MonaDonalds opens near the Louvre
American style convenience and French culture are scheduled to come together in December, thanks to a new McDonald’s chain restaurant to settle in the shadow of the famous and very chic Louvre.
The fast food chain is delighted at the idea of providing fast food to hoards of hungry culture fanatics, although not everyone is agreeing with the thought of mixing the essence of European culture and burgers and chips..
The McDonald’s will be located right in the food court of the underground mall neighbouring the museum, called the Carrousel du Louvre.
The launching of the new fast food joint could be considered as a mark of celebration for McDonald’s 30th anniversary in France.
Astonishingly, some say that the twinning could serve the interests of both cultural icons. The Louvre is the globe’s most popular museum and France, surprisingly, is McDonald’s highest market outside America.
In a country where eating in itself is considered an form of art, McDonald’s symbolises the American spirit driving the globalisation and the homogenisation of cultures.
But McDonald’s chief executive Jim Skinner said during a recent interview published in the French economic daily Les Echos that the reason the chain is popular in France, where it boasts more than 1,000 restaurants, is that it is perceived as a French business.
Mr Skinner added that the McDonald’s outlet on the beautiful Champs-Elysees Avenue is the chain’s most profitable in the world.
Meanwhile, The Louvre officials have refused to comment on the upcoming arrival. Louvre spokeswoman Aggy Lerolle said only that the museum has no veto over McDonald’s arrival since the Carrousel is a privately run business contrary to the state-run museum.
But some locals are indignant about the strange mix in the backyard of the former residence of the Roi Soleil, Louis XIV.
Some people have foreseen this arrival long ago. In January 2007, the culture branch of the powerful CFDT union decried the “Disleylandization” of French culture, stating the government is looking to transforming museums into theme parks. As an example, the union highlighted plans for the desert Louvre, set to open in 2013 in Dubai as well as a Starbucks coffee house newly arrived near the Louvre.