Pont-à-Mousson. Paving stone by paving stone, more than 6,000 worn stones from Place Duroc are regaining their shine under expert hands.

Since Monday, jackhammers have been pounding away at Place Duroc , removing its cobblestones, weakened by time, water infiltration, and the constant flow of vehicles. "Underneath, there's sometimes concrete, hence the jackhammers," explains site manager Jérôme Simon. "We're removing what's broken and leveling everything so that the paving stones fit together perfectly, squarely."

Begun in front of the town hall, this repair work concerns two pedestrian crossings, in sandstone paving. Four pavers are busy carefully dismantling, cleaning and replacing each paving stone . The action is precise: piece by piece, the workers replace the roadway like a puzzle. Joints are made with fine sand, swept in all directions to penetrate well and finally moistened to set with a screed of sand and cement.

A paver for five years, Mathias Schanne describes a demanding daily routine where the days drag on from dawn, often until 4 p.m. "This morning, in two hours, we laid 300 paving stones!" says the thirty-year-old between two blows of the rubber mallet.

"In total, that will make 6,000... Luckily, they are small paving stones, 10x10 cm, so they're less back-breaking!" smiles his brother Thibaut, continuing to align the black and white lines of the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of rue Maréchal-Joffre and place Duroc.

Further on, two manhole covers have already been re-leveled. "These are sensitive points: with traffic, they're sagging," notes Jérôme Simon, from the earthmoving company of the same name. " It was my father, Gabriel, who rebuilt the entire Place Duroc over thirty years ago! Elected officials know they can count on us; we make sure the work is impeccable."

A territorial attachment shared by the young boss of Tib's Aménagement. "I was born here, it's a pleasure to work here. We're giving the city a new lease on life! By the end of next week, there should be no more potholes in the square."

The final phase of the project is the repair of the ruts at the entrance to Place Duroc. "It's a disaster in places," says Thibaut Schanne, "all because of the semi-trailers that drive through town even though they're not allowed to." The municipal decree that prohibits the circulation of heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes dates back to 1985 .

In total, 60 m² of roadway will be reclaimed by July 17 to make crossings safer for pedestrians, cars, bicycles and other scooters in the historic heart of Pont-à-Mousson.