Chambord (France) (AFP)

A day of "cold January": the tourists were not numerous but delighted Friday to survey again the castle of Chambord, masterpiece of the Renaissance in the center of France, closed more than two months because of the covid-19 epidemic.

The castle of the king of France François I (1494-1547) welcomes the public again, but it was not the rush of a Friday in June ... even for a gray day.

Scattered groups roam the almost empty rooms of the Unesco World Heritage monument, where all the narrow passages are now marked by a sense of compulsory visitation. This is the case, for example, of the famous double-revolution staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci: it rediscovers the use of time of the splendor of the castle with stairs for the rise and the other for the descent.

"We came because it is the first weekend where we can move more than 100 kilometers" from his home, explains Guillaume Lefebvre, who came from Paris with his wife and two children, 8 and 10 years old. "There are not too many people. So that's good. There are hydro-alcohol gel terminals and the route is signposted: it's reassuring."

On the terraces, you can listen to the birds fluttering under the stormy sky. A quick glance at the bottom shows: the park does not know its usual crowd of late spring either.

In the corridors, where you can hear yourself walking, visitors are required to wear the mask.

"It transforms contact," says guide Maude Mazet. "Usually, my smile prompts visitors to ask questions. With the mask, you can't see anything. It's a little frustrating."

"It feels good to find the castle and the colleagues," enthuses the guide all the same. "It's a very weak day compared to a normal month of June. But there are still a few people and we have even heard of Spanish ... We can compare that to a month of January. But that allows to savor the castle. "

- Break-in before the weekend -

"It's just sublime after two months of confinement (...) And in addition, it is extremely comfortable since it is completely empty. We have the castle for us!" appreciates Victor Cadene, illustrator.

"This is ideal," agrees Nicolas Viault, interior designer. "There are not many people, so I can take pictures without anyone, and that is quite extraordinary! Except in winter, there are no other occasions."

If it makes the visitors of the day happy, this "winter" in spring does not do the business of the National Estate.

"We think that we will probably have lost half of the attendance over the year," regrets its general manager, Jean D'Haussonville, who preferred to reopen Friday, "to be able to get started" before the weekend.

"100% of Chambord's salaries are paid by the visits; small jobs, all supplies are paid by the visits, we live on 90% of the tourist revenue. Without the tourism revenue, we will die!" he recalls, referring to "the worst season since the Liberation".

The director is not the only one to worry. Guillaume Leprince, the manager of the Crêperie du Cerf, inside the estate, also wonders.

"It is not too crowded, it looks like a cold January. The weather is good, it will probably be different tomorrow Saturday", hopes this "anxious" restaurateur who has counted on a reopening only saturday.

"Now we can have a good surprise if European visitors return after June 15," said Jean D'Haussonville in a resolutely positive tone. "And then maybe also the good surprise is that our compatriots want to find their heritage, the countryside, nature. And the Loire Valley (rich in castles, historic towns and villages, editor's note) is a fabulous destination for that. "

© 2020 AFP