Church Saint-Eustache visitor guide

Visit Church Saint-Eustache, Paris

The Church Saint-Eustache is in the centre of Paris, in the 1st arrondissement and on the north side of the large square in the centre of the district called Les Halles and at the southern end of Rue Montmartre and Rue Montorgueil.

Discover Church Saint-Eustache

France This Way review: one of the most interesting churches in Paris, the Church Saint-Eustache is also one of the largest, and quite impressive - both outside and inside - and merits a visit when you are exploring the centre of Paris. In our opinion it is not, despite what many reviews claim, comparable with Notre-Dame cathedral which is one of the most remarkable cathedrals in the world - but there are certainly less crowds here!

History and architecture of the Church Saint-Eustache

A chapel dedicated to Sainte-Agnes stood in this location from the 13th century onwards. The current Church Saint-Eustache was built in the gothic style, with construction taking place for around a century, starting in 1532 and finishing in 1637. The delays were typically due to a lack of money, so the construction work was not constantly in progress for this entire period

Although it is primarily in gothic style, with the familiar flying buttresses, you will also notice arches that are curved in the romanesque stye, and other architectural features more typical of the renaissance period, and incorporates columns in the style of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

The original facade was weakened and damaged when two chapels were added to the Church Saint-Eustache in the 17th century, and the entire facade and first section of the nave were rebuilt in the 18th century, in the classical baroque style. You will notice that the tower on the right was never finished.

Although substantial renovations have been carried out over the last forty years, these have not changed the overall architecture of the church.

Before you enter the church, take the time to admire the exterior, in particular the main facade and the southern side of the structure, which has many interesting details, including the workmanship around the entrance door.

Inside the Church Saint-Eustache

Inside the church, the first thing that you notice is the sheer size of the nave, with a height of over 30 metres. The substantial building is 105 metres long, 43 metres wide and 33 metres high.

To each side of the principal nave there are side naves, separated by monumental columns. Along both side naves there are numerous chapels.

One unusual feature that you may notice, the chapels on the right get larger as you progress towards the altar: this is because the original church size was constrained by a street outside, although this street has now disappeared to be replaced by the large open square called Place René-Cassin.

As you walk around the inside, the highlights include the stained glass windows, above all in the choir area, the large pipe organ, the artworks that include "Le Martyre de saint Eustache" by Simon Vouet, and the chapels along the sides of the church which feature many murals and works of art, and the tomb of Colbert.

You will also see quite a lot of 19th century furnishing in the church, which is perhaps less interesting but adds to the overall ambiance. There are frequent displays of more recent artworks in the church, which are interesting.

Various events take place inside the church, including concerts that incorporate the grand organ, and light shows. These add and extra dimension to your visit, and are both a lovely way to see the church.

Visitor information

The Church Saint-Eustache is free to enter and no reservation is required.

The closest metro station to the church is Les Halles, on metro line 4.

Attractions nearby

The street called Rue Montorgueil, that starts at the rear of the church, is a popular pedestrianised street, with numerous shops and cafes including some of the oldest in Paris, so we suggest you explore this street between Church Saint-Eustache and Rue Réamur, a few hundred metres to the north.

See more churches in France. You can find more travel ideas in the Paris region guide.

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National Library of France

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The French version of this page is at Church Saint-Eustache (Francais)