A visit to the world’s most-visited museum is about to value Canadians considerably extra.
France has hiked ticket costs on the Louvre by 45 per cent for guests from outdoors the European Union, a transfer that’s fuelling debate over so-called twin pricing and the rising backlash towards overtourism.
Beginning this week, grownup guests from non-EU nations, together with Canada, should pay €32 to enter the Paris landmark, up from €22. That’s a rise from about $35 to $52 Canadian.
Guests from EU nations, in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, will proceed to pay the decrease price.
The worth hike comes because the Louvre grapples with repeated labour strikes, a high-profile daylight jewel heist final October that prompted a expensive safety overhaul, and years of continual overcrowding. The museum attracts roughly 9 million guests yearly.
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Some Canadian vacationers informed World Information they really feel unfairly focused.
“We didn’t trigger the robberies or a few of the different points that occurred and we’re paying the implications,” stated Allison Moore, visiting Paris from Newfoundland together with her daughter. “[In] Canada we don’t discriminate over pricing like that.”
Others argue vacationers already shoulder greater prices just by travelling lengthy distances.
“Basically for vacationers, I feel issues ought to be a bit cheaper than for native individuals, as a result of we’ve to journey to return all the way in which right here,” stated Darla Daniela Quiroz, one other Canadian customer. “It ought to be equal pricing, or a bit bit cheaper.”
Even some Europeans query the two-tiered system. A French vacationer interviewed outdoors the museum stated there was “no cause” to cost non-Europeans extra and that the charge ought to be the identical for everybody.
Tourism consultants say the Louvre’s monetary pressures assist clarify the choice.
“The Louvre is absolutely cash-strapped proper now and must do one thing,” stated Marion Joppe, a professor on the College of Guelph. “It might probably’t actually look to the federal government, which is already fighting its personal finances.”
The transfer additionally displays a broader world pushback towards mass tourism. Anti-tourism protests have unfold throughout elements of Spain, New Zealand has elevated its entry tax, and the US lately raised nationwide park charges for overseas guests.
“You are taking Paris — it will get about 50 million vacationers a 12 months,” stated Julian Karaguesian, an economist at McGill College. “That’s roughly 1,000,000 per week. Town merely wasn’t constructed for these sorts of numbers.”
Regardless of the upper value, many guests say they may nonetheless line as much as see the Mona Lisa and different of the museum’s well-known artworks.
“It’s one of many essential sights. It’s on all people’s checklist,” Moore stated. “We’re nonetheless going to go, and hopefully will probably be price it ultimately.”
© 2026 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
