At the Musée du Louvre, in Paris, October 27, 2025. AXELLE DE RUSSÉ FOR LE MONDE
The Louvre's policies between 2018 and 2024 neglected the museum's security, France's Court of Accounts said in a report published Thursday, November 6, but written prior to the dramatic heist on October 19, and therefore not referring to it. In short, the museum, facing a daunting investment challenge with its ambitious €1-billion Nouvelle Renaissance project, failed to set the right priorities, the public auditors wrote.
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After the Louvre heist, tourists return while staff voices distress
Despite urgent issues – unions have long pointed out the Louvre's significant delays in maintenance and modernization investments – successive presidents, Jean-Luc Martinez (2013-2021) and Laurence des Cars (appointed in 2021), looked elsewhere. They focused instead on acquisitions and high-profile projects designed to attract media attention and sponsors, all while ensuring a balanced budget during a period of austerity.
