Pictures in churches in Paris?
 

Is it considered acceptable to take pictures in the churches in Paris?

I look forward to seeing the insides of churches in Paris, like Notre Dame, Saint Chapell, and Sacre Coeur.

I know that I'll love the experience, but I'd like to be able to relive the sights, by looking at my pictures that I hope I can take.

What about pictures from the Dome of Sacro Coeur, or the Towers of Notre Dame?

Yes you can take pictures in churches. I do not use flash so I don't disturb anyone who may be praying. Also no walking around taking photos during services. I believe Ste-Chappelle is deconsecreated so definitely no problem there. Let me know if you get any good ones of Ste-Chappelle - all mine have a redish hue. I have photos of ND and many other churches.

Try for a sunny day to get the stained glass. They make fabulous photos.

Why do you think you can't take pix from a tower? It's not inside the church. You're on the roof.

No one seems to mind in other places I've been iin Europe (and elsewhere).

But a coworker who has been to Paris, was surprised when we saw inside pictures of Sacre Coeur on the net, and while traveling in Greece last year, someone mentioned that taking pictures in churches was frowned on in France.

Even when allowed, I think that one should be respectful, and not cause distraction to others.

And I don't like flash photos either - it ruins the natural lighting and colors. The results are harsh, and flat.

I hoped that the Towers of Notre Dame would be OK.

There were only a couple churches we visited in Paris that definitely had signs saying no photos, more had signs saying only no flash photographs allowed. Of course, it is rude and insensitive to take photos during a service anywhere.

I hope that those that disallowed photos were not Notre Dame, Sanit Chapelle or Sacro Coeur - these are the only ones we will have time for on this trip, and I want to take photos to remember them by later.

Non-flash photography is definitely allowed in Notre Dame and Ste Chapelle, but not in Sacre Coeur.

I just remembered that Val-de-Grace church does not allow photography although I didn't see any signs about it. I took one photo of the altar and someone came over to me and told me I couldn't take photos so I only have the one.

jdan - Sacre Coeur has a gift shop so you can get some postcards there. I like to buy postcards to supplement my photos.

You can not take photos inside Sacre Coeur. Even though there are tons of signs, just a few weeks ago we saw a woman caught doing so and had to delete the photo from her camera.

I don't know about the dome, though. We didn't go up there.

Towers of ND definitely fine for pictures. Great views of the city and you can also take pictures of the famous gargoyles.
I agree with adrienne that getting postcards of places you visit is a good alternative or supplement to your own photos

I have returned from this trip to Paris, and I visited 4 churches (Notre Dame, Sainte Chappell, Sacre Coeur and one behind the Pantheon). Of those, Sacre Coeur does not allow any pictures. The others allowed photos, but out of courtesy, I did not use the flash, and I don't recall if others used flash or not.

The only church in Paris I've encountered that won't allow pictures is Sacré-Cœur. Notre-Dame is fine.

Most Catholic churches in France are state property, if they were consecrated before the 1906. The clergy who are allowed to continue using them for services still come up with strange rules sometimes. Unfortunately, Sacré-Cœur was consecrated in 1919, so it is weirder than most.

Other restrictions you may encounter in French churches include prohibitions on flash photography, tripods, and talking above a whisper. I've seen Sacré-Cœur refuse entry to people who are wearing shorts or other evil, vile, blasphemous attire. There are no written standards for attire, so it depends on whether or not the guard happens to think you're immodest (one person might get in, and the next person, identically dressed but perhaps different in some other way—nationality, skin color—might not be allowed to enter).

By the way, church staff cannot compel you to delete pictures from your camera, even if you took pictures and it was against the rules. They would need a court order for that.

Pictures of the towers of Notre-Dame, and indeed of all church exteriors, are perfectly fine.

here are some of mine taken inside churches. all w/o flash.

www.pbase.com/jsemmer