The Chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut by Le Corbusier, inaugurated on the 25th June 1955, has not undergone the appropriate repair of the concrete used in the middle of the last century, which has been damaged over time.
All buildings need permanent maintenance according to the evolution of their materials over time.
Various kinds of deterioration include :
Surface scaling : the surface mortar flakes off as a result of the corrosion of steel reinforcing.
Structural cracks are due to chemical reactions inside the materials used in the concrete mix or poor construction practices.
The Southern façade was made by projecting concrete on an iron framework. This technique was quite new at the time. It requires a deep
understanding of how the concrete will react over time to the thermal stresses caused by extreme seasonal temperature variations.
Watertight integrity needs to be monitored at all times. The contact between different materials causes joints to be fragile.
The window panes are also fragile elements. The various glass types, the cold or hot technique used for the writings and drawings account for this fragility. They are also vulnerable to vandalism or accidents.
The building was repainted regularly until 1995.
As a consequence, the roughcast has been overloaded with paint and needs to be cleansed before receiving the matt white coating originally provided by whitewash.
The renovation work will deal with the three main buildings of the site: the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut, the Pilgrim’s Shelter and the Chaplain’s House.
The Chapel was listed as Historical Monument only twelve years after it was built, on the 8th November 1967. The two adjacent buildings were listed as Historical Monuments on the 11th June 2004.
A first study made in July 2011 enabled to assess the cost of the renovation of the three buildings.
In January 2015, a series of studies examined the different techniques to cleanse the facing and to open the cracks, they identified the
repair materials and studied how to protect the window panes. They made it possible to find renovation methods.
The intervention program is divided into several phases :
The first phase is complete
The firm part concerns essentially the restoration of the south façade and the underside of the hull. This restoration will begin with a topographic survey of the building’s volume and the and the very precise identification of the cracks. The results of the experimental interventions carried out since 2015 will make it possible to validate and refine the intervention protocol if necessary.
Then, the cracks and oxidized metal lattices will be treated. The waterproofing will be restored and reinforced. The cladding will also be treated and repainted to make it look as close to the original state as possible.
It should be noted that this phase will be the occasion to carry out conservation measures on the Pilgrim’s Shelter and the Chaplain’s House pending their subsequent restoration.
The second phase is complete
Restoration of the west façade.
The third phase is complete
Restoration of the north façade of the chapel. Restoration of the east façade of the chapel.
From spring 2024
In progress
Restoration of the south-west tower of the chapel.
Second half of 2024
Restoration of the chapel’s interior.
2024 – 2025
Restoration of the Pilgrim’s Shelter and the Chaplain’s House.
Visitors will be allowed on the Hill of Notre-Dame du Haut during the whole period of renovation work,
To respect the work of all the people who are renovating the Chapel, it is important to pay attention to the safety measures recommended by the Porterie staff when buying your entrance ticket.
The visitor will discover the Pilgrim’s Shelter, the Chapel by Le Corbusier, the campanile by Jean Prouvé, the oratory of St Clare monastery by Renzo Piano. Guided tours, digital tours or guiding maps translated into 9 languages will be offered, thanks to different devices.
Guided tours are proposed during the renovation project.
Given the significant cultural heritage of the buildings, the management committee with all its members, local, regional and State ServicesServices directed by the Préfet of Haute-Saône, has been working since 2017 to identify the renovation schedule and the funding.
Along with the State, the local and regional authorities conserve this cultural heritage.
All the partners are fully aware of the importance of this unique architectural site and give their unreserved support to the conservation works.
As an exceptional measure public funding will meet 90% of the total cost of the repair work :
50% will be funded by the DRAC
20% each from the Burgundy Franche-Comté Region and the Département of Haute-Saône.
The association which owns the Chapel is to fund the remaining 10% cost.
The total cost of the renovation works will reach 2.3 million euros.
As a result, the cost paid by the association will be 230,000 euros.
Episode 1 : le béton, c’est quoi ?
Episode 2 : la façade Sud, comment est-elle construite ?
Episode 3 : pourquoi la chapelle a t’elle besoin d’être restaurée??
Episode 4 : les différentes phases du chantier
Episode 7 : les fissures de la façade Sud
Episode 5 : les pathologies des bétons
Episode 8 : les enjeux du protocole
Episode 6 : les restaurations de la Façade Sud
Episode 9 : les enjeux du protocole
13 rue de la Chapelle
F-70250 Ronchamp
+33 (0)3 84 20 65 13
Contact
Until Friday 18 April 2025: 10am to 5pm
From Saturday 19 April 2025: 10am to 6pm
From Monday 12 October 2025: 10am to 5pm
Last admission: 30 minutes before closing time. Closed on 25 December and 1 January
Patrimoine Mondiale – UNESCO For journalists
Connect
Educational resources
To go further
+33 (0)3 84 20 73 26
Contact
Association Oeuvre Notre-Dame du Haut 
Monument Historique 
Fondation Le Corbusier 
Association des sites Le Corbusier 
Université de Franche-Comté 
LLIADI 
Vosges du Sud 
Qualité Tourisme 
Qualité Tourisme 
Accueil Vélo 
Pass Musées 
Chèques Vacances 
PIVE Réalisation DN Consultants
