Female Eiffel Tower employees were asked to step out of sight during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation at the weekend, according to union representatives, sparking a staff protest and an investigation by authorities.
The monument was closed late on Monday as workers held a meeting over the incident, which has also drawn criticism from French politicians.
On Saturday, around 100 people linked to the Hindu group Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, or BAPS, made a private visit to the landmark.
"As the delegation passed through, women were asked to leave their workstations so that men could take their places," Diane Davoine, a union representative, said.
"Tensions mounted over the weekend, so this morning, the employees decided to meet: first, to open a dialogue with management, and second, to ensure that women are never treated this way at the company again," she said.
Signs at the base of the tower on Monday read: "The opening of the Eiffel Tower is delayed for operational reasons."
Ms Davoine said management issued an apology to staff over the incident.
Paris mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said that an investigation would be launched "as soon as possible".
He said in a post on X he was taking note of the employees' anger and agreed their dissatisfaction was "legitimate".
"It is urgent that all light be shed on the facts that led to this protest," Mr Gregoire wrote.
"Equality between women and men will never stop at the foot of our historical monuments, nor anywhere in this city. It must be applied everywhere, for everyone."
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BAPS, whose representatives were in the country for festivities related to the inauguration of a Hindu temple in the suburbs of the capital, said in a statement that the Eiffel Tower visit was arranged at the start of opening hours to avoid disrupting others, due to the size of its delegation.
"To the best of our knowledge, at no point was anyone prevented access to the Eiffel Tower. Nevertheless, we sincerely apologise for any pain or inconvenience caused," the statement said.
A spokesperson for SETE, the company operating the monument, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yael Braun-Pivet, the president of the National Assembly, wrote in a post on X: "Welcoming others never means giving up our values. In France, women are fully present in public life. No one tells them to become invisible."
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