Visite du Pape Léon XIV à Paris : route, zones et accès pour voir la papamobile Pope Leo XIV's Visit to Paris: Route, Zones, and Access to See the Papamobile

The itinerary of Pope Leo XIV in his papamobile in Paris was one of the weekend’s most anticipated events. On Friday, September 25, 2026, the pontiff covered about 2.5 kilometers between Notre-Dame-des-Champs Church and Place Saint-Michel, passing through the Boulevard du Montparnasse, Port-Royal, and then the Boulevard Saint-Michel. The route was originally scheduled from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m..

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Pope Leo XIV rides through Paris in a popemobile this Friday, September 25, 2026, from Notre-Dame-des-Champs to Place Saint-Michel. Several stations will be closed from 10 a.m.—here are the lines and stops to note to reach the route. [Read more]

From Notre-Dame-des-Champs, the papal motorcade rolled down Boulevard Montparnasse to Port-Royal, then swung onto Boulevard Saint-Michel and reached Place Saint-Michel. The pope then headed on to Île de la Cité, into a security zone closed to the public, ahead of the Vespers scheduled at Notre-Dame de Paris.

The route was divided into 12 welcome zones, identified from A to L, spread along Boulevard du Montparnasse and then along Boulevard Saint-Michel.

To access these areas:

• Overall, 23 screening points were planned;
• public access was scheduled to begin at 12:00;
• between 10:00 and 12:00, only residents and rights holders could enter the perimeter, upon presenting proof;
• bags were checked at the gate;
• the route was fully fenced off;
• the site comprised 12 distinct zones that operated independently;
• to change zones, visitors had to exit onto the public road and then re-pass through the checkpoint at the new zone;
• any person leaving their zone also had to go through the check to re-enter;
• once a zone reached capacity, newcomers were redirected to adjacent zones.

The organization advised arriving well in advance, as checks could slow entry into the zones.

About 1,400 volunteers were mobilized alongside law enforcement. The overall capacity for the entire route was announced at 250,000 people.

Another practical detail to note before entering: there were no toilets inside the reception zones. The Diocese of Paris therefore urged people to plan accordingly before crossing the screening point.

Flags, bags... What are you allowed to bring?

New guidelines were also clarified ahead of the march. 100,000 flags were distributed at the various entry points.

Visitors could bring their own flag or banner, but several rules applied at the time:

• Flags and banners had to be laid out flat and fully unfurled for inspection;
• Rigid poles or masts made of wood, metal, or hard plastic were prohibited;
• Only soft or flexible supports were allowed;
• Only pre-registered music groups could enter with instruments;
• Large bags, suitcases, glass containers, alcohol, helmets, fireworks and other dangerous items were prohibited;
• There was no on-site cloakroom or storage to drop off a rejected item.

A QR code was also posted along the route, letting visitors pull up on their phones the afternoon’s songs, readings, and prayers.

Which stations are closed along the route?

Starting at 10 a.m., the closures announced include:

• Vavin
• Port-Royal
• Luxembourg
• Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame
• Cité
• Odéon
• Cluny–La Sorbonne

At Montparnasse–Bienvenüe, the station remains open, but the following entrances will be closed from 10 a.m.:

• Access No. 5
• Access No. 6
• Access No. 8

Travel is disrupted in the areas around Montparnasse, Port-Royal, the Latin Quarter, Saint-Michel and the Île de la Cité.

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This procession through Paris precedes vespers at Notre-Dame de Paris at 5:15 p.m., followed by the big youth vigil at the Stade de France in the evening. The next day, Saturday, September 26, Pope Leo XIV will preside at 3 p.m. over an outdoor Mass on Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées .