Are you planning a visit to the city of love and looking for the most beautiful churches in Paris to add to your to do list? Find here a complete list of 10 of the prettiest Paris Churches from both the inside and outside for you to explore.
Paris is an incredibly old and historic city with buildings and landmarks dating back hundreds if not thousands of years. This makes exploring all the more exciting because you are getting to learn about a piece of history! The churches in Paris are no different. They are all historic and ornate and build way before our time. This makes them unlike any modern landmark or building and a top place to visit. Most churches in Paris are catholic, but you don’t have to be religious to enjoy and appreciate the beauty and magic they hold. Just be sure to remain respectful and dress appropriately!
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10 Most Beautiful Churches in Paris
The Sainte Chapelle
- Address: 10 Boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris, France
- Hours: 2 Jan to 31 Mar: 9 am to 5 pm, 1 Apr to 30 Sep: 9 am to 7 pm, 1 Oct to 31 Dec: 9 am to 5 pm
- Admission Price: €10
The Sainte Chapelle is one of the most beautiful churches in Paris. This historic monument is located right in the center of Paris and is a must-see while exploring the city. It is a gothic-style chapel that is considered one of the highest achievements of the Rayonnant period of Gothic architecture.
The most amazing and mesmerizing part of the church is the stained glass windows. It has 15 stained glass windows that reach 15 metres in the air to create one of the most beautiful church interiors in the world. The images on the stained glass windows depict over 110 scenes from the Old and New Testaments! You could easily stare at the huge stained glass windows for hours marvelling at their intricate detailing.
Admission price is €10 but on on the first Sunday of every month entry is free!
Sacre Coeur Basilica
- Address: 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018 Paris, France
- Hours: 6 AM – 10:30 PM
- Admission Price: FREE
Sacre Coeur Basilica is also known as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris and is the second most visited church in Paris after Notre Dame. It is a Roman Catholic church located in the stunning Montmartre area of Paris and is a must-see while in the city. The exterior is built in a stunning architectural style and stands brilliantly and bold with its white stone exterior. This church is one of the most peaceful places in Paris full of locals sitting outside enjoying the views along with local artists and street performers.
Sacre Coeur is also the second-highest point in the city and offers stunning views over all of Paris. It comes second to the iconic Eiffel Tower. This is one of the best places to see Paris from above! More so, the interior of the church is full of beautiful paintings on the ceiling and stunning sites to see!
Entrance price is FREE but to go to the top it costs €5.
The Madeleine Church
- Address: Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, France
- Hours: 9:30 AM – 7 PM
- Admission Price: Free
The Madeleine Church or L’église de la Madeleine is a Catholic church that looks very atypical of such. It is built to look like a Greek temple with church stone pillars and no sign of church bells and crosses. You can find this church in the 8th arrondissement of Paris and picking it out with its unique Neo Classique architectural style is very easy. The church was designed by Napoleon to be a pantheon in honour of his armies.
The exterior in its Roman design is impressive and the inside is just as wonderful. You will find stunning artworks all around including huge paintings on the walls and ceiling. Plus giant chandeliers, statues, and gold-plated columns. A visit here with have you feeling like you are in ancient roman times!
Notre Dame Cathedral
- Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France
- Hours: Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 6:45 PM, Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM to 7:45 PM
- Admission Price: FREE. Tickets to the tower are €8.50 and the crypt are €6
Notre Dame Cathedral or Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is commonly referred to as Notre Dame. It is the most famous and visited church in Paris that welcomes more than 13 million tourists every year. This stunning piece of architecture was constructed in 1163 in the French Gothic Architecture Style. Both the exterior and interior of Notre Dame are something to be admired!
Inside Notre Dame, you will find ornate detailing and beautiful designs. It is also home to the largest organ pipe in France! Entrance is free but tickets to the top of the top are €8.50 and tickets into the crypt are €6.
Le cœur de l’église Saint-Paul Saint-Louis
- Address: 99 Rue St. Antoine, 75004 Paris, France
- Hours: 8 AM – 8 PM
- Admission Price: Free
Le cœur de l’église Saint-Paul Saint-Louis is a beautiful white stone church is a very recognizable red door. It is located in the center of Paris and is one of the most beautiful churches in Paris. Construction began in 1627 and it was the first church to break away from the Gothic architectural style. Both the interior and exterior of this church are beautifully detailed, the interior is home to unique paintings and magnificent sculptures.
