Parliamentary Report Outlines Major Issues In French Museums After The Louvre Heist
2May 14, 2026
Following last year’sLouvre heist, a newreportreleased by a French parliamentary commission on May 13 sheds light on glaring security deficiencies within the country’s cultural institutions. The commission (overseen by French MPs Alexis Corbière and Alexandre Portier) was formed soon after theLouvreheist in early December 2025, which involved the theft of French Crown Jewels valued at$100 million.
The report is the product of over 20 hearings and roundtable discussions which featured over 100 people. It illuminates outmoded security infrastructure at museums across the country, citing a 2024 study by the Ministry of Culture which found that among respondent museums, only “25% had a finalized plan for safeguarding cultural property, 54% had a video surveillance system, and 64% had formalized security procedures.”
A special chapter is dedicated to issues at the Louvre, which states:“Both the dilapidated state and the level of security at the ‘world’s largest museum’ are astonishing.” The commission points to two audits conducted in 2017 and 2019, which identified problems with safety and security at the Louvre, with the latter audit even outlining “the modus operandi that the thieves will follow on the morning of October 19, 2025.”
Criticism was also levied at Laurence des Cars, the former director of the Louvre, who resigned in February. Corbière and Portier’s report notes delays in the implementation of a master plan for security equipment, which was devised during the time of des Cars’ predecessor. In her testimony, des Cars noted that certain measures, such as the installation of 134 security cameras, were already in place while others were delayed due to a variety of logistical challenges.
Finally, the commission put forth 40 recommendations in the report to improve security networks at museums, heighten safety standards, and rework leadership structures. The recommendations also included calls for heightened involvement of MPs in the appointment of museum directors, a higher budget for the security fund to protect heritage sites, and staffing improvements for the under-resourced Security, Safety, and Audit mission of the Ministry of Culture.