Eiffel Tower chief to quit after women staff excluded during Hindu group's visit

An Eiffel Tower visit by a BAPS-linked delegation led to female employees being moved from their posts. The fallout triggered staff protests, an investigation and the exit of SETE chief Patrick Branco Ruivo.

In Short

• Hindu delegation's visit to Eiffel Tower sparked row over female staff removal
• Director Patrick Branco Ruivo to resign after independent investigation
• Probe found operational flaws and gender-based staff sidelining

A private visit by a Hindu religious delegation to the Eiffel Tower has sparked a controversy in France after female employees were asked to step away from their posts while the group was at the landmark. The instructions angered staff, who protested and temporarily shut the Eiffel Tower to visitors. Now, the head of the company running the Paris landmark is stepping down.

Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of the Socit d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), will leave his post at the end of the year, the company announced on Tuesday, according to AFP. Ruivo has led SETE since 2018.

His departure follows an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the September 5 visit by a delegation linked to the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).

SETE said the probe found "operational flaws and shortcomings" that led to the "unacceptable" removal of female employees during the visit.

HOW THE EIFFEL TOWER ROW BEGAN

The controversy began on September 5, when around 100 people associated with BAPS visited the Eiffel Tower as part of celebrations linked to the inauguration of a traditional Hindu stone temple near Paris. According to union representatives, female employees were asked to leave their workstations as the delegation moved through the landmark.

"As the delegation passed through, women were asked to leave their workstations so that men could take their places," Diane Davoine, a union representative, told Reuters.

Staff later said some women were moved to other areas, while others were replaced by male colleagues. They also said female employees were instructed not to pass through certain parts of the tower while the delegation was present.

In a statement, the workers described the arrangements as "female employees being sidelined, replaced and made invisible because of their sex".

PROTEST FORCES EIFFEL TOWER CLOSURE

The dispute intensified over the following days, eventually spilling into a staff protest on September 7. Employees gathered to discuss what had happened and demand assurances that similar treatment would not be repeated.

"Tensions mounted over the weekend, so this morning, the employees decided to meet: first, to open a dialogue with management, and second, to ensure that women are never treated this way at the company again," Davoine said.

The Eiffel Tower was temporarily closed during the protest. Visitors were greeted by a notice that read: "The opening of the Eiffel Tower is delayed for operational reasons." Davoine said management also apologised to employees over the incident.

WHAT BAPS SAID

BAPS said its delegation was in France for celebrations surrounding the inauguration of a Hindu temple in the Paris suburbs. The organisation said the Eiffel Tower visit had been scheduled at the start of opening hours because of the size of the group and to avoid disrupting other visitors.

"To the best of our knowledge, at no point was anyone prevented access to the Eiffel Tower. Nevertheless, we sincerely apologise for any pain or inconvenience caused," BAPS said.

SETE had also acknowledged that the delegation had requested arrangements to limit "interactions with women". The company said at the time that "these conditions should not have been accepted."

That admission raised further questions about how the arrangements were approved and why they were allowed to affect the tower's female workforce.

PROBE TRIGGERS LEADERSHIP CHANGE

The independent investigation has now brought the controversy to a new stage.

SETE said investigators identified failures in the way the visit was organised, describing them as "operational flaws and shortcomings". The findings preceded the announcement that Ruivo would leave his position at the end of the year.

The company did not say that Ruivo personally instructed staff to remove female employees. His departure follows the wider investigation into the management and operational decisions surrounding the visit.

SETE chair Ariel Weil said the company would introduce new measures to prevent similar incidents. He has called for the creation of a "dedicated protocol department", along with new measures and training programmes aimed at promoting gender equality.

"The coming months will allow us to prepare for the leadership transition under the best possible conditions," Weil said.

The changes are expected to give SETE clearer procedures for organising visits by large private or religious groups while ensuring that arrangements made for such delegations do not affect employees differently because of their sex.

The Eiffel Tower, which attracts around 7 million visitors each year, has faced industrial action before. It was closed for six days in February 2024 after employees went on strike over maintenance concerns and wages.

This time, however, a dispute over the treatment of female staff during a private religious visit has resulted in an independent probe, a temporary closure and, ultimately, a change at the top of the organisation running one of France's most recognisable landmarks.

- Ends
With inputs from agencies