France's Louvre Museum partially reopened on Wednesday despite a vote by employees to extend a strike that has disrupted operations at the world's most visited museum.

"The museum is open, but some areas are not accessible due to the industrial action," a spokeswoman said.

A strike and protest by workers forced the Louvre to close on Monday, disappointing thousands of would-be visitors.

Why are Louvre workers striking?

The CGT and CFDT unions say the recent high-profile heist at the museum has highlighted long-simmering employee discontent. Issues include staff shortages, aging infrastructure, and a planned increase in ticket prices for non-European visitors.

Culture Ministry officials held crisis talks with unions on Monday and proposed canceling a planned $6.7 million (€5.7 million) cut to 2026 funding, opening new recruitment for gallery guards and visitor services, and increasing staff compensation.

On Wednesday, the CGT union said the measures were "insufficient and unacceptable."

What happens next to resolve the Louvre dispute?

Louvre President Laurence des Cars is set to testify before the French Senate's culture committee later Wednesday as lawmakers continue investigating security lapses at the museum.

Des Cars has admitted to an "institutional failure" in the wake of the heist and faces renewed criticism after revealing she only became aware of a key 2019 security audit following the robbery.

Despite the continuing strike, tourists lined up outside the Louvre, hoping to be allowed in to see iconic works like Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."

"What about tourists' rights? It's shameful," one man shouted as union leaders spoke to journalists after Wednesday's vote.

Others were more understanding.

"It's frustrating, right, because we've come all the way from Canada, and we've come early, you try to make sure that you're doing everything correct," Jesse Henry, a mechanic visiting the French capital with wife and children, told French news agency AFP. 

"But I also understand that it's a demonstration."

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher