In brief
Free, every day, 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. The dome is a separate paid climb — no elevator, up what the basilica’s own site calls “nearly 300 steps” in one place and “280” in another — for €8 (€5 for under-16s). No booking needed for either; dome tickets are sold only on site.
- Basilica hours: daily, 6:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m., free admission; expect a 10-to-15-minute wait to get inside between about 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.1.
- Address: 35, rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018 Paris1.
- Dome hours: 10:30 a.m.–8:45 p.m., last admission 8:15 p.m., closed at midday for a break; no advance booking needed, tickets sold only at the on-site ticket office3.
- Dome price: €8 (16 and older), €5 (up to 15), €6 per person for adult groups of 20+, €4 for children’s groups of 20+3.
- The dome climb is described as “nearly 300 steps” on one part of the basilica’s site and “280 steps” on another, with no elevator — not recommended for visitors with mobility issues, pregnant visitors, or young children3.
- A separate elevator for reduced-mobility visitors to the basilica itself runs 8:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. at the rear of the building1.
- The basilica’s only stated visitor guidance on clothing is “dress appropriately and remain silent”; photography is not permitted in the nave1.
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This page covers the basilica, the dome, and the climb up the hill, drawing only on the basilica’s own site rather than secondhand descriptions. For the wording on clothing specifically, see Sacré-Coeur Dress Code: Do You Need to Cover Up?; for how Sacré-Coeur compares with the other churches covered on this site, see Famous Churches in Paris.
Sacré-Coeur at a glance
| Basilica | Dome | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | €8 (16+), €5 (up to 15) |
| Hours | 6:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m., daily | 10:30 a.m.–8:45 p.m., closed at midday |
| Booking | None needed | None needed — pay at the on-site ticket office3 |
| Access | Reduced-mobility elevator at the rear, 8:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. | No elevator; stairs only |
Sources:1 for the basilica column,3 for the dome column.
The basilica: hours, crowds, and what the site asks of visitors
The basilica’s own hours page states it is open “every day of the year, without exception,” from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with free admission for everyone. It closes later on certain occasions — the Easter Vigil on Easter Eve, some prayer vigils, and the Holy Hour on the first Thursday of each month1.
Between about 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., expect a wait: the site’s own page attributes this to “the large number of visitors” and estimates 10 to 15 minutes before entering the sanctuary1. At least four Masses are said daily, and five on Fridays, including one at 3 p.m.; from Tuesday to Sunday the Benedictine Sisters of the Sacré-Coeur of Montmartre pray the Divine Office in the basilica1. A volunteer or one of the Sisters staffs a welcome desk near the entrance at set hours through the week for visitor questions1:
| Day | Welcome desk hours |
|---|---|
| Tuesday–Thursday | 10:00–10:45 a.m., 2:45–5:45 p.m. |
| Friday | 10:00–11:45 a.m., 5:00–5:45 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10:00–10:45 a.m., 2:45–5:45 p.m. |
| Sunday | 10:00–10:45 a.m., 2:30–3:45 p.m., 5:00–6:00 p.m. |
Source:1.
On behavior and photography. The basilica’s own guidance is brief: “Please dress appropriately and remain silent.” It also asks visitors not to talk on their phones, and states that “to respect everyone’s prayer, photos are not allowed in the nave.” Professional photography and filming need prior authorization from the basilica’s communications department1.
Reduced mobility. An elevator at the rear of the building, at 35 rue du Chevalier de la Barre, gives access to the basilica for visitors with disabilities or mobility issues, and runs 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.1.
The organ. The basilica’s main organ was under restoration, with the choir organ used for services in the meantime, and the work was expected to continue through the end of May 20274. The Great Organ, when playing, can be heard at the Friday 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 10 p.m. Masses, the Saturday 11 a.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. Masses, Sunday Masses, and 4 p.m. Vespers2.
A note on weddings and baptisms. The Sacré-Coeur is a sanctuary rather than a parish church, and its own FAQ states that no weddings or child baptisms are celebrated there; locals are directed to the nearby parish of Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre2.
Continuous prayer. The basilica practices continuous, day-and-night Eucharistic adoration, and had logged more than 1.24 million hours of it across 51,752 nights4.
The dome: steps, hours, and the step-count discrepancy
The dome is a separate ticketed visit, climbed for what the basilica calls a “360-degree panoramic view of Paris.” Two different sections of the same official page give two different step counts for the same climb: the introduction says “nearly 300 steps,” and the safety-precautions section further down says “the only way to reach the dome is to climb 280 steps.” The site does not explain or reconcile the gap, so treat the true number as somewhere in that range rather than a fixed figure3.
