The Louvre Museum, with its famous pyramid, has long been a place of fantasy for screenwriters and fiction writers. Long before the spectacular burglary On Sunday, several series and works had imagined robberies in the heart of its galleries. Reality sometimes meets fiction, or perhaps the opposite. On October 19, around 9:30 a.m., four masked criminals seized eight jewels from the French crown. Using a cherry picker and an angle grinder, they entered the Apollon gallery and carried out a heist in seven minutes, worthy of the most daring scenes from fiction.
Belphegor : a ghost in the heart of the Louvre
The mini-series Belphegor or the Phantom of the Louvre (1965) combines thriller, fantasy, and crime fiction. In this four-part series, the Louvre becomes the setting for the mysterious disappearance of ancient objects in the Egyptology galleries. The legend of the ghost Belphegor haunts the premises, sparking the investigation of André Bellegarde, a young student played by Yves Rénier. The series, directed by Claude Barma and based on the novel by Arthur Bernède, already exploits the fascination with French heritage and its secret passages. Despite dated visual effects and costumes, it remains iconic and inspired a 2001 film starring Sophie Marceau.
Lupin : jewelry theft with a modern twist
French series Lupin, available on Netflix since 2021, is loosely based on the adventures of Arsène Lupin, the famous gentleman burglar created by Maurice Leblanc. In this modern adaptation, Assane Diop, played by Omar Sy, organizes a daring coup to avenge his father, unjustly accused by the Pellegrini family. The thief steals a necklace that belonged to Marie-Antoinette, on display at the Louvre. He successively poses as a cleaning agent and as "Paul Sernine," an anagram of Arsène Lupin, at an auction under the Pyramid. Directed by Louis Leterrier, the series addresses social and racial issues while offering a gripping story. With nearly 100 million cumulative views, Lupin is one of the platform's most-watched programs. Its fourth season is scheduled for 2026.
Cat's eyes : the museum as a mission field
French series Cat's eyes, broadcast on Prime Video since 2024, transposes the Japanese manga by Tsukasa Hōjō into a contemporary plot. The three sisters Tamara, Sylia, and Alexia investigate the disappearance of their father and improvise as burglars to recover a supposedly lost work. In episode 6, the Louvre becomes the scene of their mission: they break into the museum at night, multiplying false alarms to deactivate the security systems, and seek to recover a painting from the expertise laboratory. Directed by Alexandre Laurent, the series has attracted an average of 4,02 million viewers and has already been renewed for a second season.
Da Vinci Code
In the film adaptation of Dan Brown's novel, the Louvre is central to the plot. While not a heist per se, the film depicts thefts and manipulations involving the museum's works, including the famous Mona LisaThe museum is presented as a labyrinthine place, where the secrets and treasures of the past become the focal point of a breathtaking investigation.
The Art of Crime
This French crime drama series, broadcast on France 2, regularly uses Parisian museums, including the Louvre, as settings for art theft cases. Episodes often explore the vulnerability of collections to sophisticated criminals, blending detective intrigue with the promotion of cultural heritage.
The Man in the Iron Mask
In this film, based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas, some scenes take place in the Louvre, where the museum's treasures and decor are used as a backdrop for plots surrounding royal heritage and conspiracies. While not a modern-day robbery, the idea of breaking into the museum's halls to access precious objects is central.
