actor Lorànt Deutsch Sparks Outrage Over Lyon‘s €1.5 Million “Urban Weaving” Installation
Lyon, France - Actor and RTL host Lorànt Deutsch ignited a new wave of criticism surrounding a controversial artistic installation on Place Bellecour in Lyon, France, with a viral Instagram video questioning, “Who dries their sheets?” Teh post mocks the ”Urban Weaving of Place Bellecour,” a project featuring large yellow-orange curtains suspended by cables and arches, intended as a nod to Lyon’s historical textile industry.
The video, posted within the last 24 hours, has garnered over 560,000 views. Deutsch’s commentary, referencing the installation as resembling drying laundry in front of a statue of Louis XIV, echoes existing public discontent over the project’s €1.5 million price tag.
The installation, commissioned by Lyon’s environmentalist town hall, has drawn fire from opposition officials who denounce it as a wasteful expenditure of public funds.
Former Olympique Lyonnais president and current municipal candidate Jean-Michel Aulas seized on Deutsch’s post, sharing it and adding, “If only there was only that,” further fueling the political debate as the city approaches its March 2026 mayoral election. A commenter on Deutsch’s Instagram account stated, “a very large number of Lyonnais and people from the suburbs of Lyon hate it and above all it was extremely expensive for nothing at all.”
Lyon has a rich history as a center for silk production and textile manufacturing, known for its “Canuts” – the silk workers of the city.
