I love the smell of incense in the morning…
Let me confess something: I’m obsessed with churches, and that sometimes makes me unbearable. “Why?” you ask? Just ask the people who’ve traveled with me and they’ll tell you that the moment I see a church, I just have to peek inside. It doesn’t matter if we’re rushing somewhere, exhausted after a long day of walking or desperately need a bathroom. If there’s a church, I stop everything and go in.
Why do I love churches so much? There’s something so mysterious about them, like there’s a trove of treasures hiding behind those doors that I have to discover right now. Add to that the amazing acoustics you sometimes get lucky enough to hear when someone happens to be practicing on the organ. And finally, the smell of incense. Sure, plenty of you will think it’s some unholy stench, but I’m personally obsessed with that smell and could sniff it every single day.
Who’s Afraid of Churches in Paris?
Some travelers feel a church is a place they’d never set foot in, no matter what. But plenty of others, myself included, see a church as nothing more than a free museum and a wonderful concert hall.
I wrote this article for that second type of traveler (which, by the way, includes plenty of religious people too). In it, I’ll introduce you to some of the churches in Paris that I love most, in the hope of making your trip a bit more interesting and beautiful. I decided to split this piece into two parts. In the first, I’ll cover the churches that are a “must,” especially for people visiting Paris for the first time. In the second, I’ll show you a few lesser-known churches that I love, which might suit more advanced Francophiles.
How Many Churches Are There in Paris? And Why I Can’t Write About Them All
Paris has 37 churches and close to 200 religious buildings of various kinds. To keep this article a reasonable length, I decided to write only about the churches I love most. Since this choice is a very personal one, it might not sit well with everyone, and that’s perfectly fine. If you think other churches deserve a spot on the list, feel free to comment at the end of the article or bring it up in my Paris and Île-de-France group.
Since I first wrote this list, I’ve added a full article about the Church of Saint-Roch in the 1st arrondissement. It didn’t make the top ten, but it’s well worth a visit on its own: a chain of chapels with no equal in Paris, the tombs of Le Nôtre, Corneille and Diderot, and the marks of Napoleon’s cannon fire on the façade.
The Must-See Churches of Paris
To me, the following churches make up the “canon” of Christian architecture in Paris, which is why I especially recommend them to first-time visitors. Of course, everyone has a different “church tolerance.” Some people can see ten churches in a day, while for others, even one can sometimes be too many.
So even though I consider these must-see churches, there’s no rule that says you have to see all of them on your first trip to Paris. You can always save some for next time.
Notre-Dame de Paris
Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II, 4th arrondissement.
Why visit? Because of the history and Victor Hugo.
Important note: Notre-Dame Cathedral caught fire on April 15, 2019. As of now, and until the restoration is complete, it’s likely not possible to visit the interior.
There’s no question that if you can only pick one church to visit on your trip, it should be this one. It has become one of the symbols of Paris.
Notre-Dame is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture (even though most of what you see today was actually built in the 19th century), and there’s hardly anyone who hasn’t heard of it, thanks to Victor Hugo‘s novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. The cathedral sits right in the heart of the City of Light (the square in front of its main entrance is considered point zero, the spot from which all distances from Paris are measured), so there’s no chance you’ll miss it.
The cathedral is packed with tourists nearly every day, yet it never feels overcrowded, and the lines move quickly. The building itself is beautiful, though in my opinion there are more beautiful Gothic churches out there. I’m usually against the whole “check the box” approach to major sights, just because you feel you have to, but in this case I’ll make an exception. I’ll almost demand that you visit it at least once. You’ll thank me.
One more small tip: if you decide to take my advice and visit Notre-Dame, I highly recommend combining it with the walking tour of Île de la Cité, which takes you to this cathedral as well as to Sainte-Chapelle, which I’ll talk about next.
Sainte-Chapelle
Address: 8 Boulevard du Palais, 1st arrondissement.
Why visit? Because of the breathtaking stained-glass windows.
Sainte-Chapelle was built by King Louis IX (Saint Louis, r. 1226-1270) to house the Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus. That crown may well have been a complete fake, but the chapel built to hold it is absolutely real, and absolutely spectacular.
Go to Sainte-Chapelle only on a sunny day, so you can see the stained-glass windows on the upper level in their full glory. No photo of these windows, and not even the video below, can prepare you for the beauty you’re about to see.
