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Montmartre: Should Dalida's bust be kept safe from tourists' hands?

undefined undefined 14 décembre 2025 undefined 13h00

The Editor

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In Montmartre, Dalida's bust has been drawing the affectionate touches of tourists for thirty years, who believe it brings a bit of luck. This practice is now considered problematic by some Parisian officials, who are calling for the statue to be protected.

In Dalida Square, located in the 18th arrondissement, the singer's chest shines with a revealing patina: thousands of visitors place their hands on it, just like the little local legend that is supposed to brought luck and fun photos.

However, for several ecologist elected officials, these repeated touches are seen as a normalization of non-consensual contact with a female body represented in public space. They also raise concerns about the wear and tear on the bronze of the work, sculpted by Aslan in 1997, and are calling on the City of Paris to take action.


The Unsettling Lucky Belief

The elected officials are suggesting a higher base, a discreet barrier or educational signage to deter visitors. At the Town Hall, the idea is gaining traction: the municipality says it wants to explore solutions with the rights holders, favoring a lightweight system to avoid encasing the monument.

However, the concept of sexual assault, initially mentioned, has been removed from the adopted text, deemed too strong to describe these actions, even when considered inappropriate.


Between Tourist Folklore and Acknowledged Discomfort

On site, reactions vary. Many tourists see these touches as a fun Parisian ritual, a kind of folkloric wink to the singer.

Some locals are annoyed by what they perceive as an unnecessary controversy, convinced that the statue has nothing to complain about. Others, on the contrary, are surprised that such a gesture has become a light-hearted rite and refuse to go along with it, believing that touching feminine attributes, even if sculpted, is not a trivial matter.

Montmartre is actually not an isolated case: from Dublin to Munich, passing by Berlin, many statues are experiencing the same tactile tourism. In Paris, the tomb of Victor Noir has already been protected after decades of what were deemed indecent rubs. Will Dalida be next?