Leribault, 62, has been at Versailles since 2024 and will face “significant” challenges, according to government spokesperson Maud Bregeon, during a press conference following a Cabinet meeting.
Bregeon specified that the main missions of the new Louvre president will include improving security, modernizing the institution, and continuing the “Louvre — New Renaissance” project.
The previous Louvre president, Laurence des Cars, resigned on Tuesday, and her resignation was accepted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Read more about this topic: ‘Systemic failures’ led to Louvre robbery, inquiry finds
“The head of state accepted [the resignation], praising this responsible act at a time when the world’s largest museum requires pacification and new momentum to successfully carry out major security projects, modernization efforts, and the ‘Louvre — New Renaissance’ project,” read a statement from the Presidency of the Republic.
On October 19, 2025, a group of thieves took only a few minutes to enter the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre using a service elevator, quickly breaking two of the three display cases installed at the end of 2019 to protect jewelry and escaping with eight pieces valued at approximately 88 million euros.
Two weeks ago, the museum announced that it had suffered a massive ticketing fraud, causing losses exceeding 10 million euros. The following day, water infiltration damaged a 19th-century painted ceiling, forcing the temporary closure of some rooms. In November, a flood affected the antiquities library due to deteriorated pipes, whose poor condition was already known.
Since December, the museum has also experienced periods of staff strikes, leading to partial or full closures.
Among the main demands presented by unions to the French Ministry of Culture were changes in Louvre management, hiring staff—particularly security personnel—the creation of new roles to address real museum needs, reduced working hours, salary increases, and improved conditions for workers and visitors.
