The Eiffel Tower reopened to visitors on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, following a staff walkout that shut down Paris’s most famous landmark over the removal of female employees during a weekend visit by a Hindu religious delegation, according to operating company SETE and Agence France-Presse. Shortly before 9:30 am local time, tourists passed through security checkpoints at the base of the monument as normal operations resumed after management met with protesting workers on Monday.
SETE Acknowledges Delegation’s Request to Limit Interactions With Women
According to the operating company SETE, the Hindu religious delegation had requested that the Saturday visit be organized to limit interactions with women. SETE management acknowledged in public statements that “these conditions should not have been accepted.” SETE President Ariel Weil, a socialist elected official in Paris, told AFP that officials are investigating the sequence of events, stating, “We are going to shed light on what happened, and we will draw the necessary conclusions.”
Staff Condemn Professional Instructions That Sidelined Female Employees
Eiffel Tower workers walked off the job on Monday, September 7, 2026, halting all site operations for the day. In an official statement, the staff condemned what they termed “professional instructions that led to female employees being sidelined, replaced and made invisible because of their sex” during the delegation’s tour. Workers reported that female staff members were asked to leave their posts, withdraw to alternate areas, and in some instances be replaced by men. Furthermore, female employees received instructions not to cross specific zones while the spiritual delegation remained on site. Staff representatives expressed shock at being placed in such a position.
Did you know?
The Eiffel Tower welcomes nearly seven million visitors each year, according to figures published on the monument’s official website.
BAPS Spiritual Movement Issues Apology Over Visit Arrangements
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) spiritual movement issued a statement via social media apologizing for “any pain or inconvenience caused” by their visit. The organisation noted that, to the best of its knowledge, no visitors were prevented access to the Eiffel Tower. BAPS explained that because of the large size of their delegation, the tour was arranged alongside the Eiffel Tower team at the beginning of normal operating hours to avoid disrupting other visitors.
French Politicians Face Public Backlash and Demand Investigations
The incident triggered sharp reactions from high-ranking French officials. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire posted on X that it was “unacceptable” for Tower management to agree to the delegation’s conditions, adding that an investigation would launch as soon as possible. Gregoire wrote that the employees’ anger and dissatisfaction were entirely legitimate, stating that the situation aligned with neither his values nor those the Eiffel Tower must uphold. National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet similarly addressed the controversy on social media, writing: “Welcoming others never means giving up our values. In France, women are fully present in public life. No one tells them to become invisible.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Eiffel Tower closed?
When did the Eiffel Tower reopen?
Which organization organized the visit?
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) spiritual movement organized the delegation visit.
What did SETE say about the incident?
SETE acknowledged that the delegation requested limited interactions with women and stated that “these conditions should not have been accepted.”
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