Unlike most churches in Paris, admission to Sainte-Chapelle isn’t free, and I recommend getting your tickets in advance to save time.
Links to buy tickets for Sainte-Chapelle:
The Sacré-Cœur
Address: 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 18th arrondissement.
Why visit? Because it’s a symbol of Paris, and for the view.
If there’s a kind of consensus about the first two churches I mentioned, the Sacré-Cœur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart) is a bit more controversial. Many Parisians dislike it because it symbolizes the bourgeoisie and the crushing of the Paris Commune. Others simply dislike its somewhat eclectic style, which makes it look like a wedding cake.
And yet, the Sacré-Cœur made it onto my “must-see” list for two reasons. First, there’s no denying that ever since it was completed in 1914, it has become one of the symbols of Paris. That’s not just because of its distinctive architecture, but because it sits atop the highest hill in Paris. Like the Eiffel Tower, it can be spotted from almost anywhere in the city, so it’s hard to miss.
Its elevated position brings us to the second reason it’s worth the trip: the panoramic view from up there is simply breathtaking. And if you take Yoel Thamanlis‘s wise advice and wait for dusk, you’ll find it’s also wonderfully romantic.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Address: 3 Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 6th arrondissement.
Why visit? Because of its location, its history, and the stunning renovation it underwent.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in Paris, with parts dating back to the 6th century. What you’ll see today is only a small remnant of a vast abbey that, until the French Revolution, controlled large parts of the Left Bank. So why is this one a must-see? For several reasons.
The first reason is its central location on Boulevard Saint-Germain, which takes its name from the church. It’s one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Paris, so chances are you’ll end up there anyway while following in the footsteps of Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir (or just looking for a good café).
The second reason, and the more important one in my opinion, is the massive renovation the church underwent in recent years. Take a look at this video and see for yourself the medieval splendor it reveals:
And if all that beauty still hasn’t convinced you, come to Saint-Germain at least to visit Descartes’s tomb. I think, therefore he’s buried there…
If all these reasons have convinced you to visit this charming church, feel free to read this article and discover its fascinating history, along with that of the neighborhood it gave its name to.
Saint-Sulpice
Address: 2 Rue Palatine, 6th arrondissement.
Why visit? Because of its beauty and The Da Vinci Code.
This is the second-largest church in Paris after Notre-Dame, and without a doubt one of the most beautiful. Inside, you’ll find a number of masterpieces, chief among them Delacroix’s murals “Jacob Wrestling with the Angel” and “Heliodorus Driven from the Temple.” You can also enjoy the lovely fountain in the square facing the church, and sit at the famous café right across from it. Here’s a short video showing the church in all its glory:
The church’s location is also hard to beat. On one side, it’s close to the lively Boulevard Saint-Germain (and if you visit Saint-Germain-des-Prés first, you’ll get “two churches for the price of one”). On the other side, it’s near the Luxembourg Gardens, which you obviously shouldn’t miss. If you decide to visit both the gardens and the church, you’ll really enjoy the walk between them, since the small, picturesque streets connecting them are simply charming.
But beyond all this beauty, Saint-Sulpice owes much of its recent fame to The Da Vinci Code, or more precisely, to the gnomon mentioned in the book. The instrument, built in 1727 to help the parish priest determine the date of Easter, appears in Dan Brown’s novel, and plenty of tourists come just to see it.
If you’d like to get to know the church in more depth, feel free to check out my article Saint-Sulpice: The Foreign Minister’s Mistress, the Famous Painter and the Brothel.
Saint-Eustache
Address: 2 Impasse Saint-Eustache, 1st arrondissement.
Why visit? Because of its beauty and the music.
Saint-Eustache, built over the 16th and 17th centuries, is my favorite church in Paris. That’s why I’m always surprised, whenever I explore Paris with fellow Francophiles, how many people have never heard of it. So why do I love this church so much, and why do I consider it one of the “must-see” churches of Paris?
First, it’s one of the most beautiful churches in Paris, a winning combination of late Gothic and early Baroque. Once inside, you’ll see not just walls, columns and paintings, but also several stunning tombstones, the finest of which belongs to Colbert, finance minister under Louis XIV.
