The Pope Léon XIV is due in Paris on Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26, 2026, with a series of engagements across the capital: a papamobile parade from Montparnasse to Saint-Michel, vespers at Notre-Dame, official visits, and a grand Mass on the Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées. The programme will trigger a major security operation and some collateral disruption for those simply planning to visit Paris.
Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie, the Tuileries… several sites will close completely or become noticeably harder to access during these two days. Here's what you need to know before booking a time slot or wandering across Paris only to find the doors shut.
First area to watch: Île de la Cité. Notre-Dame will host Leo XIV for vespers on Friday, September 25.
The cathedral will be completely closed to the public on Thursday, September 24 and Friday, September 25.
On Saturday, September 26, a morning visit is not possible either: Notre-Dame will reopen only from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Notre-Dame to close from Thursday: what's changing with the Pope's arrival in Paris
The cathedral will shut its doors starting September 24 for the visit of Leo XIV. Tours, island access and traffic will also be affected. [Read more]
Just a few meters away, two other major landmarks will also close on Friday, September 25:
The Towers of Notre-Dame, for their part, will remain closed from September 24 to 28 inclusive.
Even when a site remains theoretically accessible, you still have to be able to reach the neighborhood. On Friday, September 25, a wide security perimeter will be established around Île de la Cité and its surroundings. Road traffic there will be heavily restricted, several metro or RER stations will be closed, and pedestrian access will be controlled. For an impromptu tourist visit in the area, this will clearly not be the best day.
A change of scenery on Saturday, September 26. While hundreds of thousands are expected for the Grand Mass of Leo XIV on the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées, the Tuileries Garden will be completely closed.
The Louvre Museum, however, remains open. Nevertheless, you should plan your route in advance, as several nearby stations will be blocked off and the Concorde area will be heavily secured.
The same caution applies at the Musée d’Orsay. The institution remains open, but the area is directly affected by the planned traffic restrictions and bus disruptions in the 7th arrondissement.
In short, it's best not to plan a full day of sightseeing in these areas:
Paris isn’t shutting down, but several of its most popular sites will be operating at reduced capacity. Access conditions around security perimeters may still change, so it’s wise to check the official information for the place you plan to visit before you head out.
Dates and Opening Time
From September 25, 2026 to September 26, 2026
Notre-Dame to close from Thursday: what's changing with the Pope's arrival in Paris
