More than 87 million euros for a desert crossing.
The enormous aid allocated by the State to Versailles gives the measure of the extent of the disaster which is sweeping over the residence of the Sun King.
Day after day, Catherine Pégard, its president, takes note of the disaster.
Formerly, that is to say, seven months ago, crowds thronged to the gates and into the park.
Today, attendance has dropped by over 80%.
“A rainy February day in 2018 was equivalent to an average of 8,000 to 10,000 visitors.
Last week, there were barely 2,000 a day ”,
she sums up, forecasting a deficit of 47 million for the year.
The Americans, the Chinese, the Brazilians, and the groups of schoolchildren are gone.
On the way between the monument and the station, decorated with the effigy of Louis XIV, their absence is noticeable:
"The shops, cafes and restaurants are struggling,"
notes the mayor of the city, François de Mazières.
Car parks, once impossible
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