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MAJOR ATTRACTIONS INCLUDING VERSAILLES AND GARNIER OPERA WILL RAISE PRICES FROM 2026 TO COMBAT BUDGET CUTS Several major French attractions are set to charge non-EU visitors up to €30 for
entry in a bid to raise funds for upkeep and renovations amidst budget cuts. Versailles Palace, the Garnier opera and Chambord chateau are among several major monuments and museums that are
planning to start charging the entrance fees from January 2026. Other unnamed museums will increase ticket prices for non-EU visitors from 2027. A similar scheme was announced for the
Louvre in January, as major renovations to the museum were announced. French visa and residency card holders are set to be exempt from the increased fees, providing they can prove residency
in France – short-term tourist visa holders (a 90-day visa) may still need to pay the extra fees. SAVINGS VITAL FOR REPAIRS In some cases such as Chambord, visitors must already pay an
entry fee, meaning the prices are increasing. For others, it may be the first time visitors are being charged. “It's worth a try,” said Deputy Director at Chambord Cécilie de
Saint-Venant to Le Monde. The chateau “needs €100 million for work over ten years, including €25 million for the François I wing, which we cannot finance with our income at this stage,” she
said. It is the same story for the Louvre, where the vast majority of the estimated €900 million needed to renovate the museum must come from increased revenue, with only a small
contribution from the state. The planned ticket increases come amid plans for widespread government budget cuts, which are impacting the Culture Ministry. The Ministry is looking to save
€150 million this year – €100 million of cuts were instituted by the brief government of Michel Barnier. Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who served under both Mr Barnier and current prime
minister François Bayrou, pledged an extra €50 million in savings across 2025. ‘DISCRIMINATION’ Despite the need for an additional revenue stream, some have denounced the changes. “Such a
logic, based on geographical origin, is discriminatory and has no place in a cultural public service,” said head of the culture wing of the CFDT union Alexis Fritche to Le Monde. “It breaks
with the principles of universality, equality and openness on which our institutions are founded,” he added. However, under current rules some people – notably EU citizens and visa holders
under the age of 26 – get widespread free access to museums and cultural sites while others must pay. In some cases, residents of a commune or area may also get free access to locally-run
museums.