The Sainte-Chapelle is not as impressive from the streets as the next door icon, Notre-Dame de Paris.

However, it’s a true jewel of Gothic style and one of Paris’ best landmarks; let’s take the time to discover it properly!

 

Explore Paris - Sainte Chapelle

 

Visiting monuments and churches is among the best things to do, especially when raining in Paris. And among all of them, I believe that the Sainte Chapelle is an absolute must-visit.

To help you make up your mind about whether you should visit the Sainte-Chapelle, and to help you plan your visit, you’ll find in this Sainte-Chapelle guide:

 

Sainte-Chapelle Location

The Sainte-Chapelle is located on the Île de la Cité, a big island in the middle of Paris on which Notre-Dame de Paris is also built.

 

Sainte-Chapelle exact address: 8 boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris, France

More precisely, the Sainte Chapelle is settled within the Palais de la Cité, the old home of French Kings. To access the Sainte-Chapelle, you’ll have to head to the Palais de la Cité, and then go inside. You’ll end up in a courtyard, where you’ll be able to see the Sainte-Chapelle.

 

palais de justice

 

Sainte-Chapelle Facts

I’m no history buff, and I’d rather see and discover a place than read about it for 2 hours. However I like me some quick & interesting facts, they make me appreciate a place even more. Here are some interesting facts about the Sainte-Chapelle for you:

  • the construction started in 1241, and the Sainte-Chapelle was built in 1248
  • it’s listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • the chapel was built by Saint Louis (Louis IX) for his collection of relics of the Christ, including the Crown of Thorns (which is now in Notre-Dame de Paris)
  • the upper chapel has 600 square meters of stained glass

 

The Visit & What To Expect

You’ll start the visit by entering the Palais de la Cité; once inside, you’ll have a full view of the chapel from the outside.

 

sainte chapelle from outside

 

The lower chapel

After entering the Sainte-Chapelle, you’ll be in the lower chapel. The lower chapel is beautifully decorated, and if you take the time to pay attention to the details, you’ll see that every part is a feast for the eyes.

 

 

I particularly love the ceiling in the lower chapel, the level of detail is amazing!

 

ceiling of lower chapel of the sainte chapelle

 

The upper chapel

Once you’ve explored the lower chapel, you can move to the next part of the visit, the upper chapel of the Sainte-Chapelle.
A lot of people are disappointed by their visit to the Sainte-Chapelle, because they didn’t see the upper chapel. They only visited the lower chapel, and left.
Don’t make this mistake! Right after you enter the Sainte-Chapelle, there is a small staircase on the right, that will take you up to the second part: the upper chapel.

 

sainte chapelle panorama from inside

 

After climbing all the stairs of the tiny staircase, you’ll walk in the upper chapel, where you’ll be taken aback by the beautiful stained glass windows, covering most of the inside of the chapel.

 

staircase in the sainte chapelle

 

The stained glass in itself makes it worth it to visit the Sainte Chapelle. The level of detail displayed in this delicate work is incredible. The upper chapel is made of 15 stained glass windows, with a huge rose window to complete the work.

 

main rosace of sainte chapelle

 

If you have time to spare, you can look more carefully at the scenes represented on the windows. There are 1,113 different scenes displayed. Yep, 1,113. That’s why I said « if you have time to spare » ?

 

stained glass windows in the sainte chapelle de paris

 

The outside

The inside visit ends here, but there are still some nice things to see! Exit the Sainte Chapelle, and make your way towards the exit of the Palais de la Cité. You’ll go through a nice passage.

 

passage outside sainte chapelle

 

Before exiting, turn back to contemplate the beautiful Palais de la Cité, with the Sainte Chapelle peaking over the roofs on the right side.

 

palais de justice and sainte chapelle from outside

 

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Sainte-Chapelle Entrance Fee

To visit the Sainte-Chapelle, you’ll have to buy a ticket for 10€.
You can buy a special ticket that will also give you access to the Conciergerie for 15€

You can visit the chapel for free if you are:

  • under 18 years old
  • from the UE and under 26 years old
  • a primary/secondary school teacher
  • disabled or with a disabled person
  • a job seeker

Additionally, you can visit for free on the 1st Sunday of the Month in the following months:

  • November
  • December
  • January
  • February
  • March

You can buy your Sainte-Chapelle tickets online by clicking here: Sainte-Chapelle tickets

 

building next to sainte chapelle

 

Sainte-Chapelle Opening Hours

Before going to the Sainte-Chapelle, make sure it’s open when you want to visit. You can find below the opening hours for the Sainte-Chapelle, depending on the time of the year.

From October 1st to March 31st: 8am – 5pm
From April 1st to September 30th: 9am – 7pm

The Sainte-Chapelle is closed on:

  • January 1st
  • May 1st
  • December 25th

It’s open all other days of the year.

 

detail of the lower chapel
 
 

Tips for your visit

To make your visit to the Sainte Chapelle more enjoyable, I’ve listed below a few tips that you could find helpful:

Wake up early and be there 5mn before opening time (8am or 9am depending on the time of year). The chapel is a small place, and it quickly fill up. To make sure you enjoy your visit to the fullest, go when it opens, and you’ll have a nice time without crowds of tourists.
When you enter, go directly to your right and take the staircase to go to the upper chapel first. You’ll have the best experience ?
After a while, go back to the lower chapel and explore this part.

 

detail of sainte chapelle lower chapel

 

At the entrance, you’ll go through security check; be ready and take your camera out of the bag to go on the belt conveyor.

Look around when inside, there is a lot of information displayed on screens or written on stands/leaflets. This is the best way to learn more about the place.

 

What To Visit Next?

After visiting the Sainte-Chapelle, there is several other places you could check out.
The 2 that I recommend are:

These 2 locations are the perfect follow-up to your Sainte-Chapelle visit, because they are also located on the Île de la Cité. A 5mn walk is all it will take to reach them.

 

If you want other ideas of places to visit in the same area, you could also check out these:

 

I hope you enjoyed this Sainte-Chapelle travel guide! Did this make you add the Sainte-Chapelle to your list of things to see in Paris? Or did you already visit this beautiful place? Either way, let me know in the comments below!

If you plan to visit the Sainte Chapelle, make sure to tag your Instagram photos with #kevmrctravel so that we can all see them!