San Francisco Frontiers - Macron to speak on Louvre future after memo about decay

"There will be announcements concerning the Louvre and its future," the French presidency said on the eve of the visit without providing further details.

The seat of French kings until Louis XIV abandoned it for Versailles in the late 1600s, the Louvre is regularly listed as the world's most visited museum and houses masterpieces including Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa painting and the Greek marble sculpture of Venus de Milo.

The Paris landmark has become a subject of national concern after the revelation last week of a confidential memo written by Louvre director Laurence des Cars to Culture Minister Rachida Dati warning about the "proliferation of damage in museum spaces".

Furthermore, some areas "are no longer watertight, while others experience significant temperature variations, endangering the preservation of artworks", she added.

The Louvre's popularity was causing a "physical strain" on the historic building, she said.

Des Cars said the Louvre required an overhaul that was likely to be costly and technically complicated.

A total of 8.7 million people visited its famed galleries last year -- around twice the number it was designed for -- and des Cars has expressed concern about the quality of the user experience.

- Costly overhaul -

The Louvre management estimates the renovation work could cost hundreds of millions of euros.

The costs would be a major challenge for the government of Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, which must tackle France's spiralling deficit and growing debt.

A government source said authorities were considering ways to "mobilise resources elsewhere" and get private donors and major companies involved.

France relied on donations from billionaires and the public to restore Notre Dame cathedral, which was ravaged by fire in 2019 and reopened last month.

The restoration cost a total of nearly 700 million euros ($730 million) and was financed from the 846 million euros in donations that poured in from 150 countries.

Macron scored a major diplomatic coup with Notre Dame's renovation and reopening, and some critics say he will seek to score political points with his Louvre announcements amid a protracted political crisis.

"It's not his field," grumbled a member of the government.

"He's buying himself popularity points on the cheap."

Macron's popularity has dropped to a new low since his first election in 2017, showed a poll published on Sunday.

Just 21 percent of respondents to the Ifop poll published in the Journal de Dimanche newspaper expressed satisfaction with the 47-year-old president.

Unlike most other Paris museums, which are closed every Monday, the Louvre is shut on Tuesdays, meaning Macron will not cross paths with the general public on his visit.

A.Evans--SFF