Sawt Falasteen - Macron to visit Louvre after warning over visitor conditions

The head of state will arrive at the Louvre on Tuesday afternoon, the Elysee said in a statement.

"The Louvre is a symbol of France, it is a source of French pride," a presidential official, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

"It would be wrong to remain deaf and blind to the risks affecting the museum today."

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

The move was announced after it emerged this week that Laurence des Cars, the first woman head of the French landmark, had written a memo about her concerns to Culture Minister Rachida Dati earlier this month.

She warned about the "proliferation of damage in museum spaces, some of which are in very poor condition.

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

Despite the French government's budget problems and the imminent closure of the Pompidou museum for renovations, des Cars said the Louvre required an overhaul that would likely 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.

Des Cars expressed concern about the quality of the user experience.

The Mona Lisa, the most popular attraction in the museum, is displayed in its largest room, which frequently has long queues.

The memo stressed the need to "reassess" how Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece is presented to the public. Des Cars said last year that it needed its own dedicated area.

R.Shaban--SF-PST