We only have 2 days in Paris. I was looking to see Saint-Chapelle & Conciergerie, however I’ve been reading that even with timed tickets, lines are long for Saint-Chapelle. We’ll be there mid-June on a weekend. So I’m thinking of scrapping Chapelle and just visiting Conciergerie and maybe another church in the area?
Are waits for Conciergerie long as well? I think my boys would really enjoy this.
Any other church recommendations? We’re staying in Saint Germain, right along the Seine River.
L'Eglise Saint Germain-des-Prés is one to see. While it isn't anything like Saint-Chapelle, it is a beautiful old church (the oldest in Paris, I think) and you can just slip in and attend a Mass with no lines and no tickets. The inside of it is simply stunning.
On one visit to Paris, I spent my last evening winding down by attending a Mass there (I was staying in an Airbnb just a two minute walk away) and it was one of my best memories from that trip. Not only the Mass, which was attended by more Parisians than tourists, but I was treated to a performance by a youth choir that I enjoyed very much.
Re Sainte-Chapelle, book for early in day and get in the correct security line early and it won't be too bad.
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Assuming "we" is 2 of you, depending on your other plans, purchase a Passion Monuments Subscription.
The cost is €45 for single subscription, €70 for duo subscription.
It will give you free admission to both Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie, as well as Arc de Triomphe, The Pantheon with Panorama, Hotel de la Marine and even more outside Paris.
Huge advantage: Skip the Security Line!!!!
At Sainte-Chapelle, for example, let the monitor know you have the Monument Pass and he will let through to the front of the line.
You can also use the pass for discounts at the shops or cafes at the monuments, as well as a large discount for select cultural events. In April I saved €30 on my ticket to a concert at Sainte-Chapelle.
Take a look and see if it will be a good fit for your plans.
Thank you both. There will be 5 adults and 2 kids.. But i'll look into the museum pass!
St. Chapelle is not 'another church' -- it is singular -- worth the wait if you are interested in it but not substituted with something else. I'd be interested in more reports on using the monument pass. What i have observed at St. chapelle is that whether a particular pass or ticket lets you skip ahead of others patiently waiting depends on the whims of the line manager. Everyone in line has a timed ticket generally.
Just a note, the Passion Monuments Pass is totally different from the Paris Museum Pass.
Each site works a bit differently. The Pantheon has a separate entrance for pass holders. IMO, the view from the Panorama level of the Pantheon is much better than the view from the Arc de Triomphe. But, there's a lot of steps to get to the top!
Enjoy your visit.
St. Chapelle is not 'another church' -- it is singular
I agree. If you like stained glass, it's absolutely amazing. Pictures cannot capture it. We went first thing in the morning, stood in line for our time slot, and entry was quick. But this was February when the crowds were low. Took a seat and just looked up for probably 30 minutes. Then it started getting busy.
On a short trip to Paris, the Conciergerie would not be on my list of must-sees.
I am in Paris now and just visited Saint-Chapelle yesterday. While the wait was long, the stained glass is stunning and it in my opinion was worth the wait. A few tips to help you navigate.
Thanks everyone. There are tickets for 9:30am one morning. I think I’m going to grab them. It opens at 9am, so hopefully we’ll get through quickly.
How long would you think it would take with a 9:30am time?
Is there a reason you wouldn’t waste your time on the Conciergerie? It seemed it may be interesting to my boys who enjoy history ?
As mentioned be in the right line. There are little shoulder height signs (easy to miss) at all the lines, read the front and back to see what's what so you are in the right line. When it's your assigned time to go through the screening (like a TSA thing with police officer security). Sainte-Chapelle is right next to and inside the gates of the Paris’ Palais of Justice which houses the Court of Appeals. That's why it takes time.
And avoid the restrooms as mentioned if possible.
Is there a reason you wouldn’t waste your time on the Conciergerie? It seemed it may be interesting to my boys who enjoy history ?
I think people either like it or not. When you enter, you are handed a tablet which when placed over a device will show you how it looked in the past. As you walk thru the rooms, the tablet will show different scenes and sounds. From there, you can click on different images for additional information. It's very well done. If your boys are into history, they would probably like it. There were a lot of teenagers there when I was there and they seemed to be rather engaged going from room to room.
For Sainte-Chapelle, my husband got in line and then I walked towards the front to read the signs to make sure we were in the correct line. Since there are 5 of you, that should be easy enough to do. The signs will state what time the line is for. When you enter, the stairs are by the entrance on the left. You can easily walk past them.
Since Ste.Chapelle is close to the courts and govt. bldgs., the security line seems to be a bit more time-consuming and particular. Don't be discouraged by how slow that part is. Ste.Chapelle is worth the wait! Especially so since all the windows were removed for safekeeping during the war and reinstalled afterward. The French do know the value of protecting their patrimoine. Thank goodness for that!
When we visited the Conciergerie a few years ago (in June), there was no line. I really wanted to see it because Marie Antoinette was held there, and you can see the room where she stayed.
There was a line for St. Chapelle, but it went reasonably fast. I wouldn't skip it. It is glorious.
Thanks everyone! I was able to snag the 9:30am tickets for Saint-Chapelle and we’ll visit the Conciergerie after!
