. In addition, the workshop is part of the Aurige group, which brings together a wide variety of trades and has a large geographic distribution which allows it to work on a wide spectrum of operations.

As a teenager I was good at numbers, so I turned to accounting and finance studies. I worked for four companies before entering by chance, in 1989, at Lefèvre in Paris.

I started as an accountant, a position I held until 2007. Then I was offered the position of payroll manager, which I immediately accepted so that I could diversify my tasks. I like the spirit of analysis and research, but I also appreciate being able to provide answers on complex subjects to the employees of the company; I inform them about their rights, guide them and answer their questions.

This job does not allow me to work on a daily basis on Historical Monuments. Nevertheless, I have always been curious to visit our sites. I had the opportunity to discover monuments that I would never have had the opportunity to see while working in another sector.

For the record, I knew my current bosses when they were just 18 years old. They were interns, then became employees in their father's company, and then took over the management.

I am very proud to have worked all these years for Aurige. It’s a big family, I’ve had great encounters there. It is a prestigious company on a human scale. I didn’t see the time go by, I have been working within the group for 30 years now and carrying out my missions with enthusiasm every day.

I have always loved stone. As a child, when I went on vacation, I did a lot of cultural family visits: a castle, a church or a cathedral. I was lulled by artisanal and historical values. When I was 16, I left my family home to join the Compagnons du Devoir. An exceptional experience which allowed me to discover the profession of stonemason and to travel for 12 years. During my Tour de France, I first worked at Léon Noël, then in 2004, I joined Normandie Rénovation in Rouen as a fitter. And I have been a works supervisor for 8 years now. I love this company for its values ​​and quality of work. She is part of a group, Aurige, which is constantly evolving and remains up to date with the restaurant business. It's reassuring !

In the Rouen region there are so many Gothic monuments and remarkable buildings that we have the chance to work on. All the men who do this job dream of participating in the restoration of a church or a Cathedral one day ... and here I knew it would be possible. I like to restore, build, leave traces and get behind the old. On a daily basis, I feel a bit like the guardian of the temple. I take care of the organization on the construction sites, the relations with the Contracting Authority and the Contracting Authority, the link between the stone-cutting workshop and the sites.

What motivates me the most? The constant discussion with my team and the architect, finding technical solutions to solve problems, making everyone's job easier. For the record, I had the chance to work on the plans of the architect Louis Sauvageot (1842-190), found in the archives of the city of Rouen. My most striking project is linked to one of his drawings, representing the layout of a watchtower at the Hôtel de Bourgtheroulde in Rouen. We were commissioned to completely rebuild this turret, which fell in the 19th century. Sauvageot had designed a project, which we carried out hundreds of years later. It was fascinating because we built like back then.

I learned the trade with my father who was an electrician. He trained me and gave me the taste of well done job. A few years later, he went to the Caracas metro construction site. I didn't follow he and then I created my own company on the island of Reunion.
When he came back we decided to work together. Initially we had 6 employees, then our business grew and we ended the adventure with a hundred employees. This path allowed me to access many trades such as electricity, plumbing, tiling, painting, structural work or rehabilitation.
And then one day I went back to France and I happened to meet a former director of Jacquet Industry. He was looking for a site manager. It was the beginning of a great adventure.
My first project leaves me a very strong memory. It was on the basilica Saint-François-de-Salles in Thonon-les-Bains. The difficulty lay in the dismantling of the flying arches of the building. I had found an innovative methodology, but something was missing from my proposal; I had to go further to make my device operational. A leader of the group who visited the site by chance, instinctively helped me by drawing a diagram to complete my solution. This is a good example of collaboration and support as can be seen at Aurige.

Wood has always attracted me. Already at the age of 6 or 7 I saw my father tinkering and I loved manual work. So I entered the Companions at 16 years old.
I did the Tour of France, to return to Bourges 10 years later, on my homeland. I joined MDB in 2006. I chose this company because it was not just posing; she made her own joinery, carpentry and furniture, and this became rare in this business. Today I am Workshop Manager. I like working with wood. Starting from the raw material to arrive at a single piece, that's what motivates me. Techniques evolve and tools too.
I am currently trained on new, more modern machines, to progress and adapt. My job is also to pass on my knowledge to the young people who come to us. They are takers, that's nice. I can guarantee you that succession is assured!
My most important project? A castle owned by a private owner, for which the volume of work was impressive. The raw wood arrived at the workshop and it came out with beautiful moldings. We had to put in place a very precise logistics to facilitate the installation on site by our teams. A life-size puzzle! I felt a very special emotion when I discovered the final result.

