The second tourist site in Côte-d’Or and the third in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in terms of the number of visitors per year will indeed reopen its doors to the public. Entrance to the public will be free until June 31, 2020, with the possibility of making a donation to the Fondation des Hôpitaux de France. Update with the mayor of Beaune Alain Suguenot and the director of the Hospices Civiles François Poher.
Following the directives of the Government in mid-March linked to the health crisis in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Hôtel-Dieu museum had closed its doors to the public.
A striking closure when you know that the heritage site is the second most visited in Côte-d’Or and the third in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté with 430,000 visitors per year (2018 figures according to BFC Tourism). Museum officials then went to lend a hand to hospital teams involved in crisis management.
Legitimacy at reopening
Alain Suguenot, mayor of Beaune and president of the Beaune Côte et Sud agglomeration as well as François Poher, director of the Hospices Civiles de Beaune, say they have worked “for fifteen days now – three weeks” for “a crazy gamble”, that the mayor de Beaune says to assume.
According to the two protagonists, a letter had to be sent to Prime Minister Edouard Philippe so that the prefect gives his agreement to the reopening of a museum of this renown.
“A Hôtel-Dieu like this one, which has suffered a few pandemics since 1443, has always survived … And even today, the teams have been very efficient”, wishes to point out Alain Suguenot , emphasizing a hospitable tradition which gives body and even a certain legitimacy to this reopening.
Monday May 25 will therefore mark the day of the reopening of the tourist site, post-containment. And who says post-containment means adaptations for the reception of the public while respecting sanitary measures. Devices in this sense have been validated by the hospital hygiene team of the Hospices Civils de Beaune.
François Poher also ensures serious preparation: “The hospital skills we have can help us review all procedures meter by meter, so as to guarantee our visitors safety. The main question was: how do you manage the flow and density of visitors? ”.
155 visitors simultaneously
“We have not changed the circuit much because it is made on the concept of a step forward,” announces the director of the Hospices, all the same specifying that the number of visitors will be limited to 155 per hour (the museum could go up to 362).
“One hour” is the estimated duration of the visit. François Poher wants “every visitor to register for a stroll”. By saying: “We will make sure to put human resources where there may be fluidity problems, on sensitive points such as in the kitchen or the pharmacy.” In the main courtyard in particular, markings should be put in place to avoid too close crossings as much as possible. And the organization of the store will be reviewed.
Regarding entry to the site, online booking is encouraged. It is compulsory for guided discovery and thematic tours, in groups of up to 10 people. Audio guides will not be available. Sanitary measures must be applied.
“We are going in a very careful, measured way, because we do not want to make our visitors take risks”, insists François Poher, who wishes to remind at the same time: “In two months the hospital is in its third internal reorganization . For the museum, we reopen Monday on an experimental basis and we will evolve day after day. We will keep state authorities informed of developments and we can reverse in the worst case. It’s symbolic but we can serve as a prototype for other museums. ”
“It is a hospital museum, serving the hospital
and it’s a nice gesture that we want to do “
On the solidarity side, the museum has decided to implement a solidarity gesture for the benefit of the Paris Hospitals Foundation – Hôpitaux de France. Since entry to visitors is free until June 31, 2020, it will be possible to donate to the Foundation, “to support caregivers and the public hospital.” It’s a hospital museum, serving hospitals and it’s a beautiful gesture that we want to do. ”
From July 1, it is indicated that the rates will certainly be modified depending on the context and government announcements.
The challenge for the museum is not only to succeed in the symbolism of the reopening, you might say, but also to gradually prepare for a summer where French customers, in this case initially those coming from a radius of 100 km , promises to be more important.
The fixed radius allows Beaune to consider coming from Burgundy-Franche-Comté but also from Allier and Rhône. Hoping that the evolution of the sanitary situation allows a configuration say more permissive from the month of September which corresponds to the beginning of the biggest period for the museum.
Note also that the attendance was made until then by 66% of French, 28% of foreigners, 5% of Côte-d’Oriens and 0.5% of Beaunois.
Reopening of the Burgundy Wine Museum planned
In this reopening, Alain Suguenot sees the revival of a locomotive for Beaune and beyond, “a way of showing that the hospital participates in economic life, because we know here that when the hospital sneezes, the city s’ colds ”.
“In the process, we will open the Burgundy Wine Museum,” he says. As for the sale of wines next November, he says: “We have time … But there will be a sale of hospices and the harvest will be fabulous. The holy ice creams were nice to us and, if there is no hail, we can harvest on August 20. By the time of this sale, the Chinese will have found the drugs and Trump, the vaccine … “.
Present at the press point held on Wednesday, Denis Thomas, president of the Inter-communal Tourist Office, said that its premises will also reopen this Monday, May 25, with also facilities in the reception of the public.
Alix Berthier
Photos: Alix Berthier
The terms of the visit from Monday 25 May 2020:
– Free entry for all visitors until June 31, 2020.
– From 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (reception closes at 11:30 a.m.) and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (reception closes at 5:30 p.m.), every day of the week.
– Visit limited to 155 people simultaneously inside the monument.
– To be sure of entering, booking by e-ticket and time stamp is strongly recommended due to the limited gauge. Direct access to this reservation service from Monday 25 May.
– Possible reception of visitors who have not booked. Wait at the entrance to the museum, respecting the physical distance.
– Wearing a mandatory mask from 11 years old at the entrance, as well as inside the museum.
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