What is free at Saint-Denis
The free-access area: the nave
Saint-Denis is the cathedral of the diocese created in 1966, and a cathedral never closes its doors to the public. You enter through the western façade, walk up the nave rebuilt from 1231 under Louis IX by Pierre de Montreuil, stand beneath the tall stained-glass windows, and watch the light fall. It’s free, it’s not insignificant, and many Dionysians do just that. What the nave doesn’t offer is a single recumbent figure: they’re all on the other side, in the transept and ambulatory, described on the recumbent figures page.
Services are also free. Be careful: they close the monument. This is the main reason for missed visits on Sunday mornings and holidays, and I regularly see people coming back up from the metro furious at having made the trip for nothing. The exact times are on the opening hours page.
Categories exempt from paying for the necropolis
These are set nationally, not by the monument, and they are broad. Visitors under 18 enter free of charge, regardless of nationality. Those aged 18-25 enter free if they are nationals of the European Union or regular residents in France: this is the measure students most often forget. People with disabilities enter free with their companion, and physical accessibility is covered on the accessibility page. Job seekers residing in the European Union or European Economic Area, education staff with the Pass Éducation, students and teachers from the École du Louvre complete the list. In all cases, proof must be presented.
The included guided tour that no one asks for
This is the point on this page that I would defend to anyone. Guided tours in French are included in the admission ticket: from Monday to Saturday at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, on Sundays at 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM, for about 1 hour 30 minutes. A guide, a group, the tombs explained in order. Nothing extra to pay, no reservation needed: just be there at the right time and confirm the schedule on the day at the reception, as it may change due to services and school groups. Régis, a French visitor, writes in his review: « Remarkable guided tour. Skip the audio guides and wait for the free tour. » I agree with him, and I’ve detailed it on the guided tours page.
What works
- The nave, stained-glass windows, and services without a ticket, every day the monument is open
- Under 18s : free, regardless of nationality
- 18-25 year-olds from the European Union or regular residents : free
- A guided tour in French included, twice a day, around 1 h 30
Good to know
- No recumbent figure or tomb is visible from the free-access area
- The monument closes during services: Sunday mornings are risky
- Free admission must be proven at the ticket desk, with ID or card
- La Fabrique de la Flèche is closed on Mondays
Arrive twenty minutes before 11 am or before 3 pm, get your ticket, wait for the guided tour to start. You will see more in 1 h 30 with a guide than in two hours on your own. Confirm the time at reception when you arrive.
What is never free
Admission to the necropolis for a French adult over 25 who is employed : it’s as simple as that. The rest of the monument offers nothing else for sale : no supplement for the crypt, no supplement for La Fabrique de la Flèche, no paid cloakroom, as there is no cloakroom at all. Photography is allowed without flash and is not charged. What you can add on your own is an audio guide, described on the audio ticket page, or a multi-monument pass, described on the pass page. The pricing structure, without figures, is on how much it costs.
Book your ticket for the necropolis
Reminder: what you’re booking above is entry to the royal necropolis. The nave, however, remains open without a ticket, as in any church in the diocese.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Basilique de Saint-Denis free?
Partially. The nave, like any church, is freely accessible; the royal necropolis, the choir, the gisants and the crypt require a ticket. Details are on the pricing page.
Can you see the tombs from the free area?
No, none. The more than seventy gisants are all in the paid area, transept, ambulatory and crypt. See the gisants and the crypt.
Do students enter free of charge?
EU nationals or regular residents in France aged 18-25, yes, with proof of status. Over 25, no. See how much it costs.
Is there an extra charge for the guided tour?
No, it is included: from Monday to Saturday at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, on Sunday at 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM, approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. See the guided tours.
Can you enter during a service?
You can attend the service freely, but the monument is closed: the necropolis is not accessible during this time. See the opening hours.