Sainte-Chapelle

I recently visited Sainte-Chapelle on my second trip to Paris. I was urged to go by someone who said it was a must-see. After having been there, I agree. I can’t believe I was so close by to it my first time in Paris and completely missed it! Well, now I have gone and I’m glad. The stained glass is beautiful, and there is so much of it! You can definitely fit it in to your short or long stay in Paris, because it doesn’t take long to do. Well, the line was long to get in, but approximately 30 minutes later I was in. It’s not a huge cathedral that takes a long time to tour. You just go to the sanctuary where all the stained glass is, get your fill of it, and leave. Admission is covered by your Paris Pass, and you can buy it there. Sainte-Chapelle was my first stop this time, so I got my Paris Pass there. Very convenient!

No photo can do justice to Saint Chappelle – you MUST see it in person. Notre Dame is grand, but as this the King’s private chapel, it’s more intimate. When I walked in the narrow door from the ground floor into the chapel, the sun was streaming in through the blue glass like it was alive and I literally fell backwards into my friend, who was on the step behind me. It is THAT stunning. The care and artistry that went into each bit of glass, coupled with the artwork inside, is unbelieveable. If you get a chance, stop in one evening when they have a string quartet playing. The acoustics are amazing and I guarantee you will have a spiritual experience you will not forget. My absolute favorite spot in all of Europe…

Beautiful stained glass windows. I wish that my photos had turned out like some of the ones posted here – need a better camera!

The second story of this chapel is just amazing. Better stained glass windows then Norte Dame even!! Just an amazing place to visit!

Well, we visited, and it was reasonably sunny. First the good: it is undeniably beautiful, the stained glass is magnificent. But there’s a but. It is small and crowded. Besides the glass there isn’t much else to see. This wouldn’t matter much if you didn’t have to stand in line for at least half an hour and didn’t had to pay a 7,5€ entry fee, which is just too much to stare at glass (even if it is stunning) for 20 minutes.

If you only get one chance to see stained glass in European churches, this is the best pick. For the other folks: see a concert. As a stand-alone visit it wasn’t living up to its cost for me.