"Montreal is no longer the city of a thousand bell towers. With the decline of religion and churches closing one after the other, many bells have fallen silent. A few diehards, however, continue to maintain this increasingly quiet religious heritage. Welcome to the campanologists."

“When church bells ring these days, they may be tolling their own demise. Churches are closing, parishioners abandoning their pews. Yet despite the church's fading appeal, Mr. Désormiers and his crew are busy at this time of year preparing for Christmas, touring places like Cap-Chat, Saint-Eustache and Saint-Honoré-de-Shenley to secure the aural vestiges of Quebec's religious past. »

"Daniel Désormiers loves churches. He never ceases to be fascinated by their architecture and their rich heritage. But what he loves above all are their bells. Thanks to his talent, they can continue to ring, calling the faithful to meditation or inviting them to celebrate the rites of life."

“Standing directly beneath the massive wood-and-iron frame that cradles 10 hefty bronze bells, Désormiers and his young assistant Carl Tremblay run tests on the control panel attached to the greystone masonry of the Gothic revival church. Faulty wiring appears to be the culprit. »

Passersby walking in downtown Chicoutimi will now be able to trust what they see on the clock face at city hall.

The City of Saguenay has restored the clock located on the facade of the building constructed in 1932.