A staff strike at the Louvre in Paris on Monday led to its closure for the third time in a month as trade unions pressed for more recruitment, higher pay and better maintenance of the museum. The prior closures in December and earlier in January resulted in a loss of "at least one million euros" in revenue, Louvre management said.
Issued on: 19/01/2026 -
By: FRANCE 24
Workers at the Louvre have gone on strike three times in a month to demand better pay and conditions, and better maintenance of the museum. © Martin Lelievre, AF
The Louvre Museum said Monday it was shutting for the day, for the third time in a month, due to a strike by staff.
"The museum is not opening today," said a spokesperson for the most-visited museum in the world.
Trade unions are pressing for more recruitment, pay and better maintenance of the vast former royal palace, and have launched several days of strikes in recent months.
Nearly 140 new hires have been announced since the start of the strike movement in mid-December, and another meeting was scheduled at the culture ministry on Thursday to discuss salary increases.
Some union leaders were also contesting museum director Laurence des Cars' management style which they view as remote and inflexible.
WATCH MORELouvre and Versailles hike prices for foreign visitors: Who should pay for France’s heritage?
"If we get the pay but continue with this governance model, we won’t be out of the woods," Valerie Baud of the CFDT union said.
"There may be announcements, but we are still dealing with a management that digs its heels in and doesn’t recognise that it can sometimes be wrong,” added her colleague Elise Muller from the SUD union.
The two days of museum closures in December and earlier in January have resulted in a loss of "at least one million euros" in revenue, management said.
The security failures highlighted by a spectacular break-in at the museum on October 19 have cast a harsh spotlight on management of the institution and des Cars, who has apologised.
Footage of the heist was broadcast for the first time on French television on Sunday evening, showing the brazen jewel thieves breaking into display cases.
READ MOREMuseums around the world are on high alert following Louvre heist
The images, filmed by surveillance cameras, were shown by the TF1 and public France Televisions channels on Sunday evening, three months after the hugely embarrassing break-in in October.
They show the two burglars, one wearing a black balaclava and a yellow high-visibility jacket, the other dressed in black with a motorcycle helmet, as they force their way into the Apollo Gallery.
After breaking in through a reinforced window with high-powered disk cutters, they begin slicing into display cases under the eyes of several staff members who do not intervene.
Managers at the Louvre have stressed that staff are not trained to confront thieves and are asked to prioritise the evacuation of visitors.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
The Louvre Museum said Monday it was shutting for the day, for the third time in a month, due to a strike by staff.
"The museum is not opening today," said a spokesperson for the most-visited museum in the world.
Trade unions are pressing for more recruitment, pay and better maintenance of the vast former royal palace, and have launched several days of strikes in recent months.
Nearly 140 new hires have been announced since the start of the strike movement in mid-December, and another meeting was scheduled at the culture ministry on Thursday to discuss salary increases.
Some union leaders were also contesting museum director Laurence des Cars' management style which they view as remote and inflexible.
WATCH MORELouvre and Versailles hike prices for foreign visitors: Who should pay for France’s heritage?
"If we get the pay but continue with this governance model, we won’t be out of the woods," Valerie Baud of the CFDT union said.
"There may be announcements, but we are still dealing with a management that digs its heels in and doesn’t recognise that it can sometimes be wrong,” added her colleague Elise Muller from the SUD union.
The two days of museum closures in December and earlier in January have resulted in a loss of "at least one million euros" in revenue, management said.
The security failures highlighted by a spectacular break-in at the museum on October 19 have cast a harsh spotlight on management of the institution and des Cars, who has apologised.
Footage of the heist was broadcast for the first time on French television on Sunday evening, showing the brazen jewel thieves breaking into display cases.
READ MOREMuseums around the world are on high alert following Louvre heist
The images, filmed by surveillance cameras, were shown by the TF1 and public France Televisions channels on Sunday evening, three months after the hugely embarrassing break-in in October.
They show the two burglars, one wearing a black balaclava and a yellow high-visibility jacket, the other dressed in black with a motorcycle helmet, as they force their way into the Apollo Gallery.
After breaking in through a reinforced window with high-powered disk cutters, they begin slicing into display cases under the eyes of several staff members who do not intervene.
