The weekend delegation visit

The Eiffel Tower reopened on Tuesday morning following a day-long strike by staff members protesting the treatment of female employees during a visit by a religious delegation. On Saturday, 5 September 2026, approximately 100 representatives of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) organisation toured the landmark ahead of the consecration of their first large French temple east of Paris.

During the tour, management of the operating company SETE complied with a request from the delegation to restrict interactions with women. Several female staff members were instructed to leave their stations, wait in separate rooms, and avoid passing through designated areas, while male colleagues replaced them on site. The CGT trade union condemned the operational directive, stating that female employees had been removed, replaced, and made invisible solely on the basis of their gender.

Staff strike and monument closure

Employee discontent escalated over the weekend, leading staff to stage a walkout on Monday, 7 September 2026. The protest forced the monument, which welcomes up to 20,000 visitors per day, to shut down for the entire day. Informational signs placed at the tower entrance announced that opening was postponed due to operational reasons, leaving crowds of international tourists outside.

Union representative Diane Davoine explained that employees gathered on Monday morning to open discussions with management and secure commitments that female workers would never face similar restrictions again. Staff representatives stated that the instructions were deeply shocking to personnel and stood in direct opposition to standard principles of gender equality.

Management response and official inquiries

Following the shutdown, the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) acknowledged that approving the delegation's conditions was an error that violated company values. SETE president Ariel Weil, who also serves as mayor of Paris Centre, stated that managers had acted with excessive enthusiasm without assessing whether the request was inappropriate.

The City of Paris, which owns the monument, initiated two administrative inquiries to identify who authorized the instructions and ensure similar demands are rejected in the future. Paris official Emmanuel Grégoire supported the striking staff and stated that public rules apply equally to all visitors.

“The equality of men and women does not stop at the entrance to our monuments.”

Religious organisation issues apology

The Hindu spiritual organisation BAPS, a movement with roots dating back to the 18th century and ties to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's conservative political party, practices strict separation between men and women in temple functions and building entrances. On Sunday, the group consecrated its suburban Paris temple before responding publicly to the workplace controversy.

“According to our information, no one was denied access to the Eiffel Tower at any time. Nevertheless, we sincerely apologize for any pain or inconvenience that may have been caused.”

Political figures across the French political spectrum also reacted, with candidates ahead of upcoming presidential elections describing the exclusion as unacceptable. Normal operations resumed on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, with all male and female employees returning to their regular duties.