The Bayeux Tapestry, which documents the Norman invasion of England in 1066, will be closed to the public in France from Monday as opposition mounts ahead of its move to London.
The next time it will be possible to see the nearly 1,000-year-old work of art should be when it goes on display at the British Museum in September next year.
However, the French art world is fiercely opposed to the project, with experts fearing the 70m-long (230ft) masterpiece is in far too delicate a state to be transported across the Channel.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the loan when they met in London in July.
The last few weeks have seen a big rise in visitor numbers at the Bayeux Museum ahead of its closure from 1 September.
Many in the French art community describe the transportation as a cultural crime, with a petition against the loan accumulating over 60,000 signatures. Critics point to the high-handed decision-making by Macron, disregarding specialist advice regarding potential damage from vibrations during transportation.
Despite backlash, a French official has defended the plan, asserting that the tapestry is safe to transport. An ongoing plan for its temporary display in London aims to last until July 2027.
In exchange, several historical treasures, including artefacts from the Anglo-Saxon burial mounds at Sutton Hoo, will be sent to France.
The iconic tapestry illustrates the events surrounding the Battle of Hastings, depicting 58 scenes of medieval life and warfare, and it has significant cultural implications for Anglo-French relations.
