Eiffel Tower Reopens After Staff Walkout Over Treatment of Women During Hindu Visit

Image Credit: Kenzo Tribouillard, AFP

The Eiffel Tower was temporarily closed after staff walked out in protest over female employees reportedly being removed from certain positions during a private visit by a Hindu religious group, sparking a debate over gender equality, religious accommodation and France’s secular values.

The incident took place on September 5 during a visit by around 100 members of the Hindu organisation BAPS, which was in France for events linked to the opening of a major Hindu temple near Paris. Female Eiffel Tower workers said they were instructed to stay away from areas where the delegation was present, with some replaced by male colleagues.

The tower’s operating company, SETE, acknowledged that arrangements had been made to limit interactions between the delegation and female staff. It later said accepting such conditions was a mistake and incompatible with its commitment to equality between men and women.

BAPS has apologised for the controversy but disputed the account that women were deliberately excluded. The organisation said it was unaware of any instruction preventing female staff from working during the visit and said the private tour had been arranged to manage the large group and minimise disruption.

The dispute led Eiffel Tower employees to stage a walkout on September 7, forcing the landmark to close temporarily. Paris authorities called for an investigation into what happened, while French politicians criticised any arrangement that appeared to disadvantage women because of their sex.

The Eiffel Tower reopened on September 8, but the controversy continues as authorities examine who authorised the arrangements and how the instructions concerning female employees were implemented.

The incident has also revived wider questions in France about laïcité, the country’s model of secularism, and how public-facing institutions should balance religious and cultural requests with France’s commitment to equality. The Eiffel Tower attracts millions of visitors each year, making the dispute particularly high-profile.