The Louvre reopened to visitors on Wednesday, three days after a brazen daylight robbery in which thieves broke into the museum’s Galerie d’Apollon and made off with multiple pieces from France’s historic crown-jewels collection. Long queues formed beneath the glass pyramid as the world’s most-visited museum resumed operations while investigators continue a nationwide hunt for the suspects and the missing gems.
Museum and government officials say the raid was executed in minutes by a team that employed construction-style disguises and tools to gain access, smashed the display cases and fled on scooters. Authorities have described the theft as highly professional; French police and specialized art-crime investigators have been combing forensic evidence left at the scene — including a discarded helmet and glove that may yield DNA — and pursuing leads such as a motorcycle licence plate.
The stolen items, widely reported as Napoleonic- and 19th-century royal jewels, are considered “priceless” cultural patrimony. Reports say between eight and nine pieces were taken, though a crown linked to Empress Eugénie was reportedly dropped by the thieves as they fled. Experts warn the gang may try to separate stones from their settings to sell them, but detailed museum records and the distinctive characteristics of many stones make parts of the collection traceable.
The Louvre’s director publicly acknowledged the heist as a “terrible failure,” saying museum management had fallen short and that she had offered to resign (an offer that sources say was refused). The theft has sparked immediate scrutiny of the museum’s security systems — including questions about camera coverage and case protection — and prompted calls from government ministers for an urgent review of security at major cultural sites. The incident comes as the Louvre is engaged in a long-term modernization and security upgrade plan.
Investigators have emphasized the urgency of the search. Police say the robbers had only minutes inside the gallery and that preventing the dispersal and alteration of the jewels is now a top priority; detectives are racing to identify and intercept the suspects before the items are broken up or smuggled out of reach. Meanwhile, cultural-sector leaders and politicians have expressed shock and anger, calling the theft an attack on France’s heritage and pledging a full investigation.
Visitors returning on Wednesday reported a mixture of curiosity and solemnity; some lingered near the Apollo Gallery’s damaged window, which remains a focal point for both forensic teams and public attention. The Louvre said ticket-holders for the closure period are being refunded and that normal visiting rules apply as police continue to probe the case.
English