Louvre chief says she offered to quit after jewel heist

The director of the Louvre Museum has acknowledged a "terrible failure" at the Paris monument after a stunning daylight crown jewel heist and says she offered to resign but it was refused.

In testimony to the French Senate on Wednesday, Louvre director Laurence des Cars said the museum had a damaging shortage of security cameras outside and other "weaknesses" exposed by the theft on Sunday.

Under heavy pressure over a theft that stained France's global image, she testified to a Senate committee that she submitted her resignation but that the culture minister refused to accept it.

"Today we are experiencing a terrible failure at the Louvre, which I take my share of responsibility in," she said.

Australian Associated Press