Louvre - Partial Photography Ban

http://tinyurl.com/9s52a

http://tinyurl.com/8cc8e
There has been a lot of discussion recently about whether or not the Louvre are going to ban photography, so thanks to Thierry Benderitter from osiris.net for pointing out the above news item (first URL in English, second in French).

The Egyptian galleries appear to be exempt from the ban at the moment, but it is worth keeping an eye on if you are planning a visit: "New rules have been put in place in order to ensure the comfort and tranquility of a visit to the Louvre. Specifically, photography and filming are now restricted in certain areas of the museum. "This regulation, proposed in 1999 with the intention of improving the museum-going experience, is now in effect. Starting on Wednesday, September 14, 2005, it is strictly forbidden to photograph or film in the most crowded areas of the museum, namely the Galerie d'Apollon and all of the first-floor rooms in the Denon wing (Italian, Spanish, and French paintings) . . . . The restriction affects only the most crowded areas of the museum, where blocked views are most frustrating to the visiting public".

There is also a link on the above pages a search engine with access to 3500 Louvre images which can be used for private use only: http://cartelfr.louvre.fr. The page is in French, but it is fairly self-explanatory.
See the full item on the www.louvre.fr website.