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The Loire castles are preparing to reopen on Monday, May 11

2020-05-09T09:54:04.172Z


The prefecture of Indre-et-Loire has authorized around thirty sites to restart an activity. In the region, hope is reborn.


For two months, the owners of castles and historic parks watched with dismay at their empty halls and crates. Then they raised their heads when the Prime Minister announced that "the little ones" could reopen, as of May 11 - subject to prefectural authorization.

Also read: Loire Valley Castles: walk through eight exceptional gardens

For around thirty of them, including the royal chateau of Amboise, Clos-lucé, the chateau and gardens of Rivau, the royal fortress of Chinon or the chateau and gardens of Villandry, authorization was not granted. dragged: Friday evening, the prefecture of Indre et Loire warned each of them that the confinement was behind them and that they could resume the path of activity.

The news was greeted with relief by all these tourist sites, who had launched an appeal to the President of the Republic on May 4, and had all signed a "health reference" - each committing to do everything possible so that the public be greeted safely.

"We are ready to go again"

"We are ready to go," simply sums up Caroline Laigneau, the co-owner of Le Rivau, a medieval castle surrounded by a magical garden. From one site to another, the dates of opening to the public should still vary. The Domaine de Villandry is targeting the next weekend, for example, and the Rivau is currently calculating the best time to do so.

The month of May will undoubtedly be a month of transition for these monuments which also live thanks to the Ile-de-France clientele, located more than 100 kilometers from Indre et Loire. Parisians will therefore be lacking, at least until June 2 - which means that they will miss the ascent weekend, a key moment for the Loire castles. "For the time being, we do not know how the local public will react, and whether the crowds will be there from mid-May," explains Caroline Laigneau. The number of employees to come again obviously depends on the number of visitors, if these places do not want to turn at a loss.

1000 hectares of accessible promenade in Chambord

No matter what these adjustments, the movement is launched. In neighboring departments, everyone is also awaiting prefectural authorization, which should intervene in the coming days. "We have organized circuits so that nobody meets, and all the employees will wear a mask", explains Chantal Colleu-Dumont, director of the Chaumont estate, located in Loir-et-Cher "our thirty gardens are ready, and we could restart, even partially, from May 16 ” . The director expects that "air and art" have attracted people who have been locked up for two months.

As for the Chambord estate, it could welcome the first visitors in early June. The 1000 hectares of promenade will already be accessible from Monday, May 11. But this large state monument awaits the green light from the Ministry of Culture to resume the path of tourism.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-05-09

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