Lovers of France's two great symbols of cultural exception – its haute cuisine and fine art – are aghast at plans to open a McDonald's restaurant and McCafé in the Louvre museum next month.
America's fast food temple is celebrating its 30th anniversary in France with a coup -the opening of its 1,142nd Gallic outlet a few yards from the entrance to the country's Mecca of high art and the world's most visited museum.
Many in France view "McD" as the Trojan horse of globalization and the scourge of local produce and long lunches. The chain faces a groundswell of discontent among museum staff. "This is the last straw," said one art historian working at the Louvre, who declined to be named. "This is the pinnacle of exhausting consumerism, deficient gastronomy and very unpleasant odours in the context of a museum," he told reporters.
Didier Rykner, head of The Art Tribune website found the idea "shocking".
"The Louvre welcomes the fact that the entirety of visitors and customers, French or foreign, can enjoy such a rich and varied restaurant offer, whether in the museum area or gallery," the museum said in a statement.
There was already an outcry last year when Starbucks opened a café perilously close to the Right bank museum's entrance. Employees and art aficionados sent management a petition in protest; the café opened regardless but was asked to provide a cultural corner of brochures and catalogues as a placatory measure.
"Starbucks was bad enough but McDonald's is worse," said the Louvre art historian. "Once this happens, the first thing visitors will likely see when they arrive are big golden arches."
No comments:
Post a Comment