Director of the Louvre Museum, Laurence des Cars acknowledged security failure after a stunning daylight crown jewel heist at the world’s most-visited museum.
In testimony to the French Senate, the Louvre Director said that the museum had a damaging shortage of security cameras outside the monument and other ″weaknesses″ exposed by Sunday’s theft.
Under heavy pressure over a theft that stained France’s global image, she testified to a Senate committee that she submitted her resignation but that the culture minister refused to accept it.
″Today we are experiencing a terrible failure at the Louvre, which I take my share of responsibility in.”
Laurence des Cars
The Sunday raid — steps from the Mona Lisa and valued at over $100 million — has put embattled President Emmanuel Macron, Des Cars and others under fresh scrutiny. It comes just months after employees went on strike, warning of chronic understaffing and underresourced protections, with too few eyes on too many rooms.
Speaking in France’s Senate, Des Cars said that old buildings like the Louvre have “real structural issues.” She added that given that it hasn’t really been touched up since the 1980s, it is “not up to standard.”
Des Cars noted that she would like to close parts of museum “little by little” for refurbishment and making it more secure. “It will happen over a number of years,” she said.
She stated that they need to urgently look at why certain security measures have been delayed, and need to reinforce more CCTV, saying that lots of cameras were added recently.
The Louvre Director noted that the museum infrastructure is “aging” and that modern equipment cannot be simply added.
Des Cars averred that she was warned about “how obsolete” the equipment at the Louvre was when she took the job, in contrast to the modern equipment of the Musee d’Orsay, where she worked previously.
Also, Des Cars added that she hopes work will begin at the start of 2026. She said that she decided to reinforce security measures at the museum following a police report in 2023.
She disclosed that over the last 10 years, there has been “strong security”, but said that there was a need for external help. She revealed that this summer, she received an external report on security and implemented what they advised.
Louvre Reopens After Heist
The Louvre reopened earlier today, three days after thieves made off with jewellery worth an estimated €88m ($102m) in a spectacular heist that has raised urgent questions over security lapses at the museum.
Visitors queued to enter through the Louvre’s glass pyramid for the first time since Sunday’s brazen robbery, in which hooded assailants broke through a second-floor window using a stolen movers’ lift before making off with jewels from the royal collection.
The Galerie d’Apollon, the ornate gilded hall that was robbed, remains closed.
Amid rising frustration in France that no senior official has taken responsibility, French interior minister Laurent Nuñez said there had clearly been security failures and culture minister Rachida Dati had launched an administrative inquiry.
“There was a burglary at the Louvre, some of the most precious jewels in France were stolen. So obviously it’s a failure, there is nothing else I can say.”
Laurent Nuñez
However, he added that the alarm system worked “perfectly, as soon as the window was attacked, it was activated.”
“Police were notified, and within three minutes they were on the scene. The whole system worked, it didn’t fail, but what happened has happened.
Laurent Nuñez
He declined to comment on the police manhunt, but said that he was confident the perpetrators would be found.
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