The stunning stained glass windows and ornate ceilings of Sainte-Chapelle make it one of the most popular places for visitors to Paris. Located on Île de la Cité in the center of Paris, Saint-Chapelle is one the most beautiful places in Paris and should be in every Paris itinerary.
We’ve visited Saint-Chapelle many times over the years and have put together this guide on how to buy tickets for Saint-Chapelle and the Concergerie, including the best times to visit and other tips for making the most of your visit.
How to Buy Saint-Chapelle and Conciergerie Tickets
The stunning stained glass windows of Saint-Chapelle draw almost a million visitors each year making it one of the most popular places to visit in Paris. Tickets for Saint-Chapelle and the Conciergerie can be purchased in advance before you visit – we’ve visited Sainte Chapelle a number of times during our many visits to Paris and each time purchasing tickets in advance saved us a lot of time.
Do I need to buy Sainte Chapelle tickets in advance?
Unless you want to queue, then yes! While it is possible to purchase tickets on arrival at Sainte Chapelle, the queue for tickets can be very long, especially during peak times. Buying your ticket in advance will avoid having to queue for tickets.
How to Book Sainte Chapelle Tickets tip: The Conciergerie is a former Gothic Palace that was used as a prison and courthouse during the French revolution. It’s located beside Sainte Chapelle and worth visiting as a combo ticket with Sainte Chapelle.
1 | Buy a Skip the Line Ticket in advance
We recommend booking a skip-the-line ticket before you visit Sainte Chapelle. This ticket will allow you to avoid the ticket office queue at SainteChapelle which can get very long at peak times.
Entry tickets for Sainte Chapelle are on a timed basis, so you will need to choose a time and date when you book your tickets for Sainte Chapelle – check prices now!
Buy your Sainte Chapelle ticket here
Saint-Chapelle and the Conciergerie Combo Ticket
Most visitors will also wish to visit the Conciergerie when visiting Saint-Chapelle. The Conciergerie is a former Gothic Palace that was used as a prison and courthouse during the French revolution. It’s located beside Sainte Chapelle and worth visiting as a combo ticket with Sainte Chapelle.
We recommend visiting Sainte-Chapelle at your designated time slot and visiting the Conciergerie afterwards. Unlike Sainte Chapelle, entry to the Conciergerie is untimed so you can visit at any time – check prices now!
Book your Sainte Chapelle combo ticket here
How to buy Sainte-Chapelle tickets tip: Similar to other tourist attractions in Paris like the Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, there is security screening at the entrance to Sainte-Chapelle. Regardless of what ticket you have you will have to go through this security queue, however with the skip-the-line tickets this is the only queue you will have.
2 | Paris Museum Pass
If you are planning to visit a number of the popular monuments and museums in Paris then it’s worth considering the Paris Museum Pass. The 2, 4 or 6-day Paris Museum Passes include entry to over 50 museums and monuments in Paris, including Sainte Chapelle, and if you are intending to visit many of the sights, you can save a lot of entrance tickets.
We used the Paris Museum Pass on a recent visit to Paris and found it to be very good value as we used it at a number of museums and monuments in Paris – it includes unmissable Paris sights including the Louvre, Musee D’Orsay, the Conciergerie Royal Palace, Versailles, the Arc du Triomphe and Sainte-Chapelle –check prices now!
Buy your Paris Museum Pass now
How to buy Sainte-Chapelle tickets tip: If you are visiting Sainte-Chapelle with the Paris Museum pass you will still have to register for a timeslot for your visit. The details are included here
3 | At the Saint-Chapelle Ticket office
If you are unable to buy a ticket for Sainte Chapelle in advance you can purchase one on arrival at the monument. The queues can be significant at peak times so, if you want to skip the ticket office queue, we recommend purchasing your ticket in advance!
