"The entire cultural sector is on the lookout for information from the prefecture and Paris City Hall, but so far, nothing is clear." With only seven months to go before the Olympic and Paralympic Games, President of the Association for the Support of Private Theater (ASTP) Pascal Guillaume described the uncertainty facing Parisian cultural venues, including museums, theaters and concert halls. Will they close or stay open? If closed, how will the financial losses be offset? If they remain open, will staff and the public be able to access the venues?
The documents published at the end of November by the prefecture – indicating the exclusion perimeters or areas of increased traffic during the sporting event in blue, red and grey – did not reassure the professionals, as the tangible consequences are difficult to decipher. "Between the closure of certain metro stations, the introduction of QR codes and the red zones, the outlook is pretty frightening," said Caroline Verdu, director of the Théâtre de la Pépinière and president of the National Union of Private Theater (SNDTP). Ricardo Esteban, director of the Petit Bain barge, a cultural venue moored at the foot of the François-Mitterrand site of the Bibliothèque Nationale in the 13th arrondissement, deplored that "information from the authorities is patchy at the moment and doesn't reach those concerned." The only certainty at the moment is that his music barge will be closed from July 19 to 28 for clearance operations. "They tell me we can use the terrace out front, that's fine, but my job is to program shows," said Esteban bitterly, estimating the loss of revenue at between €5,000 and €25,000 per day.
The Moulin Rouge, which welcomes 500,000 spectators every year, 60% of whom are foreigners, is not located within the perimeter of the Olympic venues. "But the cycling events will pass right by it," pointed out the venue's director, Jean-Victor Clerico, who, like all the operators contacted by Le Monde, "is not reassured by the Olympics." "Our first concern," added the owner of the famous Parisian cabaret, "will be to understand whether we can operate smoothly. Will the staff be able to get to the Moulin Rouge without difficulty, bearing in mind that not all our employees live within the Paris city limits?"
For museums, partial, total or sporadic closures are expected. The Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay are due to close on the day of the opening ceremony of the Games, on July 26. The situation is particularly complicated for establishments located close to the event sites, notably at the Trocadéro, where the gardens will be occupied by the Parc des Champions. According to a report by Emmanuelle Anthoine MP (Les Républicains, right-wing) in the preamble to the 2024 Finance Act, the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine should see its access limited from April 2024 and will not be open to the public for a month from July. Pending more precise directives from the prefecture, the establishment's management believes that it is "too early" to make a decision.
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