My review of the necropolis ticket

What the ticket actually grants access to

You enter through the nave, which is unassuming, and the ticket is checked further on, at the entrance to the choir. From there, everything changes in nature: you move from a place of worship to a museum of funerary sculpture with no equivalent. First, the recumbent figures in the transept—Dagobert depicted in sculpted comic-strip form, Clovis and Childebert, Charles V, Bertrand du Guesclin lying at the feet of his king though he was not one himself. Then the grand Renaissance tombs: Louis XII and Anne of Brittany with the transi beneath, Francis I and Claude of France under their triumphal arch, Henry II and Catherine de’ Medici. Finally, the staircase to the crypt, the ossuary, and the plaque bearing the list of sovereigns.

The ticket also grants access to La Fabrique de la Flèche, the reassembly site of the north tower, dismantled stone by stone in 1846 and 1847. It is closed on Mondays, while the necropolis itself remains open: if the spire interests you, do not come on a Monday. Details of the two routes are available on the ticket page and the spire reconstruction site.

What comes up in the reviews

Out of 442 reviews, three things stand out. The first is the guide. Catherine (France) writes: « A truly fascinating visit with an EXCELLENT guide, René. Very clear in his explanations. » Armande (Belgium) gets straight to the point: « A must-see. Thank you to the guide (free, check the times). » And Régis (France) sums it up for everyone: « A remarkable guided tour. Skip the audio guides and wait for the free tour. » Three reviews, three people saying the same thing—and it’s what I’ve observed for years. This tour is included in the ticket, yet almost no one expects it.

The second is the site itself, described simply. Duncan (UK): « A magnificent cathedral, the burial place of most French monarchs. » FREMINET (France) notes recent changes: « A well-signposted route, fun interactive screens and stunning stained glass. » The signage is indeed well done, which hasn’t always been the case.

The third is more lukewarm, and it’s the one to pay attention to. Paolo (Italy) writes: « The service was adequate, the place is beautiful. » A phrase without warmth, which perfectly describes what happens when you enter without knowing anything: you walk past magnificent tombs without understanding the names or dates, and you leave after forty minutes thinking it’s beautiful. With the guide—or after half an hour of reading beforehand—the same visit lasts an hour and a half and tells a thousand years of history.

For whom, and for whom not

For whom: anyone visiting Saint-Denis for the basilica. Lovers of French history, obviously, but also those who know nothing about dynasties and are captivated by the transis, those naked, emaciated bodies sculpted beneath the clothed effigies. Families: it’s this macabre detail that children remember, as described in visiting with children.

For whom not: those hoping to see the kings’ tombs. They were emptied in 1793 and the bones have been mixed in the ossuary since 1817; you need to know this beforehand, not after, and who is buried here states it plainly. Also, those who can only come on a Sunday morning: opening is at 12 pm on that day, and services may cause delays. The opening times and best time to visit are worth the two-minute read they require.

Frequently asked questions