Sainte-Chapelle

Sainte-Chapelle was built in the 1240s for King Louis IX to house the Crown of Thorns and other relics of the Passion, and it was consecrated in 1248. It stands inside the walls of the former royal palace on the Île de la Cité, now largely occupied by the Paris law courts, which is why the approach is through a security check on the Boulevard du Palais. The chapel is a masterpiece of the Rayonnant Gothic style, in which the walls are reduced to slender stone frames for enormous windows.

The visit has two levels. The lower chapel, once used by palace staff, has a low vaulted ceiling painted with gold fleurs-de-lis on a blue ground. A narrow spiral staircase leads up to the upper chapel, the royal space, where fifteen tall stained-glass windows and a later rose window fill almost every wall with colour. Most of the glass dates from the 13th century and tells biblical stories in more than a thousand scenes, starting with Genesis and ending with the story of the relics themselves. Bright mornings and early afternoons show the glass at its best, so try to visit when the sun is out.

The chapel suits anyone interested in architecture, history or simply colour and light, and it can be seen in under an hour, which makes it easy to fit into a day on the Île de la Cité. The spiral staircase to the upper chapel is narrow, so people with limited mobility should check the access information before travelling. EU residents under 26 are admitted free, and tickets can be booked online with a time slot, which is the best way to avoid the long queue at peak times. A combined ticket with the nearby Conciergerie is also sold.

From 1 April to 30 September the chapel opens from 9am to 7pm, and from 1 October to 31 March from 9am to 5pm, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Evening classical concerts are held regularly in the upper chapel and are a memorable way to see the windows, although they are ticketed separately.

Cité on metro line 4 is right outside, and Saint-Michel Notre-Dame on RER B and C is a short walk across the bridge. Notre-Dame, the Conciergerie and the Place Dauphine are all within a few minutes on foot.