43 kings, 32 queens, and the finest collection of royal funerary sculpture in Europe — in the Gothic basilica that invented the architectural style in the 12th century.
Individual ticket
€11
With Museum Pass
Included
Timed slot
Not required
Open
Daily
Hours
Mon–Sat 10am–6:15pm · Sun 12pm–6:15pm (Apr–Sep) · Mon–Sat 10am–5:15pm · Sun 12pm–5:15pm (Oct–Mar)
Last updated: February 2026 · Prices and details verified
Is the Basilique Cathédrale de Saint-Denis included in the Paris Museum Pass?
Yes — the Paris Museum Pass covers entry to the royal necropolis at the Basilique de Saint-Denis, saving you €11 per person. No reservation required. The basilica is 25 minutes from central Paris by Metro Line 13.
Basilique Cathédrale de Saint-Denis — Fast Facts
Address
1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 93200 Saint-Denis
Nearest Metro
Basilique de Saint-Denis (Metro 13) — 2 min walk (Metro 13)
Bus
153, 239, 253, 274 · T1 tram
Opening hours
April–September: Monday–Saturday 10am–6:15pm · Sunday 12pm–6:15pm · October–March: Monday–Saturday 10am–5:15pm · Sunday 12pm–5:15pm · Closed 1 January, 1 May, 25 December · Subject to closure during religious services
Closed
Subject to closure during religious services · 1 January, 1 May, 25 December
Individual ticket
€11 (2026)
With Museum Pass
Free — included
What to Know Before You Visit
The Basilique Cathédrale de Saint-Denis is simultaneously the most historically significant church in France and one of the most undervisited. It was here in the 12th century that Abbot Suger designed the first truly Gothic building — pioneering the use of pointed arches, ribbed vaulting, and large stained glass windows to create a new architecture of light. Every French monarch from Dagobert in the 7th century was buried here, and the royal necropolis holds the finest collection of medieval and Renaissance funerary sculpture in the world. Currently undergoing restoration of the tower and north spire — an active construction site visitors can observe as part of the Fabrique de la Flèche experience.
No reservation required. No reservation required. The basilica is open daily — note Sunday opening is at noon, not 10am. Check saint-denis-basilique.fr before your visit as the royal necropolis (the ‘museum’ section) is subject to occasional closures during religious services. The ‘Fabrique de la Flèche’ construction site visit (restoration of the spire) is a separate experience — check for availability.
Note: The tower and north spire reconstruction is currently underway — an extraordinary active Gothic construction site that visitors can observe through the ‘Fabrique de la Flèche’ guided experience (check saint-denis-basilique.fr for availability and booking). The Cité de la Musique Philharmonie de Paris offers a combined ticket (Panthéon + Saint-Denis, €19) which the Museum Pass makes unnecessary.
Collection Highlights
The royal necropolis holds 70+ funerary monuments spanning the 12th to 16th centuries — the history of French sculpture in concentrated form.
Highlight 1
The recumbent effigies (gisants)
life-size marble lying figures of French kings and queens from the 12th to 16th centuries, including Louis IX (Saint Louis), Charles V, and Henri II with Catherine de Médicis
Highlight 2
The Gothic choir and ambulatory
Abbot Suger’s original 12th-century choir, the first fully Gothic space ever created, where the manipulation of light through stained glass was first used as architectural theology
Highlight 3
The crypt
the oldest section of the building, housing the ossuary containing unidentified royal remains, and the burial chapels of the Carolingian dynasty including Pépin le Bref and Charles Martel
Visitor tip: Visit on a weekday morning to avoid school groups and tourists. The royal necropolis closes during religious services — check the schedule on arrival. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the complete visit including the Gothic choir, the crypt, and a thorough look at the funerary sculpture.
Getting There
Take Metro 13 northbound to the Basilique de Saint-Denis terminus — the basilica is a 2-minute walk from the station exit. Total journey from central Paris: approximately 25 minutes. Alternatively, RER D from Gare du Nord to Saint-Denis station, then Tramway T1 or a 15-minute walk.
Ready to Visit Basilique Cathédrale de Saint-Denis?
€11 entry included with the Museum Pass. Plus 50+ more venues across Paris.
Take Metro Line 13 northbound from central Paris (serves Saint-Lazare, Montparnasse, Invalides, Châtelet) to the Basilique de Saint-Denis terminus — the basilica is 2 minutes walk from the station exit. The journey from central Paris takes approximately 25 minutes. RER D also serves Saint-Denis station, then Tramway T1 or a 15-minute walk.
For anyone interested in French history, medieval architecture, or funerary sculpture, it is essential — and massively undervisited compared to its historical importance. The royal necropolis holds more than 70 funerary monuments from the 12th to 16th centuries, representing the entire arc of medieval and Renaissance sculpture. The Gothic choir by Abbot Suger is the founding monument of an architectural movement that spread across Europe. Most visitors spend 90 minutes to 2 hours here.
The Fabrique de la Flèche (‘Spire Factory’) is an innovative heritage project that allows visitors to observe and understand the ongoing reconstruction of the basilica’s medieval tower and north spire — demolished in 1846 and now being rebuilt for the first time in nearly 200 years using medieval techniques. It is a rare chance to witness Gothic construction methods in practice. Check saint-denis-basilique.fr for current visitor access to the construction site.
