‘They said it was impossible’: how medieval carpenters are rebuilding Notre Dame

Project leaders at Guedelon Castle tell how their woodwork savoir faire is proving a godsend for mission to restore Paris cathedral roof

At Guedelon Castle the year is 1253 and the minor nobleman, Gilbert Courtenay, has ridden off to fight in the Crusades, leaving his wife in charge of workers building the family's new home: a modest chateau that befits his social position as a humble knight in the service of King Louis IX.

Here, in a forest clearing in northern Burgundy, history is being remade to the sound of chisel against stone and axe against wood, as 21st-century artisans re-learn and perfect long-forgotten medieval skills.