Workers at the Eiffel Tower in Paris went on strike after female employees were allegedly asked to leave certain areas or avoid specific parts of the landmark during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation.
The dispute relates to a visit last week by around 100 people associated with BAPS, or Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha. The delegation was in France for events linked to the inauguration of a Hindu temple in the Paris suburbs.
Eiffel Tower employees strongly criticised the instructions given during the visit. They said female staff members were sidelined because of their gender. In a statement, the workers condemned "professional instructions that led to female employees being sidelined, replaced, and rendered invisible based on their gender".
Female Staff Asked to Leave Certain Areas
According to the employees, female workers at the Eiffel Tower and women working for contractors were told to make themselves "invisible" while the delegation was present.
"Instructions were given to female employees of the Eiffel Tower and to female employees of contractors to make themselves invisible in order to welcome this delegation," the staff said.
The workers said they were shocked by the instructions. Some female employees were reportedly asked to leave their regular positions and move to other parts of the landmark.
"Some were asked to leave their posts and withdraw to other areas. In some posts they were replaced by men. And all female employees were instructed not to go through or cross certain areas while the delegation was present." The incident triggered strong criticism from staff and led to the Eiffel Tower being closed for the day on Monday.
Eiffel Tower Operator Acknowledges Request
SETE, the company responsible for operating the Eiffel Tower, confirmed that the Hindu delegation had asked for arrangements that would limit "interactions with women".
However, the company said such conditions should never have been accepted.
SETE admitted that the arrangements were inconsistent with its own principles and France's commitment to gender equality. The company said it would accept the "consequences" of the decision. "It is clearly not an acceptable practice. I restate the Eiffel Tower's commitment to republican values and to the equality of men and women," SETE president Ariel Weil told AFP. Weil is also a Socialist elected official in Paris.
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Who Is BAPS?
BAPS describes itself as a spiritual and volunteer-based organisation focused on individual development and social service. According to its website, the organisation is "dedicated to improving society through individual growth by fostering the Hindu values of faith, service, and global harmony."
BAPS is registered as a charitable trust in India. It also holds non-governmental organisation status in consultation with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The organisation carries out activities in several countries. These include humanitarian work, community services and the construction of Hindu temples.
BAPS recently consecrated its first major temple in France near Paris. The temple's inauguration was accompanied by a series of cultural and religious events.
BAPS Apologises After Protest
BAPS responded to the controversy following the staff protest. The organisation said it understood the concerns raised by Eiffel Tower employees and was taking them seriously. The group explained that the visit involved a large delegation and had been planned with Eiffel Tower staff at the beginning of normal opening hours. It said the arrangement was intended to reduce disruption for other visitors.
"Given the size of our delegation, the visit was organised in coordination with the Eiffel Tower teams at the start of normal opening hours in order to limit as much as possible any disruption for other visitors. To our knowledge, at no time was access to the Eiffel Tower denied to anyone," the statement read. BAPS also expressed regret to anyone who felt hurt or inconvenienced by the arrangements.
"Nevertheless, we wish to offer our sincere apologies to anyone who may have been hurt or inconvenienced by this situation. We are deeply committed to the universal values of mutual respect and service to others," it added.
The organisation did not accept that anyone had been denied access to the Eiffel Tower. However, its statement acknowledged the concerns surrounding the incident and offered an apology.
Nous comprenons les préoccupations exprimées et les prenons très au sérieux.
— BAPS Mandir Swaminarayan Hindou de Paris (@BAPSParis) September 7, 2026
Compte tenu de la taille de notre délégation, la visite a été organisée en coordination avec les équipes de la tour Eiffel, au début des horaires habituels d’ouverture, afin de limiter autant que… pic.twitter.com/gyiwzmh6Jv
Paris Authorities Order Investigation
The controversy also drew a strong political response in France. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said an investigation would begin "as soon as possible". He said he understood the anger expressed by Eiffel Tower employees and considered their concerns legitimate.
"It is urgent that all light be shed on the facts that led to this protest," Gregoire wrote on X. French Equality Minister Aurore Berge also condemned the reported treatment of women.
"In France, we do not ask women to erase themselves. No dogma, no religion is above the laws of the Republic," she wrote on X. The incident also attracted criticism from politicians across the political spectrum. Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said France would "never accept that women's presence be 'limited.'"
Gabriel Attal, a centrist politician and potential presidential contender, also criticised the reported restrictions. He said that "in France, no culture, no belief, no religion, nothing, and no one can come and dictate to women what their place should be."
Eiffel Tower Reopens After Strike
The Eiffel Tower attracts nearly seven million visitors every year, according to its website. The landmark remained closed throughout Monday because of the staff protest. However, a staff representative said it would reopen as usual on Tuesday.
The dispute has now raised wider questions in France about workplace equality, religious accommodation and the limits of private requests at public landmarks.
The Eiffel Tower's operator has acknowledged that the arrangements made for the delegation were unacceptable. Meanwhile, French authorities are expected to investigate how the decision was made and why female employees were allegedly treated differently during the visit.