At the end of the 18th century, the cathedral was in serious need of structural reinforcement and consolidation, as attested by the Director of Public works of Languedoc province. However, the Bishop Marie-Joseph de Galard chose instead to carry out a large-scale program of interior redecoration. He relocated the main stairway giving access to the building away from the nave to the cloister, where a new door was cut into the west wall. The medieval rood screen separating the choir and nave and surrounding choir screen were removed, and the interior was stripped of medieval decoration and redecorated with moulded plaster and false vaults, Some portions which were too difficult to remodel were simply abandoned; the north transept was closed and the south transept was turned into a dormitory.