Pope’s outdoor Mass in Paris: road closures and parking restrictions on Saturday, September 26
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Audrey de Sortiraparis · Photos by
My de Sortiraparis · Updated on September 15, 2026 at 04:58 p.m.
The Mass of Pope Leo XIV will severely disrupt car traffic in Paris on September 26, 2026. On Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées, the Invalides, along the Seine’s quays, and around the National Assembly: several routes will be closed to vehicles, while parking restrictions will be put in place before and during the event.
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.
What’s changing around the Concorde and the Champs-Élysées
Restrictions kick in several days before the Mass:
Until 10 p.m. on September 16, vehicles cannot travel northbound across the Place de la Concorde;
From 10 p.m. on September 16, the Place de la Concorde will be completely closed to traffic;
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées will be closed between the Place de la Concorde and Avenue Winston-Churchill;
Rue Royale will be closed between the Place de la Concorde and Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré.
Préfecture de Police
Security measures will be stepped up as the mass draws near:
Friday, September 25, starting at 2 p.m.: road closures and parking bans around Place de l’Étoile, the Champs-Élysées and nearby streets;
From 10 p.m. : expansion of the security perimeter and additional traffic restrictions.
September 26: a wide perimeter closed to car traffic
On Saturday, September 26, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., a wide traffic and parking ban will be put in place around Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées, and a large portion of the 7th arrondissement.
In Paris’ 8th arrondissement
The Concorde – Champs-Élysées – Étoile area will be particularly affected. Traffic and parking will be banned within the perimeter defined by the authorities, with access heavily restricted around the sector’s main arteries.
In the 7th arrondissement
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., all motorized traffic will be banned in a large swath of the district.
Among the key areas and sectors involved:
Alma Bridge, Jacques-Chirac Quay and Branly Quay;
Rapp Avenue, Université Street and Saint-Dominique Street;
Bosquet Avenue, Cler Street and the Gros-Caillou area;
Orsay Quay and Tour-Maubourg Boulevard;
Invalides Bridge, Marshal Gallieni Avenue and Alexandre-III Bridge;
Concorde Bridge and Anatole-France Quay;
Saint-Germain Boulevard, between the Orsay Quay and Rue du Bac;
The National Assembly and Palais Bourbon area, notably Aristide-Briand, Bourgogne, Bellechasse, Solférino, Lille, Poitiers streets and part of Rue de Verneuil.
Several secondary streets will also be cordoned off around Gros-Caillou, the Invalides, the Orsay Museum and the Palais Bourbon.
Pedestrian access points will remain open to allow residents and visitors to move about on foot within the perimeters.
No Parking: Which Streets Are Affected?
In the 8th arrondissement, some parking bans kick in long before the Mass weekend.
From September 15 at 9:00 a.m. to October 1 at 11:59 p.m., parking is prohibited on several streets near the Champs-Élysées, notably:
Cours-la-Reine;
Avenue Dutuit;
Avenue Gabriel;
Rue de Ponthieu;
Rue du Colisée;
Rue La Boétie;
Rue de Marignan;
Rue Marbeuf;
Rue Robert-Estienne;
Rue de Berri;
Rue Vernet;
Rue Quentin-Bauchart;
Rue Lincoln;
Rue Lord-Byron;
Some portions of the Balzac, Bassano and Galilée streets.
September 15 at 9 a.m.: parking bans begin in the 8th arrondissement.
September 16 at 10 p.m.: tightened closures around Concorde and the Champs-Élysées.
September 25 at 2 p.m.: new restrictions around the Étoile and the Champs-Élysées.
September 25 at 10 p.m.: security perimeter expanded.
September 26 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.: a large no-go zone for traffic and parking in the 8th and a broad swath of the 7th.
Disruptions persist even after Mass
The celebration is due to wrap up around 4:30 p.m. on September 26, but the sector will not immediately resume its normal operations.
Dismantling work will begin on September 28 at 12:00 around Place de la Concorde and will continue until October 10 at 11:59 p.m., with new traffic restrictions in place.
If you have to drive through the western part of central Paris on September 25 and 26, you should avoid the areas Champs-Élysées, Concorde, Invalides and quays of the 7th, and plan a detour in advance.
Pope's visit to Paris: everything you need to know about the High Mass on the Champs-Élysées at Place de la Concorde
Pope's visit to Paris: everything you need to know about the High Mass on the Champs-Élysées at Place de la Concorde
