By Billy Stockwell and Pierre Bairin, CNN

Three police officers in front of the Louvre Museum, tasked with monitoring the security perimeter established after the burglary of Napoleon's jewels at the museum, which had to be closed in Paris on October 19, 2025. Trois policiers devant le Musee du Louvre charges de surveiller le perimetre de securite etabli apres le cambriolage de bijoux de Napoleon survenu au musee qui du etre ferme a Paris le 19 octobre 2025. (Photo by Quentin de Groeve / Hans Lucas via AFP)

Three police officers in front of the Louvre Museum.
Photo: QUENTIN DE GROEVE

The director of the renowned Louvre museum in Paris resigned following last year’s “heist of the century” which saw €88m (NZ$173m) worth of crown jewels stolen.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he accepted Laurence des Cars’ resignation, and praised her decision to step down as “an act of responsibility at a time when the world’s largest museum needs both stability and a strong new impetus,” according to the Elysée Palace.

Des Cars had previously offered her resignation to Culture Minister Rachida Dati after the robbery which saw thieves break into the museum’s Apollo Gallery, but it was rejected at the time.

President of the Louvre Museum Laurence des Cars looks on prior to the start of a hearing before the Senate's culture committee at the French Senate in Paris on October 22, 2025. Laurence des Cars has not made any public statement since the theft on October 19, 2025. Des Cars, who became the first woman to run the Louvre in 2021, is expected to be questioned about security at the Apollo Gallery, which houses the royal collection of gems. The museum on October 21, 2025 hit back at criticism that the display cases protecting the stolen jewellery were fragile, saying they were installed in 2019 and "represented a considerable improvement in terms of security". (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)

Laurence des Cars.
Photo: AFP / Bertrand Guay

She admitted last year that the “absolutely obsolete, even absent, technical infrastructure” to monitor the country’s most valuable treasures was a “terrible observation” for the world’s largest museum.

In 2024, the Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors, with tourists from the United States making up 13 percent of all guests, second only to the French.

(FILES) This photograph shows the "parure de la reine Marie-Amelie et de la Reine Hortense" (set of jewelry of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense) displayed at Apollon's Gallery on January 14, 2020 at the Louvre museum in Paris after the reopening of the Gallery following ten months of renovations.

This photograph shows the “parure de la reine Marie-Amelie et de la Reine Hortense” (set of jewelry of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense) displayed at Apollon’s Gallery on 14 January, 2020.
Photo: AFP / Stephane De Sakutin

“The President thanked her for her work and commitment over the past few years and, recognizing her undeniable scientific expertise, entrusted her with a mission within the framework of the French G7 presidency, focusing on cooperation between the major museums of the participating countries,” the Elysée said on Tuesday.

The heist followed a series of issues at the venerable institution, which was also hit by strike action last year with workers complaining of unmanageable crowds, understaffing and poor working conditions.

Des Cars became the first female director of the Louvre Museum in its 230-year history, when she took on the role in September 2021.

– CNN