Around the basilica: the district

The market, three mornings a week

It takes place in Place Jean-Jaurès and the covered market, just a stone's throw from the parvis, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sunday mornings. It is one of the largest markets in Île-de-France, and I have been doing my shopping there on Tuesdays and Fridays for years. You can find food under the covered market and everything else outside; it starts early and empties around 1:30 pm. On a Sunday morning, the market is in full swing while the necropolis only opens at noon: the order establishes itself. See opening times.

The Stade de France

A tram station, or a fifteen-minute walk. The behind-the-scenes tour is guided: changing rooms, players' tunnel, edge of the pitch and museum, in 1 h 30, meeting point at gate H in the shop. This is the most common combination with the basilica, and the most efficient for a day in Saint-Denis: an hour and a half of Gothic architecture, an hour and a half of concrete and grass. See the stadium tour.

Eating and drinking

The streets around the square and the market hall offer plenty of options for lunch without having to walk far: market dining, local eateries, and terraces on the square when the weather is nice. I won’t name any specific establishments, as they change, and this site is not a restaurant guide. On market days, the square fills up for lunch early; outside of market days, it’s much quieter.

How to plan your half-day

The simplest option: market in the morning on a Tuesday or Friday, the basilica at opening time or just after, lunch on site, and the stadium in the afternoon. If you prefer to follow the story of Saint Denis himself, the hill of Montmartre marks the other end of the tale, at the opposite extreme of the six-kilometre legend: see why Saint Denis carries his head and how to get here.

Frequently asked questions