Sainte Chapelle Skip-the-Line Tickets, Concerts, Tours

If you had to pick the most beautiful sight in Paris, Sainte Chapelle's 15 soaring medieval stained glass windows in jewel-like hues of crimson, blue, gold, green, and purple might top your list.

Built in spectacular High Gothic style by French King Louis "The Pious" IX to house his collection of sacred Crucifixion relics including Jesus's Crown of Thorns, Sainte Chapelle was completed in 1248 on Île de la Cité, one of the two small Seine River islands in the heart of Paris.

A gorgeous rose window was added a century later.

The chapel was built as part of Palais de la Cité, a former royal palace-fortress which until recently was home to the Palais de Justice. Today, Sainte-Chapelle is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a top Paris tourist attraction.

Sainte Chapelle is located almost next door to its less-famous neighbor, the Conciergerie, a medieval palace that became the notorious prison where Marie Antoinette spent her final days.

To avoid wasting time in slow-moving admission lines (waits of an hour or more are typical), get an advance skip-the-line ticket to Sainte Chapelle (which usually includes the Conciergerie), or a guided tour with tickets.

If you want to learn more about what you'll see once you're inside, join an Île de la Cité Walking Tour including Notre Dame which includes skip-the-line tickets and guided tours of Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie along a walking tour of the neighborhood and its top attractions.

When you visit Sainte Chapelle, you'll enter on the ground floor, pass through a lovely first floor chapel once used by palace staff and now sharing space with a bookshop/souvenir stand, and walk up 33 well-worn stone steps within a narrow circular stairwell.

At the top, take a deep breath. You're about to emerge into a dazzling kaleidoscope where stained glass sparkles like a million multi-faceted jewels, improbably supported by narrow, almost invisible stone columns soaring to heights of 50 feeth.

Overhead, a vaulted dark-blue ceiling studded with golden stars seems to float over the light-filled space.

At the chapel's west end, a magnificent rose window composed of 86 stained glass sections shows the Apocalypse of Saint John. It's one of the largest rose windows in Europe.

Experts rank Sainte-Chapelle's medieval stained glass as among the best in the world.

Although the brilliant colored glass steals the show, don't miss the chapel's other rich ornamentation: lavish gilding, lushly painted medieval frescoes, countless carvings, and magnificent statues of the 12 Apostles standing in the alcoves.

Superb acoustics, along with the chapel's magnificent beauty, also make Saint Chapelle a popular place for hearing baroque and classical music evening candlelight concerts - an experience you should not miss!

Top photo: Sainte-Chapelle stained glass panels, (c) Paris Discovery Guide

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How to Visit Saint-Chapelle: Tours & Concerts

What's the best way to experience Sainte Chapelle?

You have two excellent options: explore on your own or with a guide during the day, or enjoy a memorable candlelight concert of classic or baroque music during the evening. Even better, do both, as the experiences feel quite different.

If you visit during the day, remember that as a top Paris attraction, Sainte Chapelle attracts throngs of visitors throughout much of the year. Due to the chapel's small size, only a limited number of people are allowed to enter at once, so lines move very, very slowly and those with advance tickets get priority. You can save time when you book a skip-the-line ticket or tour online in advance.

If you want to attend one of the evening candlelight concerts at Sainte Chapelle, book early, as they usually sell out.

Sainte-Chapelle is the city's most popular historic concert venue and tickets frequently sell out well before their date, especially from May through September and for special event concerts on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Rose window at west end of Sainte Chapelle - note the gold stars on the dark blue ceiling

Sainte Chapelle Entry Tickets

Skip the Line Tickets

A variety of options, with or without tours, for skip-the-line Sainte Chapelle entrance tickets let you walk right past the ticket line and give you priority entry access to the security check line and entrance.

Are the tours worth doing? Yes, especially if you're visiting for the first time. The guides will give you lots of information and point out details that you might miss on your own.

If you're visiting with your family, lease note that free admission is available for all visitors under 18 (photo ID required) and EU/EEA visitors 18-25 (photo ID required).

Other options for skip-the-line entry: If you plan to visit other Paris museums and monuments, the Paris Museum Pass can save you money.

Not only does the Pass give you free entry to Sainte Chapelle, but you can also use it for skip-the-line admission to 60+ other Paris attractions such as the Louvre, Versailles, and Arc de Triomphe. Choose a 2, 4, or 6 day pass.