Managers at the Louvre have stressed that staff are not trained to confront thieves and are asked to prioritise the evacuation of visitors.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Strike shuts Paris's Louvre again as video of jewel heist aired for first time
The Louvre museum was closed again Monday as staff continue their strike over pay and working conditions, three months after thieves stole crown jewels from the museum – footage of which was broadcast for the first time on French television Sunday night.
Issued on: 19/01/2026 - RFI
Images of brazen heist revealed
Surveillance camera footage of the robbery was broadcast for the first time on French television Sunday evening.
The footage showed the two burglars forcing their way into the Apollo Gallery and slicing into display cases under the eyes of several staff members who do not intervene.
After breaking in through a reinforced window with high-powered disk cutters, they begin slicing into display cases.
Managers at the Louvre have stressed that staff are not trained to confront thieves and are asked to prioritise the evacuation of visitors.
Four suspects are in police custody over the robbery, including the two suspected thieves, but the eight stolen items of French crown jewels worth an estimated $102 million (€87 million) have not been found.
During the roughly four minutes that the two men were inside the gallery, one staff member can be seen holding a bollard used to orient visitors through the gallery, according to France Televisions.
The images, as well as multiple DNA samples found at the scene, form a key part of the ongoing criminal investigation into the robbery.
Metal bars have been installed over the windows of the Apollo Gallery since the break-in.
(with AFP)
The Louvre museum was closed again Monday as staff continue their strike over pay and working conditions, three months after thieves stole crown jewels from the museum – footage of which was broadcast for the first time on French television Sunday night.
Issued on: 19/01/2026 - RFI
Visitors next to barriers blocking the Louvre plaza on 12 January 2026, when the museum was closed due to a strike, which employees decided to continue on Monday 19 January. © Martin Lelievre/AFP
Louvre employees have been demanding better pay, more recruitment, and improved maintenance of the museum, and their strike action has shut down the museum several times since mid December.
Two previous strike days resulted in a loss of "at least one million euros" in revenue, according to management.
While nearly 140 new hires have been announced since start of the strike movement, and a meeting is scheduled at the culture ministry on Thursday to discuss salary increases, some union leaders remain critical of director Laurence des Cars.
Her management style, which has been described as remote and inflexible, has come under criticism.
"If we get the pay but continue with this governance model, we won’t be out of the woods," Valerie Baud of the CFDT union said.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who plans to step down soon as she is running for Mayor of Paris, said Sunday that "major decisions" on the Louvre would be coming soon.
"I reviewed the organisation, the governance," Dati said, answering a question put to her about Des Cars on France Inter radio and public television.
Des Cars offered to resign a few hours after the spectacular break-in on 19 October, which Dati refused.
Louvre employees have been demanding better pay, more recruitment, and improved maintenance of the museum, and their strike action has shut down the museum several times since mid December.
Two previous strike days resulted in a loss of "at least one million euros" in revenue, according to management.
While nearly 140 new hires have been announced since start of the strike movement, and a meeting is scheduled at the culture ministry on Thursday to discuss salary increases, some union leaders remain critical of director Laurence des Cars.
Her management style, which has been described as remote and inflexible, has come under criticism.
"If we get the pay but continue with this governance model, we won’t be out of the woods," Valerie Baud of the CFDT union said.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who plans to step down soon as she is running for Mayor of Paris, said Sunday that "major decisions" on the Louvre would be coming soon.
"I reviewed the organisation, the governance," Dati said, answering a question put to her about Des Cars on France Inter radio and public television.
Des Cars offered to resign a few hours after the spectacular break-in on 19 October, which Dati refused.
Images of brazen heist revealed
Surveillance camera footage of the robbery was broadcast for the first time on French television Sunday evening.
The footage showed the two burglars forcing their way into the Apollo Gallery and slicing into display cases under the eyes of several staff members who do not intervene.
After breaking in through a reinforced window with high-powered disk cutters, they begin slicing into display cases.
Managers at the Louvre have stressed that staff are not trained to confront thieves and are asked to prioritise the evacuation of visitors.
Four suspects are in police custody over the robbery, including the two suspected thieves, but the eight stolen items of French crown jewels worth an estimated $102 million (€87 million) have not been found.
During the roughly four minutes that the two men were inside the gallery, one staff member can be seen holding a bollard used to orient visitors through the gallery, according to France Televisions.
The images, as well as multiple DNA samples found at the scene, form a key part of the ongoing criminal investigation into the robbery.
Metal bars have been installed over the windows of the Apollo Gallery since the break-in.
(with AFP)
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