Louvre Safeguards Treasures in Bank of France Vault Following Heist

Tue Oct 28 2025 19:19:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In response to a daylight robbery, the Louvre has relocated its most valuable jewels to the highly secure vaults of the Bank of France, revealing serious flaws in its security systems.

Following a brazen heist at the Louvre where thieves stole valuables with an estimated worth of €88 million, the museum has shifted its collection of precious jewels to an ultra-secure vault in the Bank of France. The vault, known as 'Souterraine', is designed to withstand all attacks and houses important national treasures. This decision comes after criticism of museum security deficiencies, particularly a misaligned security camera during the break-in.

The Louvre has transferred some of its most precious jewels to the Bank of France after a spectacular daylight heist exposed woeful flaws in the museum's security.

On Friday, a secret police escort oversaw the transfer of some of the remaining jewels to the Bank, located 500 meters (about 500 yards) from the museum, according to French media reports.

These treasures will now be stored in the Bank's most secure vault, situated 26 meters (85 feet) below the ground floor of its elegant headquarters in central Paris.

The vault is home to 90% of France's gold reserves, as well as the notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci and other national treasures, with contents valued at an estimated €600 million (£520 million).

The Souterraine, as the vault is known, was designed to withstand all attacks, according to the bank's website.

The main shaft is protected by a 50cm thick, seven-tonne door made of flame-resistant concrete reinforced with steel.

Behind this door lies a 35-tonne rotating concrete turret, which the bank claims prevents any possibility of forced entry.

Last Sunday, masked thieves used an angle grinder to smash through a reinforced window into the Louvre's Gallery of Apollo, where France's crown jewels are kept.

Within eight minutes, the gang seized treasures including a necklace that belonged to Napoleon's wife, Empress Marie-Louise, and a diadem of Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugenie, with an estimated worth of €88 million (£77 million).

The thieves utilized a mechanical ladder mounted on the back of a lorry to lift themselves to a first-floor balcony to gain access to the gallery.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated he has every confidence that the thieves will be caught. However, while French ministers assert the museum's security was operational, Louvre director Laurence des Cars described the facilities as weak and aging.

On Wednesday, des Cars informed French lawmakers that the solitary security camera monitoring the exterior wall where the break-in occurred was directed incorrectly.