No Eiffel, Mona Lisa or Versailles: Iconic sites stay closed

Hold that smile, Mona Lisa. Eiffel Tower and Palace of Versailles will remain off-limits for immediate future, too.

ne of France's three most iconic tourist sites will reopen when country lifts

Eiffel Tower likely won't be able to reopen before second half of June, according to Stephane Dieu, a labor representative for monument's staff. He said y still need to fine tune with site's manment how to protect employees and visitors and to maintain social distancing.

“For moment, it's t possible with all of best will in world,” Dieu said.

When tower does reopen, sightseers seeking breathtaking views of Paris may be in for a stair workout: elevators that usually whisk visitors to three different levels will likely remain closed, Dieu said.

At Louvre Museum, manrs have told workers y are aiming to reopen some time between end of June and mid-July, said Andre Sacristin, a labor representative who has been involved in planning discussions.

When museum reopens, re will be strict public hygiene rules and visiting “ Louvre will t at all be as it was before. That’s impossible,” Sacristin said.

He said he expects everyone, staff members and visitors, will have to wear face masks.

About 20%-30% of museum’s rooms might be closed but “of course Mona Lisa will be open," Sacristin said.

Details will be ironed out in furr meetings between manment and staff.

Versailles Palace, former home of France’s kings, also won't reopen Tuesday, when most of remaining lockdown restrictions are lifted in France.

palace said a date for reopening hasn't yet been decided.

apting major tourists draws to coronavirus imperatives is taking time elsewhere, too.

In Mrid, Pro, Reina Sofía and Thyssen museums - so-called “triangle of arts”- are scheduled to jointly reopen on June 6, two weeks after y were officially allowed to welcome visitors again.

Initially, some of ir exhibition will remain closed and visitor numbers will be limited to 30% of ir size before pandemic.

While smaller Spanish museums were quick to reopen this month, major ones said y needed more time to prepare protective gear for staff, temperature checks for visitors and crowd-control measures.

Pro, crown jewel of Spanish museums, housing works by Francisco de Goya, Diego de Velázquez and or masters, has been shut since March 11, its longest closure in eight deces, since 1936-1939 Civil War.

slogan chosen by museum for its re-opening is “Re-encounter.”

(im credit: AP)