Christophe Leribault Warns Louvre Renovation Could Be Abandoned After 2027 Presidential Election
In an interview with Le Figaro on 14 October, Christophe Leribault, the president-director of the Musée du Louvre, expressed concerns that the museum's renovation initiative might be scrapped following France's presidential election in 2027. The "Louvre – Nouvelle Renaissance" project, which was unveiled by Emmanuel Macron in January 2025 and is projected to cost nearly one billion euros, seeks to tackle issues of deterioration and overcrowding at the museum. Leribault highlighted the necessity of the project, which requires governmental approval after the election. Additionally, the museum must secure 360 million euros from donors amid a three-million-euro budget reduction in 2027. Ongoing security measures follow the theft of eight Crown jewels valued at 88 million euros on 19 October 2025, with the investigation facing challenges due to conflicting suspect testimonies.
Key facts
- Christophe Leribault gave an exclusive interview to Le Figaro published on 14 October, one year after the Crown jewels theft.
- The "Louvre – Nouvelle Renaissance" renovation, announced by Emmanuel Macron in January 2025, is estimated at close to one billion euros.
- Work cannot start until after the 2027 presidential election and requires authorisation from the next government.
- The Louvre must still raise 360 million euros from patrons and faces a three-million-euro budget cut in 2027.
- Tickets cost 22 euros for visitors not eligible for free admission and 32 euros for non-European foreigners.
- The main colonnade entrance and new exhibition rooms are hoped to open in five or six years; full renovation will take twelve to fifteen years.
- A security coordinator joined Louvre management in July; new cameras, reinforced access and renovated grilles are part of emergency works.
- Eight Crown jewels worth 88 million euros were stolen on 19 October 2025; the investigation has stalled and the pieces remain untraceable.
Entities
Artists
- Christophe Leribault
- Emmanuel Macron
- Ayed G.
- Abdoulaye N.
- Slimane K.
- Rachid H.
- Véronèse
- Laurence des Cars
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
- Eugène Delacroix
- I.M. Pei
- Charles Meynier
- Sébastien Lecornu
Institutions
- Musée du Louvre
- Le Figaro
- Beaux-Arts
- Louvre
- French Senate
- RATP
- Louvre Abu Dhabi
- Studios Architecture Paris
- Selldorf Architects
- Base Paysagiste
- Financial Times
- Le Monde
- Committee on Culture, Education, Communication and Sport
- Palace of Versailles
- Musée d'Orsay
- AFP
- Senate
- French government
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Aubervilliers
- European Union
- Galerie d'Apollon
- Cour Carrée
- Abu Dhabi
- United Arab Emirates
- New York
- United States