The Pope Léon XIV will spend two particularly busy days in Paris on September 25 and 26, 2026. Between his papamobile route through the 5th and 6th arrondissements, his official engagements, his visit to Notre-Dame, and the grand Mass planned Saturday on the Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées, several neighborhoods will be operating at a slower pace.
You don’t plan to follow the pope’s visit and were simply aiming to go to a restaurant, do some shopping, or visit a museum? That’s exactly where foresight pays off. Some areas will feature closed streets, transit stations shut down, security checks in place, and shops temporarily closed.
The information below reflects the measures announced to date. Additional details may still be released by the Prefecture of Police, RATP, or the City of Paris ahead of September 25 and 26.
The afternoon’s main highlight unfolds between Notre-Dame-des-Champs and Saint-Michel. Pope Leo XIV will ride in the papamobile along Boulevard du Montparnasse and then Boulevard Saint-Michel starting at 4:00 p.m. The security perimeter is in place from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with road closures beginning at 6:00 a.m. and public access opening at noon. Several nearby stations will also close for the day.
If you're simply looking for a quiet corner to have lunch, grab a drink, or take a stroll, it's best to steer clear of it:
The Île de la Cité is also off-limits for an impromptu outing on Friday. Notre-Dame is closed to the public, just like Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie, while a protective perimeter is in place around the area from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m..
Businesses inside the perimeter may also be forced to close during this time window.
Another area to watch: Invalides – École Militaire – UNESCO – north of the 15th arrondissement. The papal visit to UNESCO will trigger several traffic restrictions between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. around Suffren, Ségur, Lowendal and Fontenoy, as well as in several nearby streets.
If your plan was to enjoy a quiet stroll between the Champ de Mars, the École Militaire and the Invalides, you’d better double-check your route.
The Léon XIV mass rally begins at 3 p.m., but the area has been mobilized well in advance. Access to the gathering opens in the morning, and several hundred thousand people are expected to converge between Concorde, the Champs-Élysées, Étoile and the Grande-Armée.
Metro and bus: here’s what’s going to close or change on Saturday for the Pope’s Mass in Paris
Planning to cross central Paris this Saturday? Metro closures and bus disruptions are planned around Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées, and the 7th arrondissement for the Pope's Mass. [Read more]
For an outing unrelated to the event, it's best to avoid:
Several stations will be closed there and numerous streets in the 7th arrondissement will be off-limits to motor vehicles from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Even the Tuileries Garden will be closed for the day.
In the 18th arrondissement, a temporary perimeter is also planned around the Maison Bakhita (5 ter Rue Jean Cottin) on Saturday, September 26, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. During this window, access and movement will be regulated within the perimeter. Businesses, including bars, cafés, restaurants, and both fixed and mobile outlets selling food or alcoholic beverages nearby, will also be required to close. The disruptions are therefore expected to be mainly in the early morning.
The smart move? If you simply want to enjoy Paris without wading through crowds, pick neighborhoods away from the Montparnasse–Saint-Michel axis on Friday and away from the Concorde–Étoile axis on Saturday. Paris is big enough not to confine yourself to the exact few kilometers where everyone will have had the same idea.
Dates and Opening Time
From September 25, 2026 to September 26, 2026
Metro and bus: here’s what’s going to close or change on Saturday for the Pope’s Mass in Paris