The best part? This church is free to enter and explore. Therefore, you can enjoy the unique Baroque style architecture at no cost.
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
- Address: Place Sainte-Geneviève, 75005 Paris, France
- Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 8am-7.45pm; Saturday: 8.45am-midday and 2pm-7.45pm; Sunday: 8.45am-12.15pm and 2pm-7.45pm.
- Admission Price: FREE
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is a very old church in Paris that is full of history and beauty. Construction of this church spanned many years, which is why you will see many different architectural styles incorporated – from Gothic to renaissance! One of the best things about this church is that a visit here will feel calm and relaxing. It is not one of the most popular churches in Paris so you can explore without being in huge crowds of tourists.
The inside of the church and the outside are both stunning. This church is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site! On the inside, you will be welcomes by rows upon rows of stained glass windows and a shrine dedicated to the patron saint of Paris. More so the inside is home to a stone-carved twin spiral staircase the is awe-inducing.
Saint Germain des Pres Church
- Address: 3 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris, France
- Hours: Monday to Saturday : 8.00am – 7.45pm, Sunday : 9.00am – 8.00pm
- Admission Price: FREE
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a parish church built in Romanesque architecture style. It is the only remaining building in Paris in the Romanesque style making it all the more special. The historic architecture paired with its beautiful interior makes this one of the top churches in Paris to visit. The interior is newly renovated and is an explosion of bright, vibrant colours, a true feast for the eyes. You can also find some amazing paintings inside.
Eglise Saint-Sulpice
- Address: 2 Rue Palatine, 75006 Paris, France
- Hours: 8am–7:30pm
- Admission Price: FREE
Eglise Saint-Sulpice is a Roman Catholic Church located in Paris’s Latin district. It is the second-largest church in Paris just after Notre Dame. It is one of the best churches in Paris to go to for some peace of mind and connection with religion. As one of the less touristy churches in Paris, you can enjoy some time here exploring without being amongst hoards of other people. The interior is full of stained glass windows, chandeliers, gold decorated altars and stunning ornate details. The dimly lit interior only adds to the calm feel of this church.
Cathédrale Saint-Louis-des-Invalides
- Address: 75007 Paris, France
- Hours: 10am – 6pm. Winter: 10am – 5pm.
- Admission Price: €8.50
Cathédrale Saint-Louis-des-Invalides is an old and historic cathedral dating back to the 1600s. It is a place full of grand designs and intricate detailing that makes it such a lusted-after place. Just the detailing of the architecture alone is something to look at. There are also various artifacts in the cathedral which are worth taking some time to admire.
One of the most interesting aspects of this church is that it is located in a building complex which is home to various other interesting sights. Both historically and culturally this building complex is something you cannot miss. From the Army Museum to the famous Tomb of Napolean! You will find here various important figures and sites that are worth the visit.
Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Bellville
- Address: 139 Rue de Belleville, 75019 Paris, France
- Hours: 8 am – 8 pm
- Admission Price: FREE
Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville is a Gothic styled church with a peaceful atmosphere. It is located outside the great circuit and is an off-the-beaten-path church is visit and admire. You can tell if it one of the less-visited churches with its faded paintings but this adds a sense of authenticity to it. Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste welcomes the fewest tourists from any on this list and is the best church to go to for some peace and quiet. Despite its age, it is still one of the most beautiful churches in Paris to visit and admire.
There are so many beautiful churches in Paris to explore. As one of the oldest and most historic cities in the world, Paris is a goldmine for anyone looking to enjoy beautiful architecture with a strong historic pull.
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Love,
SSW
The Sainte Chapelle is beautiful! My husband and I visited when we were in Paris in 2019 and were amazed at the beautiful stained glass. We, unfortunately, couldn’t visit Notre Dame due to the fire. I didn’t know about many other places on this list! Thanks for sharing. I’ll have to check them out the next time I’m in Paris! 🙂