- This Monday, Parc Astérix welcomed visitors again. 3,000 were expected for this first day of operation.
- More than one million euros have been invested in equipment and personnel to ensure the health security of visitors.
"Obelix, he looks smaller than in the stories!" To hear little Manon, 5 years old, the Gallic hero knew how to avoid the pounds of confinement. At 9:30 am, this Monday morning, Obélix is the first character in the universe of Uderzo and Goscinny to welcome visitors already present at the entrance to Parc Asterix. He takes the time to pose for the photo to whoever requests it, it must be said that there are not many.
"The doors opened at 9 a.m. but the attractions don't start until 10 a.m., so people haven't arrived yet," comments an employee while disinfecting the counter at the huts that serve as crates. Like all the staff of the leisure park, it is hidden. It is not enough to hide his smile: “We are all happy to reopen, plus the weather is good, we will have people. "
Visitors drop by drop
If they arrived with a mask on their nose, Chloé and her brother Théo allow themselves to remove it to immortalize the meeting with Obélix. They fear nothing, a menhir separates them from the character, a clever mark of distancing. “It's more fun than marking on the ground, comment Pénélope and Philippe, their parents, and we are so happy to be there for the opening. The little family had been stamping for two weeks at the idea of being able to come, they were finally able to book their tickets last Thursday. Listening to them, we would almost forget the existence of the coronavirus, yet they are aware of it: “We have complete confidence in the organization. Amusement parks are still the crowd management pros. "
You only have to walk a few minutes inside Parc Asterix to realize that sanitary measures are everywhere and fully integrated into the universe of the site. The displays reminiscent of barrier gestures are mixed with the indication panels, next to each bin is a container reserved for masks and gloves, gel dispensers are scattered at the entrance of each shop and attraction as in front of Le Grand Splatch one of the most popular rides this morning where a group of teens are running.
"We've been waiting for this for a long time," smiles Evan, 17. A high school student like all his gang, he intends to take advantage of the closure of his school to come and have fun. “We thought that people were going to be too scared to come, so we want to take advantage of the fact that there aren't too many people to stand in line. We are not afraid of the coronavirus. His friend Matteo explains that they have only one fixed idea, to take advantage of it to make a maximum of attractions. At 10am, they are among the first to get into a boat to brave the waters.
"They disinfect every turn"
A little further, while the village does not yet seem quite awake, Laure, in her thirties, displays her good looks with her mask in hand near Oziris , one of the thrill rides of the park: "There it is indicated that the mask is not compulsory in the aisles. I would put it before entering the queue. »In the 42 attractions of the park, wearing a mask is compulsory. Laure will not wait long, there is not yet a crowd in front of the attraction. She meets Lucas and her friends, who have just come out of the ride, excitement in their voices and tremors in their legs. Adepts of sensations, they drove for 4:30 to join the park from Saône-et-Loire: “We wondered how it was going to happen. And frankly, it's nickel. They disinfect at each turn, they leave an empty wagon at each pass to respect the distances, there is gel when entering and they give us an individual dose when leaving. "The group of friends is delighted, but Leslie still puts a downside to the experience:" Sometimes you have to hold your mask, if it is not properly put on, you have the impression that it will 'fly away. "
At 11 a.m., if visitors start to flock between the attractions, groups of young people multiply, as do families. Some districts are still empty, those of the souvenir shops which are not all still open. In one of them, Ludivine waits behind the plexiglass in her box: “For the moment, it's empty. But it is still early, people want to make the most of the attractions, they will arrive after eating. "She then took the opportunity to check all the security measures applied in the shop: floor marking, protection for employees, disinfection of equipment every twenty minutes:" It has been three weeks since we started implementing the protocol . Since last week, everything is ready. "
Monday opening to start again smoothly
A few meters away, Antoine strolls and admires the decor. He arrived the day before and slept in one of the hotels in the park: “There is something to be reassured, when we arrived, we were asked to wait in the car for registration. They called us when it was our turn. Masks are compulsory for everyone and there are gel dispensers everywhere. Even for breakfast, it was a buffet but we weren't allowed to help ourselves, it's the staff who prepare our plates. Everything is going well, because there are not many clients yet. However, with more people, it may be complicated. "
More people, Guy Vassel, deputy director general of Parc Astérix, is not afraid of it, on the contrary he expects it: “We made the choice to open a Monday to start again smoothly. But all the attractions are open and only three shows do not happen because they are closed. For the hotels, Guy Vassel ensures that they can assume 80% of their usual capacity and he welcomes the nights already spent the day before reopening, more than a hundred rooms. “Today, between reservations, year-round subscribers and countermarks, we expect at least 3,000 people. It is not as much as last year at the same period - around 6,000 - but it is a good start, "he says.
Our file on deconfinement
After two and a half months of closure, with 90% of the staff on partial unemployment, he hopes for a great summer for the use of the park and is confident: "We have a clientele of 92% French, it will be complicated for many holidaymakers d 'go abroad, so we hope to get them back. For this, the deputy director general explains that the park administration has spent more than a million euros in additional equipment and personnel to guarantee "all-risk insurance" for visitors facing the Covid-19.
The measures also concern restaurants and hotels
When he leaves to ensure the proper functioning of these protocols across the park, it is already 12:30 p.m., the time for many to look for a boar or two to eat. The Guingette terrace, a Gallic snack bar, is already crowded. Table spacing is respected and visitors stick to the rules posted around the square. Opposite them stands the Cirque, a huge marquee that hosts the park's largest restaurant. Inside, the staff awaits customers, who are currently absent. Only a dozen came to take cover from the 400 available. “Since there is little waiting at the attractions, people take advantage and eat on the go. It will come gradually, “says Luc, the manager of the restaurant. He sacrificed 300 covers to respect the physical distance between the tables and the service. In addition to the compulsory masks for all movements inside, disinfecting the door handles, tables and chairs for each use, the buffet is now inaccessible to customers who are served on demand by the staff. “And all the plates are protected by cellophane before being made available. "
Once you've gone through the menus, it's time to get out of the restaurant to enjoy the joys of the park. It is 1:30 p.m., the place is full of people. Visitors who come to enjoy leisure activities "Made in Gaul." "
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