The Chateau de Versailles, west of Paris has not been filled since its reopening last June after 80 days lockdown.
As many museums in Paris, its main sites such as the Hall of Mirrors and the huge park are almost deserted.
This is unprecedented for one of France's most popular tourist spots. In 2020, the the number of visits to the Chateau de Versailles will be around one million visitors compared to seven million in 2019.
"We lost almost €50 million in revenue. We made savings to reduce the deficit to €35 million, which is still considerable," Thierry Gausseron, the general administrator of the Château de Versailles, said in an interview with France TV Info.
6 million fewer visitors
With an expected loss of nearly 6 million visitors in 2020, the economic model of the structure is faltering because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
75% of the revenue comes from ticket sales and without foreign tourists, the situation is unlikely to improve, Gausseron adds.
But the State has promised €87 million over two years as part of the 2-billion-euro recovery plan announced by the culture ministry in September.
Continuing renovations
€87 million over two years should make it possible to absorb the deficits, but also to continue the various renovation projects.
This will reassure the craftsmen and the various companies which rely heavily on these contracts to survive.
The Chateau de Versailles employs nearly a thousand people, it is estimated to provide a living for between 15,000 and 20,000 people.
