Tucked inside the walls of the Palais de la Cité, Sainte-Chapelle reveals fifteen stained-glass windows and a rose that turn daylight into a wall of colour. This jewel of Rayonnant Gothic is a 12-minute walk from the hotel and easy to combine with nearby Notre-Dame.
Sainte-Chapelle at a glance
Built in just seven years and consecrated in 1248, it was commissioned by Saint Louis to house Christ's Crown of Thorns. Its fifteen windows rise to 15 metres and depict more than 1,000 biblical scenes. A combined ticket with the Conciergerie is available.
Don't miss
The upper chapel, once the royal oratory, is lined with stained glass from floor to ceiling; the great rose window, added in the 15th century, depicts the Apocalypse. Below, the lower chapel, formerly reserved for palace staff, keeps its starry ceiling.
Visiting tips
Come on a sunny morning to see the windows lit up from inside. There is often a queue, and the security check at the Palais de Justice takes a little patience. Allow 45 minutes to an hour for the visit.
Close by
The Conciergerie, Marie-Antoinette's former prison, stands within the same walls. Notre-Dame is a few minutes' walk away on the Île de la Cité, and the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, crosses the Seine at the tip of the island.
