PARIS — Laurence des Cars, the director of the Louvre Museum, resigned on Tuesday amid mounting pressure following the brazen October heist of French crown jewels from the renowned institution. The resignation, accepted by President Emmanuel Macron, comes after a tumultuous year marked by security lapses, labor disputes, and revelations of a suspected ticket fraud scheme that allegedly cost the museum millions. Des Cars, who had led the Louvre since 2021, described her decision as an act of responsibility in the face of institutional challenges that she believed hindered necessary reforms.
The heist occurred on October 22, 2025, in the museum's Apollo Gallery, where thieves stole historic crown jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) in under eight minutes during daylight hours. Visitors were stunned as the robbery unfolded on a weekend, exposing what many described as glaring vulnerabilities in the security of one of France's most treasured collections. According to French authorities, several suspects were arrested in the aftermath, but the stolen pieces remain missing, leaving a symbolic void in the nation's heritage.
Des Cars offered her resignation on the day of the theft, calling it a "tragic, brutal, violent reality" for the Louvre. However, the culture minister initially refused, allowing her to continue steering the museum through the fallout. In an interview published Tuesday in the daily newspaper Le Figaro, des Cars explained that she had tried to manage the crisis but concluded she could no longer drive the museum's transformation amid the current climate. "I was there to take the lightning" as museum director, she said, emphasizing her role in absorbing the blame.
President Macron's office issued a statement framing the resignation as an "act of responsibility" at a time when the Louvre requires "calm" and fresh momentum for security upgrades and modernization projects. The president plans to assign des Cars a new mission focused on international museum cooperation during France's presidency of the Group of Seven industrialized nations. This move signals an effort to reposition her expertise while addressing the leadership vacuum at the Louvre.
The robbery was not the only crisis plaguing the museum. Just three days after the heist, des Cars appeared before the Culture Commission of the Senate, posing for photos that captured the gravity of the situation. Broader issues included a mid-February 2026 burst pipe near the Mona Lisa, which threatened the iconic painting, and water leaks that damaged priceless books in the collection. These incidents highlighted aging infrastructure that des Cars had warned about since taking office, including obsolete technical systems and severe congestion from mass tourism.
Labor unrest added to the turmoil. In June 2025, a wildcat strike by front-of-house staff and security workers halted operations, stranding thousands of visitors outside the museum's signature glass pyramid designed by I.M. Pei. Unions complained of overcrowding, understaffing, and untenable working conditions, particularly around high-traffic areas like the Mona Lisa gallery. Workers argued that promised reforms were arriving too slowly, with daily visitor flows — often exceeding capacity — turning the medieval structure into a pressure cooker.
The pressure intensified in recent weeks with the revelation of a suspected decade-long ticket fraud operation. French prosecutors allege that tour guides, sometimes with the help of Louvre employees, reused the same tickets up to 20 times a day to admit different groups, potentially costing the museum 10 million euros ($11.8 million). Investigators believe the scheme operated for years, exploiting the institution's massive scale — millions of annual visitors across multiple checkpoints in the sprawling historic complex.
In a rare interview with The Associated Press shortly after the fraud case surfaced, Louvre general administrator Kim Pham acknowledged the museum's vulnerabilities. "Fraud at an institution the size of the Louvre was statistically inevitable," Pham said, pointing to the challenges of managing such volume. He added that the museum had responded by tightening validation checks and increasing controls, though he admitted to shortcomings in the system.
For many in France's cultural sector, the resignation resolves a lingering question: why no high-level official had stepped down after what was widely seen as the most humiliating breach of heritage security in living memory. Lawmakers and cultural officials have ramped up scrutiny of the museum's leadership and practices since the October incident, with some calling the heist a wake-up call for an institution perceived as spiraling out of control.
Des Cars' tenure began in 2021, as the Louvre recovered from the coronavirus pandemic and welcomed back throngs of tourists. Under her leadership, the museum navigated post-pandemic challenges, but the return of mass visitation exacerbated long-standing issues. The Apollo Gallery robbery, in particular, underscored how the jewels — symbols of French monarchy and national pride — were left exposed despite their high value and historical significance.
The succession of crises has cast a spotlight on the Louvre's ambitious overhaul plan, dubbed the "Louvre New Renaissance," unveiled by Macron in January 2025. The project, which could span up to a decade, aims to modernize the overstretched facility with a new entrance near the Seine River to alleviate pressure on the pyramid, expanded underground spaces, and a dedicated, timed-access room for the Mona Lisa. Estimated to cost between 700 million and 800 million euros ($826 million to $944 million), the initiative draws funding from ticket sales, state support, donations, and revenue tied to the Louvre Abu Dhabi partnership.
Macron has championed the renovation as a national priority, likening it to other landmark French restoration efforts and positioning it as a defense of cultural prestige. Yet the plan's scale and expense now weigh heavily on the search for des Cars' successor, who will inherit not only the heist's shadow but also the task of implementing these sweeping changes amid ongoing political and public scrutiny.
As the Louvre queues form outside its doors — as seen in photos from February 13, 2026 — the institution remains the world's most visited museum, drawing crowds eager for its masterpieces despite the recent scandals. The resignation marks a pivotal moment, potentially paving the way for renewed focus on security and sustainability. Cultural observers in France express cautious optimism that new leadership could restore stability, though the missing jewels serve as a stark reminder of vulnerabilities that persist.
With the G7 presidency on the horizon, Macron's office emphasized the need for institutional calm to advance these goals. Des Cars' departure, while closing one chapter, opens questions about how the Louvre will balance its global allure with the practical demands of preservation in an era of unprecedented tourism.