A proposal to ban giant adverts from covering the façades of monuments in France is facing sharp criticism for potentially depriving heritage sites of much-needed income.

The ban would deal a huge blow to Paris’s municipal budget, which raises about €138 million (£115 million) a year in revenue that is used to finance major restoration projects in the indebted capital.

The proposal, pushed by those who argue the urban landscape is being ruined, was tabled as an amendment to the 2025 finance bill draft and adopted by the Finance Committee.

Monuments like the Palais Garnier opera house, Hôtel de la Marine and the historic Madeleine and Saint-Augustin churches have used giant adverts from fashion houses and designer companies as placeholders while the buildings have undergone construction work.