Eiffel Tower Chief Resigns After Gaffe Over a Visit by Hindu Monks

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 1, 2026

The director of the Eiffel Tower Operating Company, Patrick Branco Ruivo, announced he will resign at the end of the year after an internal investigation found that female employees were excluded during a visit by a Hindu religious group. The incident sparked protests and a closure of the landmark, prompting government officials to condemn the actions and launch inquiries into the clash between religious customs and France’s commitment to gender equality.

The director of the company managing the Eiffel Tower announced he will step down at the end of the year following controversy over the treatment of female employees during a visit by members of a Hindu religious group. Patrick Branco Ruivo, who has led the Eiffel Tower Operating Company since 2018, is resigning after an internal investigation identified multiple failures that resulted in the exclusion of women staff during the tour.

The incident occurred on September 5, when union representatives reported that female employees were asked to remain out of sight as monks from the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) conducted their visit. The monks belong to a sect whose vows of celibacy prohibit them from interacting physically or verbally with women. According to the company’s statement, the inquiry found a series of shortcomings that culminated in the decision to sideline female workers.

The move sparked a strike by staff members, leading to the closure of the Eiffel Tower to tourists for one day. Both the tower’s management and representatives of the Hindu group issued apologies for the episode. Mr. Branco Ruivo stated in an internal resignation letter, which was shared by the company’s press office, that he had not personally authorized the exclusion of female employees.

French officials condemned the actions as incompatible with national values. Aurore Bergé, the minister for gender equality, described the incident as “unacceptable” and at odds with the country's secular principles. Emmanuel Grégoire, mayor of Paris, which holds a majority stake in the tower’s operating company, emphasized that “gender equality is not a negotiable or adjustable principle.” In response, the city initiated two separate inquiries aimed at clarifying how the decision to exclude female staff occurred.

The resignation and investigations underscore tensions between adherence to religious customs and French commitments to gender equality and secularism, highlighting the challenges faced by public institutions in navigating such issues.

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