The Louvre closure that turned away visitors Monday is over, but travelers heading to Paris this week still face curfews, protest bans and a growing list of government travel warnings.
The museum reopened Wednesday, Oct. 21, with its regular 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours, Blooloop reported, citing the Louvre’s website. Monday’s shutdown came after student protesters blocked its entrances amid nationwide unrest in France over rising living costs and poor school conditions, according to Skift.
What Happened Monday
About 50 students, many from the École du Louvre, an independent school on the museum’s grounds, barricaded the glass pyramid, Carrousel du Louvre and Passage Richelieu entrances on Oct. 19, keeping the museum from opening as scheduled, Blooloop reported, citing Le Monde. The students said they wanted to pull the cultural sector into the movement and call attention to budget cuts and working conditions. The Louvre announced the closure on X, and all reservations for Monday were automatically refunded, according to Travel Extra. The museum was already set to stay shut Tuesday, its regular weekly closing day.
The blockade was one small piece of a much larger wave of unrest. At least 2,400 people have been arrested across France, the Associated Press reported, up from the 2,000 Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez cited Sunday. Nuñez also said more than 600 law enforcement officers and firefighters had been injured, according to Skift.
Police had metro stations near the Champs-Elysees closed, Skift reported. France’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry said more than 2,000 businesses were directly hit over the weekend, and authorities estimated Monday that at least 3,000 businesses had been damaged or looted, the AP reported.
On Monday, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu instructed prefects, the government’s regional representatives, to impose “very limited” and localized curfews to prevent more rioting and looting, according to the AP. Lille and Denain are among the towns that imposed curfews, while Marseille banned public gatherings, Skift reported. On Tuesday, authorities added a Paris curfew starting at 11 p.m. and banned demonstrations in the capital after 8 p.m., SBS News reported, citing Agence France-Presse.
What It Means for Visitors
For travelers with Louvre plans this week, the good news is the doors are open again. The museum requires reservations for all visitors through Nov. 1, so book ahead and check the Louvre’s website or X account the morning of your visit in case of new disruptions.
The bigger issue for most itineraries is the evening curfew. Plan dinners, night tours and the Louvre’s late Wednesday and Friday hours around the 11 p.m. cutoff, and build in extra travel time, since police have already closed metro stations near protest areas.
At least nine governments, including Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia, Austria, Malaysia and the United States, have issued or updated travel guidance for France, according to Skift. Malaysia went furthest, asking its citizens to consider postponing nonessential trips. The U.S. Embassy in Paris has urged Americans to avoid the demonstrations, SBS News reported. Those advisories reflect safety concerns across France rather than Louvre-specific guidance.
Background on the Unrest
The protests behind the Louvre closure stem from frustration over the cost of living and school conditions, and similar demonstrations have broken out in Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Albania, Skift reported. The scale of the arrests and injuries sets this apart from routine demonstrations. Nuñez himself acknowledged authorities had “lost control” in some major cities Saturday, the AP reported, and Lecornu has not ruled out a state of emergency.
What’s Next
Organizers have planned more protests in France for Oct. 24 and Nov. 5, according to Skift, and President Emmanuel Macron has said authorities could ban future demonstrations if needed. It’s not yet clear whether those dates will bring new disruptions to the Louvre or other Paris landmarks. Visitors with upcoming trips should watch for official updates from the museum and check their home country’s travel advisory for France before traveling.
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