Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Paris: Metro and RER closures on Friday, September 25, stations affected

The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Paris will entail several closures of subway and RER lines on Friday, September 25, 2026. A papamobile procession from Notre-Dame-des-Champs to Saint-Michel, followed by a route around UNESCO: disruptions will affect several areas in the 5th, 6th and 7th districts at different times.

Pope Leo XIV is due in the capital for two days filled with public engagements, from strolling through Paris to meeting with young people and a grand Mass. On Friday, September 25, one of the day’s highlights will unfold between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., with a papamobile tour covering about 2.5 km from Notre-Dame-des-Champs to Place Saint-Michel.

But this route won't be the only disruption to transport. In the afternoon, the pope's visit to UNESCO's headquarters will also lead to the closure of several stations in the 7th arrondissement.

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Stops closed along the Popemobile route

To secure the route between Notre-Dame-des-Champs and Saint-Michel, several stations will be closed from 10 a.m. on Friday, September 25:

Notre-Dame-des-Champs (Line 12)
Vavin (Line 4)
Saint-Placide (Line 4)
Port-Royal (RER B)
Luxembourg (RER B)
Saint-Michel / Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame (Line 4, RER B and RER C)
Cité (Line 4)

The City of Paris says that all stations along the route will be closed from 10 a.m.. The reopening time has not yet been announced.

Note, however, that the Saint-Michel station on Line 4 is already closed from September 14 to December 19, 2026 for maintenance works, with trains passing through without stopping.

Four stations closed near UNESCO

More closures are planned in the 7th arrondissement on the occasion of the Pope's visit to UNESCO's headquarters. At the request of the Prefecture of Police, four stations will be closed to the public from 12:00 to 18:00 on Friday, September 25:

Varenne (Line 13)
Ségur (Line 10)
Saint-François-Xavier (Line 13)
Duroc (Lines 10 and 13)

These closures therefore affect a different area from the papamobile route and add to the stations already shut down since 10 a.m. in the 5th and 6th arrondissements.

Key timings to note for September 25

To help you find your way around more easily:

from 10:00 a.m.: closures of stations along the Popemobile route between Notre-Dame-des-Champs and Saint-Michel;
from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: closure of Varenne, Ségur, Saint-François-Xavier and Duroc around UNESCO;
from 4:00 p.m.: scheduled start of the Popemobile route between Notre-Dame-des-Champs and Place Saint-Michel.

For travelers, these closures will complicate travel in parts of Montparnasse, the Latin Quarter, the Île de la Cité and the 7th arrondissement. It’s best to plan ahead and identify an alternative station if you need to move through these areas on Friday, September 25.

As of now, no specific list of bus routes affected on Friday, September 25, has been published.

The visit of Leo XIV will continue on Saturday, September 26, with, notably, a solemn Mass scheduled for 3 p.m. at Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées, which will also entail restrictions in central Paris.

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