Notre-Dame to close for several days for the Pope's visit: dates to note

If Notre‑Dame de Paris is on your fall programme, it’s worth double-checking the date before you walk onto the forecourt. The cathedral will be unusually closed from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26, 2026 inclusive, due to the visit of Pope Leo XIV. During these three days, the building will be inaccessible, so you’ll need to reschedule your visit.

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The closure will run a bit longer on the Notre-Dame Towers side from September 24 to 28, 2026, inclusive. Access to Île de la Cité will also be restricted from September 24 to 28.

These measures accompany a key milestone in Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to France, scheduled from September 25 to 28, 2026. The Holy Father will notably visit Paris, Lourdes and Metz. In the capital, one of the highlights will take place at Notre-Dame, where he will celebrate the Vespers with priests, deacons, male and female religious, seminarians and other consecrated persons from France.

This event will not be limited to those physically inside the cathedral: the vespers will be broadcast live. On the visiting side, however, there are no exceptions: if you planned to discover Notre-Dame during that period, it’s best to move your visit a few days earlier or later.

The surroundings of Notre-Dame will also face major restrictions on September 24 and 25 for the visit of Pope Leo XIV:

• Protection perimeter: Friday, September 25 from 10:00 to 20:00 around the Notre-Dame forecourt – Place Jean-Paul II.
• Parking prohibited: from Thursday, September 24 at 11:00 until Friday, September 25 at 20:00.
• Motor vehicle traffic banned: starting September 24 at 21:00 and continuing through September 25 at 20:00 on the Quai du Marché-Neuf, the Pont Saint-Michel and the Petit-Pont.
• Expanded restrictions: from 06:00 to 20:00 on September 25 on Île de la Cité, part of Île Saint-Louis and the banks of the Seine, from the Pont des Arts to the Pont de la Tournelle and the Pont Marie.
• River traffic suspended: on September 25 from 13:00 to 19:00 on the Bras de la Monnaie and from 15:00 to 19:00 on the Bras Marie.
• Shops: businesses located inside the protection perimeter must close on Friday, September 25 from 10:00 to 20:00. Left-bank booksellers will also be closed from midnight to 20:00.
• Metro: the Cité and Saint-Michel / Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame stations, located along the pope’s walking route, will close from 10:00 on September 25, as will Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Vavin and Saint-Placide.