The Grand Palais became entirely unoccupied in March 2021, allowing the work to begin in earnest throughout the entire building. Site installations were completed in May; with temporary facilities installed inside the building and a safety command post created. Work on the façades began in April. The façades were covered with scaffolding on the south, east and north sides of the Nave. This made it possible to conduct restoration on the upper levels (cornices, balustrades, etc.) as well as the statues. Seven flame finials have already been replaced. Alongside this, the wooden joinery elements were taken to the restoration workshops. At ground level, the creation of new doorways also began.

The non-structural elements in all areas of the building were gradually cleaned. This led to some wonderful discoveries, including the revelation of large areas of original mosaic flooring, as well as several glass roofs that had hitherto remained hidden. In the Palais d Antin, cleaning was followed by demolition work in order to restore its historic volumes. The end of the year also brought the start of masonry and structural reinforcement work as well as structural works, which began early, for the planned curators areas, in the building s ground level.

In the Nave, cleaning started on the balconies and adjoining galleries, as well as the sanding of beams, followed by the application of fire protection (using intumescent paint). The balconies were also reinforced. Once the cleaning was complete, the different professions qualified to work on Historic Monuments (mosaics, stucco, fibrous plaster, glass floor tiles, stone, ironwork, metalwork, etc.) were able to establish condition statuses. The Chief Architect for Historical Monuments was then able to provide a scientific and technical committee with the desired levels of restoration for each element, in order for the committee to make the relevant decisions. Finally, the end of the year saw all the newly-appointed companies launch into their preparatory periods and execution plans, an essential phase for a successful standards compliance project.

PROJECT SCHEDULE Summer 2024: Opening of the Nave and adjoining galleries to host the fencing and taekwondo events of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and the wheelchair fencing and para-taekwondo events of the Paralympics.

Autumn 2024: After the Olympic and Paralympic games, life in the Nave and events galleries can begin.

Winter 2024: Completion of the interior layouts of the Grand Palais. Installation of scenography for the first exhibitions.

Spring 2025: The entire Grand Palais reopens to the public, with the exception of the Palais de la Découverte

Autumn 2025: Palais de la Découverte opens to the public

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