This Thursday, December 18, the Louvre Museum did not close completely, unlike Monday, December 15, due to a smaller number of strikers: around 400 agents out of a total workforce of 2,200. However, a significant number of rooms are closed and the tour route is restricted. In fact, the functioning of the museum is based on what management has called a “course of masterpieces”. This route only allows access to a very limited selection of major works, including: The Mona Lisa, The Venus de Milo, The Victory of Samothrace.
The CGT, CFDT and Sud Culture unions had submitted notice on December 15. Yesterday, December 17, around 300 agents were present at the morning general meeting. The reasons for the strike are diverse. Agents denounce chronic understaffing, overcrowding, deterioration of the building, and the announced increase in prices for non-Europeans.
In the event of a strike at the Louvre, the principle applied is the following: the museum only opens if a minimum threshold of non-striking agents is available, a threshold necessary to guarantee both the safety of the works, the safety of the public and the regulatory surveillance of the open rooms. When the threshold is not reached, as was the case on December 15, 2025, the museum closes completely.
On June 16, 2025, Louvre employees had already demonstrated collectively by refusing to enter service, which led to the closure of the museum for part of the day. This work stoppage was motivated by demands similar to those of December. In September 2025, and still for the same reasons, the Louvre also announced that certain rooms would be closed due to a broader social movement.
