Ste. Chapelle reservations
 

Going to be in Paris in mid-April, as we have missed visting Ste. Chapelle on previous visits I want to be sure we get to visit this time round.

I know you can make a reservation ahead of time but I am having trouble finding the web site on which to do this.

Can anyone assist? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You can buy a ticket online at www.fnac.com which is a French store with a ticket service. It isn't a reservation, as far as I know, just a ticket that is good for a year. You can also buy the Paris Museum pass and it's included in that, same thing.

That's all I know, I never heard of making a reservation for a specific time or date.

The last time we were in Paris we decided to walk over and visit St Chapelle. There was a line over a block long to get in. So we thought we would go back early the next morning. The next day there were armed guards there and due to security reasons it wouldn't be open that day or for the rest of the week.

I've been to Ste-Chapelle several times in the spring and fall and have had no trouble getting in. You do have to go through security, and that lineup can get quite long, so your best bet to cut down the wait is to arrive when it opens at 9:30, or a little before.

Thanks all...could have sworn some one said you could buy a ticket ahead of time/reserve a time, will just go early and use our trusty museum passes.

Thanks for the speedy feedback!

You definitely want to visit when the sun is shining so the museum pass is the way to go. A pre-booked ticket may end up reserved on a rainy day.

we visited last May, the security was like at the airport..we waited 20-30 minutes mid-day.

Last time we were there, you had to stand in 2 lines: security and ticket purchase.

Since we had a museum pass, we were able to bypass the ticket purchase (which was the longer of the two), so your museum pass may very well help.

When I was in Paris in November, 2008, I walked right into Ste. Chapelle. It was a Sunday, I believe, and the law courts were closed so there was no line.

I agree with Margaret above. It is a waste of time going to Ste. Chapelle unless the sun is shining on those (very dirty) windows.

I would much rather hear the organ at St. Sulpice on a Sunday morning than visit Ste. Chapelle, by the way.

Thin

I've never heard of any Paris monument where you could reserve a time to enter. The only thing I've heard remotely like that is some timed tickets for special art exhibits at the Grand Palais or other museums, but never just for entering a public monument.

So I think you are remembering wrong, or are thinking of those tourist concerts that are given at Sainte Chapelle in the evening. That's a private company, so you certainly can buy a ticket for a particular date and time for those concerts.

"I would much rather hear the organ at St. Sulpice on a Sunday morning than visit Ste. Chapelle, by the way."

Have to disagree with that, Thin. Ste. Chappelle for the first time is one of my all-time "wows" in travel.

Don't be hatin', Miss Thang.

Thin

Never! Smiles (I've lost the smileys file).

We went to a dusk concert at Ste Chapelle and it was lovely. At the FNAC, we were told that the concert was sold out but just coincidentally we were walking by SC that evening and there was just a short line. We bought tickets at the door and had our pick of seating. It was just beautiful but I agree that you have to be able to see the windows. In mid-April, when the sun sets a little later, you should have no problem with that.

Definitely choose a sunny day. For me, it's magical and in my opinion, worth the wait in line. It's one of my favorite places in Paris (and I have lot!):)