If you plan to buy tickets on-site note you will also have to queue for the security screening after purchasing your tickets. This is why we recommend purchasing the Sainte-Chapelle skip-the-line tickets as skipping the first queue will save a lot of time for your visit.
What is the Best Time to Visit Sainte Chapelle?
Having visited Sainte-Chapelle many times we can say that the stained glass windows always look incredible. However, for the best experience at Sainte Chapelle, we suggest visiting in the late afternoon/evening through to sunset when the sun is low in the sky.
At this time, the stained glass windows are at their most beautiful and vibrant from the evening sunlight. This is why booking a timed entry to Sainte Chapelle in advance is worthwhile. You can buy a ticket for the afternoon when the light should be at its best – check prices now!
Book your Sainte Chapelle tickets now
What is Saint-Chapelle and the Concergerie?
Sainte-Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle is a Gothic chapel located on Île de la Cité in the centre of Paris. It was originally built as a chapel for the royal palace where the kings of France resided for 800 years until 1300. The chapel was built by King Louis IX to house ancient Christian relics which included Christ’s Crown of Thorns.
Sainte Chapelle consists of two sections, the Lower and Upper Chapels and is best known for the 15 5-metre-high intricate stained glass windows that adorn the walls of the Upper Chapel.
The stained glass windows are some of the most impressive in the world and depict 1,113 biblical scenes. There are scenes from the Old and New Testament beginning with the creation of Earth and culminating in the Final Judgement. Every time we enter the Upper Chapel the magnificence of the stained glass windows takes our breath away.
We’ve visited Paris countless times and Sainte Chapelle is consistently one of our favorite places in the city. The sheer beauty of the Upper Chapel needs to be seen to be believed.
Today Sainte Chapelle is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Paris and the magnificent stained glass windows of the Upper Chapel make it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.
The Concergerie
The Concergerie is located beside Sainte-Chapelle and is a former courthouse and prison that was used extensively during the French Revolution. The Concergeries famously held Marie Antoinette before her execution during the revolution. Following her death, a small commemorative chapel was erected on the site of her prison cell in the Concergerie.
Tips for Visiting Sainte Chapelle and the Concergerie
We have some additional tips and frequently asked questions for anyone planning a visit to Sainte Chapelle and the Concergerie.
1 | Is it worth visiting Sainte-Chapelle?
It is definitely worth visiting Sainte-Chapelle. The magnifient upper chapel is worth the entry cost alone and you can easily spend an hour just looking at the stained glass windows alone. The only downside of Sainte-Chapelle is how popular it is,however, you can save time by purchasing a skip-the-line ticket before you visit.
2 | How much does Sainte Chapelle Cost?
Entrance tickets at the ticket office for Sainte Chapelle cost EUR 11.50. Tickets purchased in advance are priced similarly- check prices now!
Admission to Sainte Chapelle and the Concergerie is free for anyone under 18 and for visitors aged 18-25 and are EU members. These tickets must also be booked in advance prior to the visit.
3 | How much time do you need at Sainte-Chapelle?
Typically you can expect to spend around 1-1.5 hours at Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie. We recommend visiting Sainte Chapelle with your timed ticket, and then exploring the Conciergerie when you’re finished.
4 | How to get to Sainte Chapelle
The entrance to Sainte-Chapelle is located at 10 Bd du Palais, a short walk from Pont Saint-Michel and a 10 minute walk from Notre Dam. The closest metro station is Cite station on the Metro 4 line or take the RER B or C lines to station Saint-Michel.
Due to its central location we recommend walking to Sainte Chapelle ahead of your reserved skip-the-line ticket timeslot.
5 | What are the Sainte-Chapelle Opening Hours?
Sainte Chapelle is open each day from 9 am to 5 pm, extending to 9 am to 7 pm for the summer season (April 1 to September 30) when the evenings are brighter.
The Conciergerie is open from 9.30 am to 6 pm year-round.
6 | Is there a dress code at Sainte Chapelle?
No, there is no dress code for visiting.