Combo Skip-the-Line Tickets with Tour Included to Sainte Chapelle + Conciergerie

Get a fuller experience when you choose a combo skip-the-line tickets (which includes a guided tour) giving you entrance to both Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie, the famous medieval prison where Marie Antoinette awaited her fate at the guillotine during the French Revolution.

Recommended Guided Tours

If you prefer the personal touch of a guided tour, this small group Île de la Cité Walking Tour including Notre Dame gives you skip-the-line tickets to both places as well as walking tour of the island that includes views of the reconstruction work at Notre Dame, currently closed due to the devastating fire.

Sainte Chapelle Concert Schedules & Tickets

For a memorable experience as well as the chance to see by this beautiful medieval venue by candlelight, attend a classical music concert on Saint Chapelle's second floor chapel, surrounded by the sumptuous stained glass.

Concerts usually take place 2-3 times each week. You can see the complete Sainte-Chapelle concert schedule and get your tickets here.

To maintain the intimate feel of this unique space, most concerts seat only about 200 - so don't wait to get your tickets, as they frequently sell out.

Find the complete schedule for all Paris concert venues here

Sainte Chapelle Hours, Location, & Map

Open: Daily - Monday through Sunday
Closed: January 1, May 1, December 25

Schedule:
October 1 - March 31: 9am - 5pm
April 1 - September 30: 9am - 7pm
Last admission is 30 minutes before closing

Location: 8 Boulevard du Palais, 1st arrondissement. Sainte-Chapelle is located on the Île de la Cité near Notre Dame and the Conciergerie.
Metro: Line 4, Cité station
Bus: Lines 21, 27, 38, 85, 96 and Batabus (Notre Dame or Hotel de Ville stop)
Batobus: (Notre Dame or Hotel de Ville stop) - Get Batobus hop on hop off river cruise tickets

Map of Sainte Chapelle Location

Things to Know Before Your Sainte-Chapelle Visit

Due to security considerations, the maximum allowed bag size is 40 x 40 x 20 cm (7.9 x 7.9 x 15.7 inches). No onsite storage facilities are available for bags of this size or larger.
A ramp from the street level makes Sainte Chapelle's groundfloor wheelchair accessible. During weekdays and during evening concerts, the first floor chapel with the magnicent stained glass is accessible by elevator in the adjacent Palais de Justice.
If you have mobility, vertigo, or balance issues, please be aware that although the entire circular marble staircase leading up to the first-floor chapel (33 steps!) from the ground floor now has a continuous (ie, no gaps) railing from bottom to top, the railing is only along one side. In some places, the marble stairs are worn, making the height and surface of the steps somewhat uneven and more difficult to navigate. Although it's not the narrowest, steepest, or scariest medieval spiral staircase we've ever encountered, you may want to strongly consider taking the elevator if you have any concerns.

This is Saint Chapelle's ground floor - here, you'll see fleurs de lis (symbol of French royalty) on the ceiling — Saint Chapelle's ground floor - here, you'll see fleurs de lis (symbol of French royalty) on the ceiling

12 Interesting Facts about Sainte Chapelle

1. Although Sainte Chapelle measures only 118 feet long x 56 feet wide, the ceiling reaches 139 feet high.

2. The Crown of Thorns and Louis IX's other religious relics became scattered during the French Revolution. Most of them were recovered, and now reside at Notre Dame Cathedral. Even though Louis IX paid a small fortune for them - more than three times the cost of building Sainte-Chapelle - their authenticity has never been confirmed.

3. Pope Boniface VIII canonized Louis IX as a saint in 1297, the only French king awarded this distinction. Île Saint-Louis, the small island in the Seine River next to Île de la Cité where Sainte-Chapelle is located, is named after him (as is Saint Louis, Missouri, along with many other places around the world).

4. The king ordered the best stained glass craftsmen from the recently-completed Chartres Cathedral to create Sainte Chapelle's windows, and if you visit both places, you can see similarities: brilliant colors surpassing the simplicity of the windows' designs.

5. If you look closely at Sainte Chapelle's 15 stained glass windows, you can see many different scenes - in fact, 1,113 in all.

6. Most of the stained glass windows depict Biblical scenes from the Old and New Testaments. (If you want to "read" them in chronological order, go left to right, bottom to top.)

