Three weeks after the spectacular theft of royal jewels from the Louvre Museum, the museum's president, Laurence des Cars, responded on Friday, November 7, to the harsh criticism leveled the previous day by the Court of Auditors. The Court highlighted an unbalanced management style, pointing to a prioritization of art acquisitions at the expense of security. The president disputes these accusations, while announcing the immediate implementation of new security measures.
The Court of Auditors deemed the management to be unbalanced.
In its report published on November 6, the Court of Auditors criticized the museum's management for neglecting security investments between 2018 and 2024. During this period, €169 million was allocated to art acquisitions and the development of museum spaces, compared to €87 million for general maintenance. These budgetary choices, deemed too heavily focused on "visible" and "costly" projects, were interpreted by the Court as a failure to prioritize, particularly regarding the protection of artworks.
The Court also highlights the Louvre's slow response to repeated warnings about the outdated nature of its security system. A 2017 audit, relayed by the National Cybersecurity Agency of France (ANSSI), had already revealed the system's weaknesses, but the first concrete steps only really began in 2025, with a new call for tenders that is still under review. The overhaul project, named "Louvre – New Renaissance," is estimated at €1,15 billion according to the president of the Court of Auditors, Pierre Moscovici—well above the €700 to €800 million initially mentioned.
“The Louvre is a whole”: Laurence des Cars stands by her strategy
Invited on Franceinfo, Laurence des Cars defended her overall vision for the institution: "The Louvre is a whole in which we mustn't pit renovations, acquisitions, and welcoming the public against each other." She believes the Court "is wrong to be so harsh," noting that the institution has fulfilled all of its missions. The president also emphasized the launch, effective immediately, of the new security "master plan," which includes modernizing equipment, particularly the video surveillance system, identified as one of the museum's weaknesses.
In her position since 2021, Laurence des Cars had considered resigning after the theft on October 19, but her resignation was refused. Confirmed in her role as head of the museum, she says she wants to "lead the transformation of the Louvre so that it fully becomes a 21st-century museum." According to AFP, the management claims to accept "most of the recommendations" of the Court of Auditors, while maintaining that it "fails to recognize" the efforts already undertaken.
On the same day, RTL revealed that the performance contract signed in early September 2025 made no mention whatsoever of the risk of theft, despite the strategic importance of security. At the request of the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, an emergency board meeting was convened on Friday to review the museum's governance.
The stolen jewels, estimated at 88 million euros, remain missing. Four people have been charged in the case, and the controversy continues to shake the world's most visited museum.
