Paris (AFP)

The anticipated end of the agricultural fair, which will close on Saturday evening due to fears linked to the coronavirus, leaves the last visitors indifferent but causes logistical concerns for exhibitors, already faced with a drop in attendance in recent days.

After the cancellation by the government of all "gatherings of more than 5,000 people" in a closed environment, the show will not reopen on Sunday.

In the immediate Saturday afternoon, "it doesn't change anything" for Aurélie, 36, who came from the Center region with her son Théo and their Parisian cousin Alexis, 27.

"It is less serious than the flu," said the latter, not to mention "Ebola and the H1N1 virus", adds his cousin, who believes that journalists "do too much" on the epidemic.

"We can catch it in any place where there are people, and I will work every day on the metro", also relativizes Nathalie, 53, who came with the family from Hauts-de-France to visit the show . "It is the first time that we come, we went to the animal pavilion and to that of the regions." Now she goes to see the one for dogs and cats.

"So it closes tomorrow? We heard it but we didn't know if it was true": Jean-Noël, a retiree who came on a tour from Poitiers, is not very impressed by the news. "Anyway, here we are!".

"They organize a football match with an Italian club, but they close the agricultural fair ... it is useless", also judges Patrick, one of his traveling companions.

- Drop in attendance for 48 hours -

For organizers and exhibitors, however, the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic has however changed the situation a little.

"We do not yet have the total attendance figures, but we can say that it is down compared to last year, and that the coronavirus has strongly contributed to it," the AFP told AFP. salon president, Jean-Luc Poulain.

It has in particular "dropped since the announcement 48 hours ago by the Minister of Health of the precautionary measures to be taken against the coronavirus": the organizers of the show followed them "by providing hydroalcoholic gels in the toilets and systematically cleaning the door handles ", he explains.

"On Monday at 2 p.m., I already knew that my living room was planted" in terms of sales, also assures Laurence Dartiailh, sales manager in salons for the La Poste group.

- Big budgets -

"How is it going? We have to empty the stand tonight? But I don't have the car!" exclaims Agnes, a researcher who runs the stand of the Inrae institute.

"It is sure that a gathering" like the show, which saw 630,000 visitors in 2019, "it multiplies the exchanges," notes the scientist. "I ran my hands on hydro-alcoholic gel 7 or 8 times today, but it is not possible to talk to people with a mask."

Information taken from the organizers, "there is no emergency": the show will be closed to the public on Sunday but the exhibitors will have all day to gather their belongings, dismantle the stands, or have the animals go up in the cattle trucks.

Laurence Dartiailh, will not wait: she has already called the transporter to ask her to come at dawn on Sunday.

"We had doubts this morning," she said: temporary workers who work for Swiss Post at the show were warned that other events were canceled next week.

"I don't know if this is exaggerated prevention or if we are being lied to about the real situation", but, "it disorganizes everyone". And then there are the costs involved, "these are big budgets", sighs Ms. Dartiailh, who "does not know if the insurance will cover it".

© 2020 AFP