The Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre is open every day from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm, and entry is free for everyone, with no reservation. Only the climb to the dome is paid: €8 for an adult, €5 up to age 15, tickets on site only. This guide brings together the official hours of the basilica, the dome and the masses, the rules for visiting a working place of worship, and one calculated figure: the time and direction of sunset from the hill, month by month.
The Sacré-Cœur overlooks the north of Paris, at the top of Montmartre. To fit the visit into the rest of your stay, see our guide to visiting Paris.
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Sacré-Cœur: key facts
- Basilica: open every day of the year, without exception, from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm; free entry for everyone — checked on 16 October 2026 on sacre-coeur-montmartre.com
- Dome: open every day, 10:15 am–5:30 pm, last entry 5 pm, closed at midday for the attendant’s break; hours vary with the seasons and the weather — checked on 16 October 2026 on sacre-coeur-montmartre.com
- Dome price: €8 adult (age 16 and over), €5 child (up to age 15); tickets on site only (ticket office and machine) — checked on 16 October 2026 on sacre-coeur-montmartre.com
- Booking: none, either for the basilica or for the dome, groups included
- Crowds: between 10:30 am and 5 pm, a 10 to 15 minute wait to get in, according to the official site
- Prices recorded on 16 October 2026 and subject to change: check before you go.
Tickets: free, except the dome
There is no ticket for the basilica: entry is open and free, with no time slot. The official site states that “there is no need to book”, even for the major feasts. A site that sells you an “entry ticket” or a “skip-the-line” pass for the basilica is charging you for free access; only private guided tours of the neighborhood, separate from the sanctuary, may have a cost.
| Dome visit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Child (up to age 15) | €5 |
| Adult (age 16 and over) | €8 |
| Group (20 people or more) | €6 per person |
| Children’s group (20 or more) | €4 per person |
The crypt has a route described on the official site (“route through the crypt”); its opening conditions are not given on the hours page we consulted. A free audio tour is offered on smartphone, as well as a tour designed by the Benedictine Sisters, accessible by QR code at the entrance.
Hours: basilica, dome and masses
| Place | Official hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basilica | 6:30 am – 10:30 pm, every day | Later closing on major feast days and on the first Thursday of the month (Holy Hour) |
| Dome | 10:15 am – 5:30 pm (last entry 5 pm) | Closed at midday; occasional closures for maintenance or weather |
| Step-free access (lift) | 8:30 am – 7 pm | 35 rue du Chevalier-de-la-Barre, behind the basilica |
The site flags the dome’s closing days in its calendar (several closing days appeared there at the end of September and the beginning of October 2026). It advises checking the page the day before your visit.
| Day | Masses |
|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 7 am – 11 am – 6:30 pm – 10 pm |
| Friday | 7 am – 11 am – 3 pm – 6:30 pm – 10 pm |
| Saturday | 7 am – 11 am – 10 pm (Sunday vigil mass) |
| Sunday | 7 am – 11 am – 6 pm – 10 pm |
The basilica is devoted to perpetual adoration: the Blessed Sacrament is exposed day and night, and no concerts are held there. During masses, avoid walking around in the first part of the nave, which is reserved for prayer. For Christmas and Easter, the FAQ advises arriving early (from 10 pm for the December 24 vigil); seats cannot be reserved.
Best time to visit: sunset from the hill
The forecourt and steps of the Sacré-Cœur face south, above Paris. Depending on the season, the sun sets in the southwest (winter) or the northwest (summer): in winter, it goes down facing you, over the city; in summer, it sets on your right, behind the hill. We calculated the time and direction of sunset on the 15th of each month, and compared them with the dome’s last entry.
| Month (15th) | Sunset | Sunset direction | Average max temp, Paris | Rainy days | Sunset from the dome? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17:21 | southwest (237°) | 7.6 °C (46 °F) | 9.9 | Yes, sunset before 5:30 pm |
| February | 18:10 | west (251°) | 8.8 °C (48 °F) | 9.1 | No (dome closed) |
| March | 18:55 | west (267°) | 12.8 °C (55 °F) | 9.5 | No (dome closed) |
| April | 20:41 | west (285°) | 16.6 °C (62 °F) | 8.6 | No (dome closed) |
| May | 21:25 | northwest (300°) | 20.2 °C (68 °F) | 9.2 | No (dome closed) |
| June | 21:55 | northwest (307°) | 23.4 °C (74 °F) | 8.3 | No (dome closed) |
| July | 21:49 | northwest (304°) | 25.7 °C (78 °F) | 7.4 | No (dome closed) |
| August | 21:06 | west (291°) | 25.6 °C (78 °F) | 8.1 | No (dome closed) |
| September | 20:04 | west (274°) | 21.5 °C (71 °F) | 7.5 | No (dome closed) |
| October | 19:01 | west (257°) | 16.5 °C (62 °F) | 9.5 | No (dome closed) |
| November | 17:10 | southwest (241°) | 11.1 °C (52 °F) | 10.4 | Yes, sunset before 5:30 pm |
| December | 16:53 | southwest (233°) | 8.0 °C (46 °F) | 11.4 | Yes, sunset before 5:30 pm |
How to read it: from November to January, the sun sets before the dome closes, in the southwest, over the city: this is the only period when you can hope to watch it disappear from the top, provided you enter before 5 pm. The rest of the year, enjoy the sunset from the forecourt, which is open access, and from the basilica, open until 10:30 pm. The official site says crowds are heavy between 10:30 am and 5 pm: before 10 am or after 6 pm, the basilica is quieter, outside masses.
