Arte - Guedelon Rebuilding the Past (2019)

In Burgundy, for more than twenty years, archaeologists and craftsmen have been building a fortified castle using the techniques and materials of the Middle Ages. For the second time, a documentary testifies to this incredible project. The largest experimental archeology site in the world, the construction site of the medieval castle of Guedelon, in Burgundy, which uses tools, materials and techniques from the 13th century, is entering its 22nd year. Over the seasons, Guedelon has offered “workers”, as the craftsmen who officiate there with the help of archaeologists call themselves, the know-how of the builders of the Middle Ages. A large audience - 300,000 visitors in 2017 - comes to admire the virtuosity of these stonemasons, carpenters or blacksmiths capable of transforming the sandstone of this former quarry and the oak wood of a neighboring forest to erect an imposing fortified work. A life-size human adventure, the construction brings together around forty craftsmen, supported by hundreds of volunteers, and by a scientific committee made up of archaeologists and historians.

Big challenges

In 2015, Guedelon rebirth of a medieval castle, co-produced by ARTE and Inrap (National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research), offered a first immersion in the heart of the site. Over the course of a season, this new exploration unveils new phases of the construction site and presents an overview of the building raised from the ground thanks to spectacular aerial images. In partnership with the German experimental site of Campus Galli in Baden-Wurttemberg, where a Carolingian monastery is being built, the builders of Guedelon unravel the manufacturing secrets of the parchment panels that will close the windows of the stately chamber. Based in particular on a visit to the Chateau de Laval, the carpenters and scientists are also considering the best technique for designing the roof of the chapel tower. The erection of the main door of the castle, between two towers, constitutes the last great challenge to be taken up before the laying of the last stone, scheduled for 2023. While the Notre-Dame de Paris site brings to the attention for the general public of heritage conservation issues, the experimental archeology of Guedelon is proving all the more precious.

The Audio Portion of this Document is in French with imbedded English Subtittles.

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