[France24] In a former royal forest, tree surgeons on Monday began felling centuries-old oak trees which will be used to rebuild the wooden-framed spire of Notre-Dame de Paris after it was destroyed by fire.The lead-coated spire, which for more than 150 years had defined the central Paris sky line, was consumed by the blaze in April 2019, collapsing through the stone vaulted roof to the tears and gasps of distraught onlookers.
President Emmanuel Macron announced last summer that the 96-metre (315 ft) spire would be reconstructed as originally designed by Eugene Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century, launching the hunt for the 1,000 oaks required to build the spire and the frame of the cathedral's transept.