Stories du Moment

The heist of the century, governmental groundhog's day, Sarko heads to prison and some event news!

Oct 21, 2025

📢 Upcoming event in Paris! One of my last book-related talks of the year! Catch me at The American Library in Paris (in-person or on Zoom if you’d like to tune in from afar but do RSVP) on October 29 for a talk on Paris dining today, alongside Carina Soto Velasquez (Candelaria, Le Mary Celeste & A La Renaissance) and fellow journo-author Nora Bouazzouni, whose latest book digs into the ongoing issue of violence in French kitchens. ‘The Eater Guide to Paris’ will be available to purchase after the talk, as will Nora’s book, in French. Ps. I’ll be back soon with Part II on shopping.

Okay, I think it’s clear that what happened at the Louvre on Sunday— what the French call the heist of the century, the most significant breach since the Mona Lisa was snatched in 1911 — did not involve a plan executed à la Lupin. It also didn’t involve a carefully choreographed cable descent from a hole in the ceiling to dodge sensors and alarms like those iconic scenes in Mission Impossible or Entrapment. If TikTokers and newspapers around the globe are still talking about the royal crown jewel theft days later, it’s because of the museum’s spectacular security failures and the brazenness of the act itself. It was a simple smash-and-grab in broad daylight. The bandits escaped on scooters. They dropped Empress Eugenia’s crown (LOL

Lauren Collins

who pondered if it had tumbled from the thieves’ Monoprix bag).

What more is there to say but wow security was insufficient. (In the Denon wing, home to the Apollo Gallery, which was burglarized, and the Mona Lisa, one-third of the rooms have no surveillance cameras. In the Richelieu wing, three-quarters of the rooms have no video surveillance equipment at all.) And wow, this is rather embarrassing for France. But what does it mean, beyond the news headlines? Jean Leymarie, host of Le Billet Politique on France Culture, said part of what makes this so egregious is that it comes at a precarious and uncomfortable moment for the country.

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of public opinion, in France or abroad. What do they see? Governments coming and going at breakneck speed. A credit rating agency downgrading France’s rating—that was Friday evening, Standard and Poor’s. A former president of the Republic on his way to prison: Nicolas Sarkozy, convicted of criminal conspiracy; he has appealed; he is still presumed innocent, but he will nevertheless be incarcerated in a serious case.
What do these events say about our country? Do they alone sum up France in 2025? No, of course not. Chance plays its part, as do coincidences. But these realities impose themselves on us. Like the impression of a great upheaval.

RELATED READING

Them jewels are uninsured (FT)
Is Paris the home of the heist? (Telegraph)
Culture Minister Rachida Dati says “security system worked properly” 🤔 (Le Monde)

PRIME MINISTER RESIGNS. THEN IS BACK. THEN….?

It somehow already feels like old news, but there have been plenty of twists in the French political saga. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned on October 6, just 14 hours after presenting his new cabinet, citing that the “conditions were not fulfilled” to govern amid pervasive opposition. But instead of stepping aside, Macron effectively forced him into a caretaker role, directed him to stay on for 48 hours to negotiate a platform, and then reappointed him as Prime Minister on October 10. Macron apparently loves to see his people squirm.

Last week, Lecornu announced he would suspend the controversial pension-reform bill (which would have raised the retirement age), postponing application of the highly contentious policy issue until after the next Presidential election cycle in 2027. Given the fragility of his minority government and looming no-confidence motions, it was a political move to appease the Socialists. Meanwhile, les Macronistes established an alliance with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party to block the Zucman Tax (a minimum tax of 2% on the total wealth of taxpayers with at least €100 million in assets). As a result, the tax proposal was rejected by an initial committee in the National Assembly yesterday. Other votes to follow later this week. The whiplash continues.

PFW QUOTE OF NOTE

From Matthieu Blazy’s debut show for Chanel, October 2025. Anne Christine Poujoulat, AFP

It would be unrealistic to think that the arrival of a creative profile, however brilliant, would act as a magic wand. They cannot solve the structural problems facing the luxury sector, namely production (being able to manufacture high-quality products at the rate of demand and under good conditions) and the increasing inaccessibility of products (€1,900 for a pair of pants at Vuitton, €2,700 for a blouse at Saint Laurent, €10,300 for a Chanel Classic bag, for example), which are now only affordable to a tiny minority of the super-rich. Looking at the number of brands seeking to reposition themselves in this ultra-luxury market, it is difficult to imagine that they will all survive this headlong rush.
— Elvire von Bardeleben, Le Monde

LISTEN

My conversation with Joshua Fontaine, co-owner of Candelaria, Le Mary Celeste, and A La Renaissance, on the longevity of food businesses in Paris and the joys of becoming a regular wherever you are. Prefer Apple podcasts? Listen there.

OVERHEARD IN PARIS

“Antoine, Antoine ! C’est non. Je t’entends!”
— a man to his golden retriever, Fringe Coffee.

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