Director of the Louvre Resigns Following High-Profile Heist

Laurence des Cars has announced her resignation as President-Director of the Musée du Louvre, a decision she attributes to persistent obstacles in her efforts to transform and modernize the institution. In an interview with Le Figaro, des Cars stated that while she may have made mistakes, she believes she succeeded in "putting the Louvre back in motion" during her four-year tenure.

Des Cars assumed leadership of the world's most visited museum in September 2021. Her departure comes just four months after a brazen daytime robbery at the museum. On October 19, 2025, a group of masked individuals infiltrated the Louvre and stole nine artifacts from its imperial collection. The stolen items included jewelry that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife, Empress Joséphine.

The estimated value of the loot is approximately 88 million euros. While four suspects have been detained in connection with the heist, none of the priceless jewels have been recovered to date.

This is not the first time des Cars has offered her resignation following the incident. She initially submitted it shortly after the robbery occurred, but French President Emmanuel Macron declined to accept it at that time.