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The old Bourse du commerce and future museum of the Pinault foundation, in Paris. PATRICK KOVARIK / AFP

The gap widens between Paris and the province when it comes to flagship cultural places. As new exhibition spaces sprout up like mushrooms in the tourism capital of the world, regional heritage is often harmed. And it is not ready to stop.

The French city that currently has the most museums outside of Paris is Marseille. But with around twenty places, including the futuristic Mucem, the museum of civilizations in Europe and the Mediterranean, the southern port city, European capital of culture in 2013 , barely weighs against more than 160 museums Parisians. A trend that is likely to intensify during the year 2020.

The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations, Mucem, on the port of Marseille. RFI / Lucile Gimberg

After having created two spaces in Venice in Italy in 2006, the Breton billionaire François Pinault moved to Paris in the former Stock Exchange . Its new contemporary art center will open in June, in the heart of the capital, to once again compete with its eternal rival Bernard Arnault. The boss of the world number one luxury had planted his Louis Vuitton foundation at the gates of Paris.

This overflow of Parisian museum offerings is criticized by heritage defenders, who advocate a better distribution of cultural offerings in the regions in order to boost growth and employment in economically neglected areas. Proof that the proactive policy for investing in the provinces, such as the Louvre-Lens or the Center Pompidou-Metz , remains an exception.