Paris’ Louvre museum to increase ticket price for visitors from outside the EU

By SYLVIE CORBET, Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Paris’ Louvre museum has approved a ticket hike from 22 to 32 euros ($25 to $37) for non-European visitors from January to help finance an overhaul of the building whose degradation has been exposed by the Oct. 19 crown jewels heist .

The measure comes as other major cultural sites across the country, including the Palace of Versailles, are considering similar moves to bring extra money needed for costly maintenance and renovation.

The Louvre ticketing changes come as part of a decade-long plan to modernize the museum. Security breaches that allowed the 88 million-euro ($102 million) theft highlighted the urgency of the situation.

On Friday, a suspect in the Louvre robbery was handed preliminary charges of theft by an organized gang a