But when you reach the last window on the right end of the south wall, look closely and you'll see something different: scenes of King Louis IX bringing the Crown of Thorns and other relics back to Paris.

7. Although Sainte Chapelle sustained heavy damage during the French Revolution and required extensive renovation, much of the stained glass escaped destruction. About two-thirds of what you see today is original, dating back to the 13th century, which makes it the oldest surviving original stained glass in Paris.

8. To protect the priceless windows from destruction by the Nazis during World War II, workers removed and carefully labeled every piece of glass prior to the German invasion, and then replaced them after the war.

9. Sainte Chapelle's 275-foot spire dates back only to 1853. The chapel's previous four spires burned down.

10. A 7-year project to clean and restore Sainte Chapelle's stained glass, completed in 2015, left the windows more sparkling and beautiful than ever. Artisans used lasers to clean each piece of glass. An invisible layer of glass moulded onto the original windows now protects them from environmental pollution damage.

11. The Rose Window is most brilliant right before sunset as almost-horizontal streams of light shine through the glass. Many of the chapel's evening concerts are timed so that you can experience this unforgettable sight.

12. As a French cultural site, Sainte Chapelle offers free admission for all visitors under 18 (photo ID required) and EU/EEA visitors 18-25 (photo ID required).

Saint Chapelle's exterior - you can't really see it from the street because it's behind Palace of Justice buildings, so the only place to get a good view is inside the courtyard after you pass through the entrance and security check — Saint Chapelle's exterior - you can't really see it from the street because it is located behind Palace of Justice buildings, so the only place to get a good view is inside the courtyard after you pass through the entrance and security check

Where to Stay near Sainte Chapelle

Staying near Sainte Chapelle and Île de la Cité puts you in a wonderful location for exploring the many historical attractions, beautiful parks, and excellent bistros and restaurants in this central part of Paris. Here are several excellent choices within a 5-minute walk:

Hotel Britannique - Romantic boutique hotel on the Right Bank across from Île de la Cité and Sainte Chapelle
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Relais Hôtel du Vieux Paris - Charming 4-star boutique hotel in a historic 15th century building in the Latin Quarter - just a quick walk across the Pont Saint-Michel bridge to Sainte Chapelle
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Hôtel Europe Saint Séverin Paris - Small Latin Quarter hotel close to Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame, and the Pantheon; request a room with a balcony!
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Hotel Albe Saint-Michel - A budget-friendly 3-start hotel in the Latin Quarter
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Citadines Saint Germain des Pres - Popular "apart-hotel": apartments and studios with kitchenettes, fitness room, parking - perfect for families!
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You might also want to consider Hotel Saint Louis en l'Ile and Hotel des Deux-Iles on the western end of the charming Ile Saint Louis - about a 7-8 minute walk from Sainte-Chapelle, but still a very convenient location.

Want more ideas? Check out:

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Where to Eat near Sainte Chapelle

Place Dauphine, one block behind Sainte-Chapelle on Île de la Cité

Les Deux Palais, almost directly across the street (Boulevard du Palais), is a popular place for simple brasserie fare: salads, steak-frites, pastas, or just a drink.

If you have more time, walk around the corner and follow the road along the river to Place Dauphine (1 block away - see the map below). You'll see 8-10 small restaurants and cafes lining the square. Check the posted menus to find what you like - all are good.

Place Dauphine is one of those quiet, hidden spots in Paris known to locals but usually not discovered by visitors. Enjoy the small shops and eateries.

More Places to Explore near Sainte Chapelle

Almost next door is the Conciergerie - a medieval palace used as a prison called the "antechamber of the guillotine" during the Reign of Terror where Marie Antoinette spent her final days. It's a fascinating place to visit and explore, and you can save on the entrance fee when you get a combo skip-the-line ticket for both Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie.

To explore the rest of the ancient area behind Sainte Chapelle, continue walking west (ie, away from Sainte Chapelle).

You'll see a magnificent statue of King Henry IV on horseback, and below that, a lovely park called Square de Vert Galant at the very tip of Île de la Cité.

Parisians relaxing on Square de Vert-Galant overlooking the Seine River near Sainte Chapelle

Walk down the stairs (they're easy to spot) to Square de Vert Galant, and find a spot on the grass or a nearby bench to relax for a bit after your Sainte Chapelle tour and watch all the sightseeing boats as they cruise down the Seine River.