The Eiffel Tower was shut to visitors on Friday after staff staged a protest in response to the decision to relocate female employees to make way for a religious visit, a union representative said.
The disruption came after the workers were moved from their posts, prompting colleagues to halt operations in solidarity. A union representative told reporters the female employees had been "humiliated" by the action, which sparked the walkout that forced the temporary closure.
The mayor of Paris announced that an investigation into the incident would be launched. Officials said they would seek to establish the facts surrounding the relocation and the circumstances that led to the protest, and that the enquiry would determine whether appropriate workplace and anti-discrimination rules were followed.
The episode at one of the city's most visited landmarks highlights tensions that can arise around religious accommodation and staff treatment in public sites. Authorities and unions are expected to meet as the inquiry proceeds; further details about the visit that prompted the relocations and any potential disciplinary measures were not immediately available.