The Louvre’s new director is inheriting

Vincent Noce, The Louvre’s new director is inheriting a troubled, traumatised museum – can he repair the damage?, The Art Newspaper, 3 April 2026

Christophe Leribault, the former director of the Château de Versailles, faces a “derelict” infrastructure at the Paris museum and the fallout from last year’s devastating theft.

The Musée du Louvre is in deep trouble, traumatised by the theft of the crown jewels last October and the non-stop high drama of the weeks and months since. The mission for its new director Christophe Leribault, according to President Emmanuel Macron, is one of “appeasement”.

Leribault’s arrival on 25 February coincided with Macron’s appointment of a close collaborator, Catherine Pégard, as culture minister after the resignation of Rachida Dati, who left to run in the March election for Paris mayor. In both cases, the contrast of characters is striking. Pégard, 71, is as discreet and cautious as Dati is outspoken. Leribault, 62, is a pure art historian with an unassuming demeanour. The reign of his predecessor, Laurence des Cars, has been criticised as autocratic and for prioritising style over substance.