Pope's Mass in Paris: traffic restrictions around Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées, and in the 7th arrondissement

The Place de la Concorde is gearing up to host the grand Mass presided by Pope Léon XIV on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 3:00 p.m., between the Place and the Champs-Élysées. The setup of equipment and security measures will bring several restrictions before, during and after the ceremony.

Pope's visit to Paris: everything you need to know about the High Mass on the Champs-Élysées at Place de la Concorde
Pope Leo XIV will celebrate a major open-air Mass on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 3 p.m., between Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées. Several hundred thousand people are expected for this key moment of his visit to Paris. Timings, access, arrangements... here’s what you need to know. [Read more]

What’s changing around the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées

Several restrictions are already in place in the sector:

• Until September 16 at 10 p.m.: driving from south to north across the Place de la Concorde is not possible by car;
• From September 16 at 10 p.m.: Place de la Concorde is closed to motor vehicle traffic, except on its riverside edge along the Seine;
• Champs-Élysées: traffic is cut between Clemenceau and the Concorde;
• Rue Royale: traffic is partially interrupted up to the Faubourg-Saint-Honoré area;
• No parking: several streets and avenues in the 8th arrondissement are affected until early October, notably around the Cours la Reine, Avenue Gabriel, and streets near the Champs-Élysées.

To bypass the area, motorists are notably advised to pass via the Quai des Tuileries, followed by Avenue Winston-Churchill and the Pont Alexandre III, depending on their destination.

A large perimeter around the 7th arrondissement was sealed off on September 26

On Saturday, September 26, the day of the Mass, the arrangement will be significantly expanded. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., all motorized vehicle traffic will be banned in a large portion of the 7th arrondissement.

Among the key areas and sectors involved:

• The Alma Bridge, Jacques-Chirac Quay and Branly Quay;
• Rapp Avenue, the Avenue de l’Université and Rue Saint-Dominique;
• Bosquet Avenue, Rue Cler and the Gros-Caillou district;
• Quai d’Orsay and the Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg;
• Invalides Bridge, Avenue du Maréchal-Gallieni and Pont Alexandre-III;
• Concorde Bridge and Anatole-France Quay;
• Saint-Germain Boulevard, between Quai d’Orsay and Rue du Bac;
• The National Assembly and Palais Bourbon area, notably Aristide-Briand, Bourgogne, Bellechasse, Solferino, Lille, Poitiers streets and part of Rue de Verneuil.

Several secondary streets will also be blocked off in the Gros-Caillou, Invalides, near the Orsay Museum and the Palais Bourbon. The 7th arrondissement town hall notes that pedestrian access points will allow residents and visitors to move on foot within the designated zones.

• To be read
• This week's best bets for September 7–13, 2026 in Paris and Île-de-France

Disruptions continue even after the Mass

The celebration is expected to wrap up around 4:30 p.m. on September 26, but traffic won’t return to normal right away.

Dismantling work on the installations will continue after the event, with restrictions scheduled from 12:00 on September 28 to October 10, 2026 around Place de la Concorde.

Normal traffic flow will be restored gradually, in step with the removal of the equipment set up for the Mass.