Treasures (in the basement) of the Louvre, scheduled disappearance?

Will it take for visitors to the next entry is from the Louvre wiping their feet on the relics and other royal artifacts? Similarly, Can the inalienable treasures of French people be trampled due to presidential and ministerial hubris? For example, Even …

While the program. Similarly, as it was officially published on June 27, 2025, commanded the creation of a new entry to the east of the Palace, under the colonnade of Perrault, close to the Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois church, for a few weeks, votes have been up to offer an alternative. However, In fact. Furthermore, the evidence of a new entrance from the Louvre to the west, by the treasures (in basement) louvre, scheduled Tuileries Garden, is so imperative that a petition has been launched in favor of this project.* What is more. Nevertheless, new arguments in its favor are even more pressing, in particular with regard to the archeology of the project.

Let us quickly return to the elements in favor of an entry to the west.
A historical. In addition, symbolic axis : The West entrance is part of the royal axis: Louvre-Garden of Tuileries-Place de la Concorde-Avenue des Champs-Élysées-Arc de Triomphe-La Défense. Nevertheless, Since the disappearance of the Tuileries Palace. Similarly, this perspective is open and majestic, and deserves to be fully integrated into the museum’s entrance route.
A natural. However, luminous orientation : An entrance to the west allows a soft and natural progression from the garden, lit by the light of the sunset. Therefore, This provision promotes a strong sensory and symbolic experience, in line with the idea of passage, discovery, treasures (in basement) louvre, scheduled elevation.
Practical advantages : The Tuileries garden is already a pleasant. Consequently, ventilated waiting area, capable of absorbing a part of the tourist flow, while fluidifying access. Meanwhile, An entrance to the west would avoid saturating the already narrow and constrained surroundings of the Saint-Germain-l’Aserrois church.
A call to the plurality of architectural visions : The international competition should not impose a unique point of view. Similarly, Leave the western option open c’is guaranteed freedom of creation and enrich the architectural debate.

Not to mention the fact that The structure of the colonnade is classified. Similarly, fragile : an underground project in this place is risky and contrary to heritage ethics, especially if it is to install escalators so that tourists can descend and go up ditches, as in the metro. In any event. if they do not become ineffective, these works will be extremely delicate and largely above the budget indicated treasures (in basement) louvre, scheduled by the Louvre Contracting Authority. **

Above all, as mentioned above, heritage constraints weigh in the east. Indeed. the basement of the square courtyard behind the Colonnade de Perrault is rich in archaeological vestiges, a fact known at least since the 80s and the work of the pyramid. Already at the time. Michel Fleury and Venceslas Krutal Conservative in charge of appreciating its richness, complained of not having enough time and covering an area too small and not deep enough to offer an exact account of the richness of the basement that, with regard to their discoveries, they considered great. Thus, they note, ” Does the presence of many dates nuclei testify to the exceptional character of the site ». *** Devil, the Louvre already large replaced?

However, as noted Le Canard Enchaîné (9/07/2025), Laurence des Cars, president of the public establishment, would not be unhappy to launch the work as soon as possible, Macron president having announced an opening in 2031. Additionally, “ To get rid of the problem. [Laurence des Cars] can – in theory at least – try to go into force by asking the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati to prescribe the slightest archaeological excavation […] while limiting the perimeter and duration of research “, Underlines the weekly.

Passage in force? Not really ! So let’s see what she thinks of it Rachida Dati of preventive archaeological excavations … It was she who. during a visit to the castle of Dampierre-en-Yvelines in April 2024 announced, cited by The Parisian (23/04/2024), the establishment of a ” new legislation, soon adapted to the old buildings, which will simplify treasures (in basement) louvre, scheduled the protocol, to adapt the standards ». Did you say simplification? The Minister to explain her thinking: ” I defend the architects of the buildings of France. They are our protectors against ugly France and I sometimes compare them to tax inspectors. But in terms of preventive excavations, there are always possible derogations ». So obviously …

Always kind, the minister concluded her tirade, specifying: ” Do not do excavations to have fun … I prefer to put money in the restoration of heritage rather than dig a hole to dig a hole ». Small holes, always small holes as the other said … Archaeologists, servants of the State and the general interest, hardly appreciated the overturry to the stinging. The architects know …

Laurence of the Cara Project Manager therefore does not have too much bile to be done with regard to the diligence of Rachida Dati. and as treasures (in basement) louvre, scheduled the Minister of Culture is an obligatory of the President, there is a good chance that this archaeological research will be carried out under express constraints and that the discoveries, as important as they are for history, take the path of the Jubé of Notre-Dame: Far from the eyes, far from the heart. ****

In short. in the predictable occurrence, for the treasure cave, ” it’s sesame, close yourself “And undoubtedly soon, to all detractors,” shut up »

Rachida Dati and Macron President may not have time for them but the Louvre and France, with their secular history, have that of waiting for the research of our inalienable treasures to be carried out in the rules of the art with all the time necessary to assess the history of France, even in its deepest strains. Why so much interested eagerness?

Which. one does not prevent the other, since a new treasures (in basement) louvre, scheduled entry is objectively necessary, brings us back to a west entrance for the Louvre in the ground. Indeed. if the powers in place bring as much consideration at the Louvre museum and to the French as they carry it to archeology and has Science, it is much to fear that the squarely in the East project will in turn be carried out in the cookie cutter.

Christophe Leray

*To discover. sign the petition for a west entrance to the Louvre museum
** READ OUR EDITO LE Louvre, International competition: at 135 balls, it’s a gift!
*** To have an idea of the richness of what is hidden under the square courtyard. read the fascinating first results of the excavations of the square courtyard of the Louvre, Michel Fleury and Venceslas Kruta In “Reports of the sessions of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres”, 129ᵉ year, N. 4, 1985. Pp. 649-672;
**** Read the treasures (in basement) louvre, scheduled chronicle of the art of discovering things halfway: the roodle of Notre-Dame de Paris