Hours. 10:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m., with last admission at 8:15 p.m. The dome is closed at midday every day “for our hostess’s break.” Hours can also change for maintenance or weather, and the site advises checking the page again the day before a visit3.
Price. €8 for visitors 16 and older, €5 for children up to 15, €6 per person for adult groups of 20 or more, and €4 for children’s groups of 20 or more. No advance booking is needed or possible — tickets are sold only at the ticket office on site3.
Getting to the ticket office. The entrance is outside the basilica, after the security check: go down into the moat immediately on the left, and the dome ticket office is about 20 meters to the right at the bottom of the stairs. If there is a line, the site suggests visiting the basilica interior first and coming back3.
Access. There is no elevator to the dome, and no restrooms once inside. The climb is up a narrow staircase, and the site advises against it for anyone with mobility issues, including elderly visitors, pregnant visitors, very young children, or anyone uncomfortable in confined spaces3.
What you may have heard
A few Sacré-Coeur facts circulate widely without an official source behind them. One is that the great bell, nicknamed “La Savoyarde,” weighs around 19 tons and is one of the heaviest bells in the world. Another is that the basilica’s white stone is a self-whitening travertine limestone quarried at Château-Landon, which supposedly lightens with rain rather than getting dirty over time. A third is a specific figure for the dome’s height. None of these three numbers appear on the basilica’s own history or dome-specific pages, so this article does not repeat them as fact. If you need an exact bell weight, stone type, or dome height for a school project or another exacting purpose, look for a current official source rather than relying on a repeated figure.
The basilica’s precise construction start date, consecration date, and architect are also widely repeated (commonly given as 1875 to 1914, after the Franco-Prussian War), but the basilica’s official pages do not state them directly, so this article leaves the exact dates out rather than repeating a number it has not seen on an official page.
Getting up the hill
The basilica’s own pages do not publish metro or funicular directions to Montmartre, and this article does not cite a route it has not seen on an official site. The address is 35 rue du Chevalier de la Barre in the 18th arrondissement, at the top of the Montmartre hill1. Plan your route with an up-to-date transit source before you go, and budget extra time either way — this is a climb regardless of how you arrive at the base of the hill.
Tours worth considering
This section contains affiliate links. If you book through them, the site earns a commission at no cost to you. It does not change what is recommended.
You do not need a tour to visit the basilica or climb the dome — both are walk-up, and the dome is sold only at its own ticket office regardless of how you arrive13. A guided product makes sense in one case:
- You want context on Montmartre’s streets and history around the basilica, since the basilica visit itself is self-guided. See the small-group Montmartre walking tour with a local guide or the Montmartre art and history walking tour.
Skip a paid product if all you want is the basilica interior or the dome climb — both are free or low-cost walk-ups with no line-skipping mechanism described on the official site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sacré-Coeur free to visit?
How many steps are there to the top of the dome?
The basilica’s own site is inconsistent: one section says “nearly 300 steps,” another says “280 steps.” There is no elevator either way3.
Do I need to book dome tickets in advance?
No. Tickets are sold only at the ticket office on site, and no advance booking is offered3.
Is there an elevator to the dome?
No. The dome has no elevator, only a narrow staircase, and the site advises against the climb for anyone with mobility issues3.
What are Sacré-Coeur's opening hours?
6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day of the year, with later closing on some holy days and prayer vigils1.
Is photography allowed inside Sacré-Coeur?
Not in the nave. The basilica’s own page states photos are not allowed there, to respect visitors at prayer1.
What time is Sacré-Coeur least crowded?
The site’s own page flags roughly 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as the period with the longest wait, 10 to 15 minutes; it does not name a specific quiet hour1.
Can I get married at Sacré-Coeur?
No. It is a sanctuary rather than a parish church, and its own FAQ states that no weddings are celebrated there2.
How heavy is the Sacré-Coeur bell?
This article could not confirm a bell weight on an official page. A figure of about 19 tons is widely repeated online, but it is not stated on the pages of the basilica’s own site.
Related Articles
Sources
- Hours and Directions — Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. Accessed 2026-09-20.
- FAQ — Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. Accessed 2026-09-20.
- The Dome Tour — Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. Accessed 2026-09-20.
- Organ restoration and Eucharistic adoration figures, quoted in research notes — https://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/english/ — Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. Accessed 2026-09-18.