What to see: suggested route
- The façade and the forecourt: a view over Paris, free, at any hour.
- The nave and the choir mosaic: photos prohibited in the nave, allowed in the side aisles and the ambulatory.
- The dome: nearly 300 steps up a narrow staircase (280 according to the visit page), no lift; 360° view over Paris. No toilets.
- La Savoyarde, the basilica’s bell, and the listed grand organ, heard at the Friday to Sunday services.
- Suggested order: if the dome line is long, visit the interior first, advises the official site, which regulates entries.
Getting there
The dome entrance is outdoors, after the security check: go down into the moat to the left of the basilica; the ticket office is 20 meters (66 ft) on the right at the bottom of the steps. To climb the hill, the RATP’s Montmartre funicular avoids the stairs: it accepts the Metro-Train-RER ticket, Navigo passes and contactless payment (€2.55 per trip according to the RATP).
Accessibility and dress
Lift access for people with disabilities or reduced mobility is available at 35 rue du Chevalier-de-la-Barre, behind the basilica, from 8:30 am to 7 pm — checked on 16 October 2026 on sacre-coeur-montmartre.com. The dome is not accessible and is not recommended for elderly people, pregnant women, very young children and people who fear narrow spaces. The site asks for appropriate dress and silence; phone calls are to be avoided.
Common mistakes (official rules)
- Paying for a “ticket” for the basilica: entry is free and without reservation.
- Taking photos in the nave or during masses: prohibited.
- Arriving at the dome after 5 pm: last entry is at 5 pm, and it closes at midday.
- Going up to the dome without checking: it sometimes closes for maintenance or weather; check the site the day before.
- Looking for a concert: none takes place in the basilica; the organ is heard at services.
- Counting on toilets at the dome: there are none.
What to see nearby
Montmartre continues with place du Tertre and its sloping streets. For the major museums, the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay are half an hour away by metro; the Eiffel Tower can be seen from the forecourt on a clear day. Our guide to things to do in Paris covers the neighborhood and multi-day itineraries, and our Disneyland Paris page helps fit in a family day.
The main stages in the building of the Sacré-Cœur
- 1873: the National Assembly declares the construction of the Basilica of the National Vow to be of public utility.
- 1874: the architect Paul Abadie wins the competition, with a Romano-Byzantine style and a Greek-cross plan opening toward Paris.
- 1875: laying of the first stone.
- 1885: start of continuous Eucharistic adoration, day and night, never interrupted since.
- 1891: inauguration of the basilica, still without its great dome.
- 1895: arrival of the “Savoyarde”, a 19-tonne (21 short tons) bell given by Savoie.
- 1912: completion of the bell tower.
- October 16, 1919: consecration, delayed by the First World War (it had been planned for October 17, 1914).
Continuous adoration explains the calm requested in the nave at all hours: the basilica remains above all a place of worship.
Frequently asked questions
Is entry to the Sacré-Cœur free?
Yes: the basilica is free for everyone and without reservation. Only the climb to the dome is paid (€8 adult, €5 up to age 15, recorded on 16 October 2026 on the official site).
What are the Sacré-Cœur’s opening hours?
The basilica is open every day from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm. The dome opens from 10:15 am to 5:30 pm, last entry at 5 pm, with a closure at midday.
How many steps are there to the top of the Sacré-Cœur dome?
Nearly 300 steps (280 according to the official visit page), up a narrow staircase, with no lift.
Can you take photos inside the Sacré-Cœur?
Not in the nave or during masses and services; photos are allowed in the side aisles and the ambulatory.
When can you see the sunset from the Sacré-Cœur?
From the forecourt, all year. From the dome, only from November to January, when the sun sets before closing, according to our calculation.
When was the Sacré-Cœur built?
The first stone was laid in 1875 and the basilica was consecrated on October 16, 1919, after an inauguration in 1891 and the completion of the bell tower in 1912.
Our sources
- Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre (sacre-coeur-montmartre.com): hours and access, dome visit, “The dome” page, masses, FAQ, consulted on 16 October 2026
- Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, “The main stages of construction” page (sacre-coeur-montmartre.com), consulted on 16 October 2026
- RATP: pages on the Montmartre funicular and its tickets, consulted on 16 October 2026
- Météo-France: 1991–2020 normals, Paris-Montsouris station, taken from our Paris page
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, IANA Europe/Paris time zone, applied by Destination de Voyage to the Wikidata coordinates of the basilica (Q28785)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.