I live between Nîmes and Arles, a rich region of heritage. Child I was already walking on the Pont du Gard that made me dream. My father was a mason contractor and I had fun cutting blocks of aerated concrete. But my heart was swinging between becoming a trumpeter and stonemason.
I finally trained to become a stonemason, but I managed to reconcile the two since I was also able to play the trumpet in the orchestra of the feria in Nîmes. I went to Sele in 1992 as a stonemason, and then I became head of the workshop. I then followed a training course and today I am site manager on the arena of Nîmes. At Sele I really touched all aspects of the job. I even participated in the extraction of arena stone in our Barutel career. The restoration of arenas is one of the most important building sites in France.

It will spread over the next fifteen years. For now we have delivered only the first two tranches. I organize the work of the companions, I make sure of the quality of realization of the works while guaranteeing the safety on the building site and the respect the deadlines. I bring my experience and my technique to the team to find solutions and work better. I am proud of what we achieve there.

I have been working at Renofors for 25 years and this company has given me the opportunity to evolve. I joined in 1994 as a companion, became team leader, site manager and then works manager. My job is to find the right techniques to repair, strengthen and solidify the structure of buildings. Each project is different and that's why my passion has stayed intact throughout the years. Some mission has even led me to travel in Africa or Belgium.

My most remarkable realization? The restoration of the Halles du Boulingrin in Reims. They trusted me to carry out tests on the concrete treatment. We searched and developed new processes and techniques to achieve optimal results. We won this market that lasted two years. It was a real challenge and I feel proud of the result.

Nowadays, thanks to my years of experience and my technical knowledge, I am helping the work drivers. I offer my advice on whether the techniques and the preliminary studies will be applicable in real life.

The strength of our company is teamwork. We are united as a family.

I joined Jacquet in Bourges in April of 1986, 33 years ago and I will retire in a few months, with a twinge of sadness in my heart. I'm leaving my office, which my son used to think was at the top of the north tower of the Bourges Cathedral! I have spent most of my career at Jacquet; I never wanted to leave the company. I'm a bit like a "mom" for the agency, here it's a second family.

During these years, I saw and accompanied the evolution of the group. I see the arrival of young people who come to boost the business, services that are being created. The company evolves but while remaining homely, almost like a cocoon. I do not regret anything of those years, which have passed almost too quickly. My husband has been retired for 2 years and he looks forward to my joining him.

I will remain involved by the Historical Monuments, I will continue to participate to the National Heritage Days, to visit every monument that I come across during my walks. The stone will remain engraved in me, with a feeling of pride for having worked in the restoration of the cultural Heritage. 

Working as a family, how is it?

Gilles: Great ! I'm very proud of my son. He has acquired great responsibilities and manages major projects. I will retire in 2 or 3 years, after almost 40 years at Lefèvre! My last job will be with him, working on the Bayeux Cathedral. We’ve come full circle!

Tristan: It’s still early in my career and it is a real asset to be able to benefit from my father’s experience. It really helps me to thrive.

Have you followed the example set by your father in choosing this job?

T: It's true that I spent a great deal of my holidays on the construction sites with him. As a little boy, I once told him "one day I will be bossing you around! ". I first started with a few internships at Lefèvre and then I was hired full-time in 2015.

G: He was right, because it is the case now! Restoring the Historical Monuments is a bit of a family affair, my father-in-law was a slater, and my daughter's husband is a carpenter-joiner.

A family anecdote to share with us?

T: On a construction site, I found by chance on the cathedral of Bayeux a stone which had been put by my father before my birth in 1987. His name was engraved on it! It moved me a lot.

G: I myself had found one with the name of my father-in-law, engraved in 1955, in the Lantern Tower of the Men's Abbey. There are sometimes funny coincidences in life.