Second, the church sits right next to Rue Montorgueil, one of the liveliest and most fun culinary streets in Paris. You’ll find wonderful food shops there, a food market, and of course plenty of restaurants. So you won’t leave this church hungry, even if you skip the communion wafer…
And finally, how could I forget the heavenly music that plays there? The organ at Saint-Eustache is, by most accounts, the finest in Paris. Spend a few minutes watching the video below, and you’ll see exactly what I mean…
Since there are plenty of concerts held in this church, you have a great chance of catching the organist practicing, and enjoying that heavenly music completely free of charge.
The Panthéon
Address: Place du Panthéon, 5th arrondissement.
Why visit? Because of all the dead VIPs buried there.
The truth is, officially, the Panthéon (the resting place of France’s greatest figures) hasn’t been a place of Christian worship since 1885 (even though the cross on the roof remains). But for our purposes, let’s count it as a church. The building that would eventually house the Panthéon was built between 1758 and 1790 and began its career as a church dedicated to Sainte Geneviève. Since then, the building switched roles between church and Panthéon for almost 100 years.
People come to the Panthéon not just to admire the charming Rococo-style building, but mainly to visit the crypt, where many of France’s greatest men and women are buried, including Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, Marie Curie, Simone Veil and others. It’s really a journey through the last 200 years of France‘s history.
Unlike many churches, admission to the Panthéon isn’t free, but in my opinion it’s absolutely worth it. If you’d like to read more about it, feel free to check out my article The Panthéon: The Secular Burial Ground of France’s Greatest Figures.
Saint-Louis-Saint-Paul
Address: 99 Rue Saint-Antoine, 4th arrondissement.
Why visit? Because of the stunning Baroque architecture.
This church was built during the 17th century by the Jesuit order and is considered the main church of the Marais. If there’s one thing the Jesuits knew how to do, it was build beautiful churches, and this one is particularly stunning. Step inside and take a look at the gorgeous dome, the magnificent organ and the many paintings that decorate the church. So, have you fallen in love yet?
I’ve written more about this church in a separate article: Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis Church, with its full history, what not to miss inside, and all the practical information you need for your visit.
If that’s not enough, you’ll be glad to know this was Madame de Sévigné‘s favorite church. The organ and acoustics here are excellent, and wonderful concerts are held frequently. In short, everything a good church should have.
La Madeleine
Address: Place de la Madeleine, 8th arrondissement.
Why visit? Because of the stunning architecture and the music.
La Madeleine will forever be associated with Fauchon, whose famous food shop sits right behind it. It will just as surely be associated with Napoleon, who was responsible for its construction, and if you take the walking tour in his footsteps on the Right Bank, you’ll definitely pass by it.
Once you step inside and see its sheer grandeur, you’ll understand why I recommend it. It’s no accident that Napoleon saw the church as a monument to the glory of the French army (back when the word “glory” still had a place in the French vocabulary). The building looks like a Greek or Roman temple, and while there are a few other 19th-century churches somewhat similar to it, I can say with confidence that its architecture is truly unique.
And if all that’s still not enough, you’ll be glad to hear that the acoustics at La Madeleine are simply excellent, which is why so many wonderful concerts are held there.
So whether it’s Napoleon, Fauchon or the music, there’s no question that La Madeleine is worth a visit.
If you’d like to read more about this church, feel free to check out my article La Madeleine: From an Ancient Synagogue to Napoleon’s Temple of Glory.
Basilica of Saint-Denis
Address: 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, Saint-Denis (just outside Paris).
Why visit? Because of the stunning architecture and the tombs of the kings of France.
The last church in this article isn’t actually in Paris, but in the suburb of Saint-Denis, which it’s named after. And to make things worse, it’s one of the less appealing suburbs of Paris. So why am I sending you there?
Because, in my opinion, this is the most impressive Gothic church in and around Paris (maybe even more so than Notre-Dame), and especially because almost all the kings of France, going back to the 7th century, were buried here. The kings’ actual bones are no longer here (they were removed and thrown out by revolutionaries during the French Revolution), but their tombs remain in the church, and they’re spectacular. And if you don’t believe me how charming this church is, just take a look at the short video below and you’ll be convinced.
Like the Panthéon and Sainte-Chapelle, admission here isn’t free, but in my opinion it’s worth every cent. If you decide to make the trip, I highly recommend buying tickets in advance through this link.
If you’d like to learn more about the history of this church, I recommend reading my article Basilica of Saint-Denis: The Burial Place of the Kings of France (or at Least Most of Them).
Related reading
