US EditionLouvre director resigns months after jewel heist in Paris
Laurence des Cars resigned amid fallout from a $102 million crown jewels theft, ticket fraud costing 10 million euros, and ongoing strikes, prompting a leadership change at the Louvre.
- On Feb 24, 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron accepted Laurence des Cars' resignation, the Elysée announced.
- Laurence des Cars had faced intense criticism after last year's high‑profile jewel theft and previously offered her resignation to Culture Minister Rachida Dati, which was initially rejected.
- Prosecutors say thieves entered the Apollo Gallery and in under eight minutes stole 88 million euros in October, with DNA evidence from a helmet linking suspects; two men are in custody and two remain at large.
- Macron described the step as `an act of responsibility`, saying the museum needs calm and a strong new impetus for security and modernization projects, while the Elysée entrusted Laurence des Cars with a G7 museums cooperation mission.
- After a year marked by strikes and staff complaints, the Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024, underscoring governance and security challenges, the presidency said des Cars' resignation was `an act of responsibility`.
396 Articles
396 Articles
What to know as the Louvre gets a new chief after a surprise resignation and a bruising year (copy)
After months of pressure, the Louvre has a new director. Christophe Leribault was named to lead the landmark on Wednesday, half a day after the previous director, Laurence des Cars, resigned. The leadership change at the world’s most-visited museum comes…
Head of Louvre Museum resigns months after major jewel heist
(CNN, KYMA) - The head of the Louvre Museum in Paris has resigned. Laurence des Cars stepped down four months after the brazen heist that saw the theft of some of the Crown Jewels of France. French President Emmanuel Macron accepted her resignation and called it an "act of responsibility" as the museum works to carry out major security projects. Several suspects have been arrested in connection to the heist, but the stolen items remain missing. …
New Leader Picked for Crisis-Stricken Louvre Museum
A new director has been appointed at the Louvre Museum within one day of Laurence des Cars' resignation on February 24. French President Emmanuel Macron named art historian and seasoned museum leader Christophe Leribault, who has helmed the Palace of Versailles since 2024, to steer the crisis-stricken Paris museum through major transitions in the wake of the monumental jewel heist that occurred last October. Following the intense scrutiny and cr…
France appoints new president at Louvre after jewellery heist, strikes and fraud scandal
Paris — The president of France's famed Palace of Versailles took over as head of the Louvre following a litany of problems at the world's most-visited museum including a $100-million jewellery robbery.
The president of the Palace of Versailles replaces Laurence des Cars after his resignation announced on Tuesday 24 February. Between rebounds after the break, breakdowns in cascading and the expansion of the establishment, the 62-year-old curator will have to deminate several dossiers, including that of the confidence of the teams.
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