Stones have always been an object of fascination for me. As a little I was found of churches, pyramids, and historical monuments. When I was 12, I met a sculptor who encouraged me to pursue this path and my passion, it helped me overcome the challenges and a very physical profession.  In 2010, I joined Jacquet, a company I'd heard  a lot of good about, especially from my classmates at the Marcs d'Or High School. Our missions are varied and of a high-standard of quality.

At home, stone is a family affair: my husband and grandfather were stonemasons and we passed on this passion to our children; my 6-year-old son and my 3-year-old daughter want to “break some pebbles" like their parents. I like this contrast where I am masculine in my work and feminine on the weekends.

A remarkable anecdote: during the last restoration campaign of the Saint-Bénigne Cathedral, we found a token under the pavement. It enabled us to date stones from the XIII or XIVth century. To perpetuate this tradition, we also put a chip under the restored pavement. Someone may find it in several centuries ... The most important for me in this work? To leave a trace that runs through time.

I was born in Turkey and moved to France for love after meeting my wife in 2012. I first worked at Lefèvre, then at Leon Noël, first as a temp worker and then in a full-time position after a year. Even though my training is in traditional masonry, ever since discovering historical restauration I can no longer fathom doing anything else.

Since 2017, I’ve been managing the restauration of Guise’s Familistère (a landmark housing complex for working class families). I’ve become completely steeped in the site’s history: I’ve read about it and visited the museum. Even my keychain is from the Familistère’s gift shop. I’ve become a diehard Guise fan! I oversee the Léon Nöel team on site as well as the other trades involved in the project. I want the restauration to be beautiful and well made in order to honor and enhance Léon Nöel’s image. I document the work progress on Facebook and my posts get likes from Turkey!

Every day, I give something of myself to the monument and to Léon Nöel. I add value to France. My parents recently came to visit me in France for the first time. I was so proud to show off the Familistère and present my accomplishments. My father was blown away, it was a very emotional moment.

In conclusion: Işimi seviyorum*!

* I love my job!

“As a child, my father, a mason, took me with him to construction sites, so I could learn the value of hard work. What started almost as a form of punishment became a real passion. I began working for Lefèvre during a temporary assignment at the Karl Marx College in Villejuif. I have stayed on. Humans are the main focus of Lefèvre, I really feel trusted.
After an accident, my father had to stop working as a mason. He was told to change his career for a desk job, which he couldn’t bring himself to accept because masonry was his life. He just wanted to be given him a second chance; Lefèvre gave it to him. After a trial period of a few months, he was able to resume his work the same as before. We now are lucky to work together on the National Assembly site. I am pleased to share this experience with him. “

His father, Adelino, told us "I am proud to work with my son, it has strengthened our relationship. "

I trained as a physicochemist and, as I’ve always wanted to work in the cultural domain, I specialized in the study of construction materials degradation in historical buildings.

After various job experiences in laboratories and consultant firms, working on projects as diverse as stone desalination, stained glass, and murals, I joined E.C.M.H. in January of 2015. E.C.M.H. is a subsidiary of the Aurige group. It specializes in the diagnosis of the pathologies affecting historical buildings. Within the scope of our missions, we work in synergy with the group’s other subsidiaries as well as architects and custodians… My job consists in visiting the sites to make observations, collect samples and experiment with treatments in order to establish an intervention protocol.

My work allows me to interact with a large number of people from diverse backgrounds, all connected by their shared love of history and cultural heritage. This is, I think, the key benefit of my job, as it has allowed me to develop both my technical and human skillsets. I am fully aware of how privileged I am to be sharing knowledge and learning with people passionate about what they do in unique settings.

I discovered stone masonry during a day of immersion in 9th grade, I had found my vocation! So I decided to specialized in stone masonry in high school. I have just finished my internship at Lefèvre. This experience was very enriching and complete because I worked on all the stone’s aspects : general and stone masonry. The team was eager to share their know-how. I progressed a lot and improved my technique and most of all, they trusted me. I cut a stone, from a rough block directly on the facade of the Louvre, and I know it will stay there for hundreds of years. I really made a contribution to restore the building.