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BRITISH tourists will have to cough up more money than their EU counterparts to visit the Louvre as part of a £670million revamp announced by French President Emmanuel Macron.
There may also be a separate charge just to get a glimpse of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece the Mona Lisa – Macron hinted at in his speech in front of the world-famous painting.
Within the £670million revamp are also plans to give the enigmatic Mona Lisa her own room, create a new entrance, and open an array of new underground rooms – all to be completed by 2031.
Macron said that these extravagant changes would be funded without sacrificing French taxpayers’ money and instead be financed by worse-off non-EU visitors as well as by donations from patrons.
The decision comes after Louvre President Laurence des Cars painted a grim picture of the famous landmark last week, saying in a letter to the culture minister that it was threatened by “a worrying level of obsolescence.”
The world’s most popular museum is plagued by water leaks, overcrowding and severe temperature changes.
In response to the message, Macron organised a speech at the museum where he announced “the new renaissance of the Louvre.”
“The project must be a new stage in the life of the nation for art, the history of art and its transmission,” he added.
The current price to visit all sections of the Louvre including the Mona Lisa is around £18.
But the French culture ministry wants Brits and other visitors from outside the EU to pay between £21 and £25, according to The Times.
In his letter to the French culture minister, Louvre President des Cars also said that visiting the landmark was a “physical ordeal,” and that the damp walls, overcrowded galleries and 35-year-old entrance were “structurally out of date.”
He also called for a “reassessment” of the Mona Lisa’s display.
According to a study in 2019, visitors only spend a mere 50 seconds on average in front of the Mona Lisa due to the long queues and crowded rush.
The last time the museum was renovated dates back to 1989, when its eye-catching glass pyramid was unveiled.
But des Cars stressed that it is not properly insulated from the cold, and the heat tends to amplify noise, making the experience very uncomfortable for both visitors and workers.
There is also a lack of food services and bathroom facilities, he added.
In another hit for Brit holidaymakers, Macron also hinted at other French cultural sites hiking charges for non-EU visitors too, including the Palace of Versailles and the Musée D’Orsay.
In 2024, 8.7 million people visited the Louvre – with 23 per cent being French, 13 per cent American and 5 per cent British.
France follows Spain in its decision to force foreigners to fork out more money after the Spanish government said this month that they would tax foreign buyers looking to purchase homes there.
Macron’s spin doctors give him oily praise for the restoration of the Notre Dame Cathedral five years after it was dramatically damaged by a fire, and they say that this rebirth of the Louvre will be another historic achievement.
What is tourist tax?
Tourist tax, also known as a “tourism levy” or “visitor tax,” is a fee charged to tourists staying in certain destinations oversea.
It is often imposed by local governments or municipalities as a way to generate revenue and help pay for improved hotspots and services.
Tourist tax is usually paid by the actual visitors who stay overnight in paid accommodation, such as hotels, hostels, guesthouses, holiday rentals, or campsites.
It is charged based on either a flat rated fixed amount per night, based on a percentage of total costs or as a variable rate per accommodation type.
Locals or residents are typically exempt from this tax.
European cities like Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam all charge a tourist tax as do island resorts like Mallorca or Ibiza.
Children under certain ages are exempt as are people staying for an extended period of time or people travelling for business.
