Saint-Denis Basilica: climb up and visit the organ

The Centre des monuments nationaux and Explore Paris offer you to experience an extraordinary tour. For three days only, on Sundays January 15 and 22, and on February 12, 2023, climb up the Saint-Denis Basilica and visit the incredible organ above the nave.

These tours – only accessible at 11:15 a.m. and upon booking – are made with tenured organist Quentin Guérillot. He will then present how this historic Cavaillé-Coll organ works. For your information, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1811-1899) is a major figure in the organ world. As a proof of his fame, he is behind the construction of over 500 organs in Paris, in province and abroad.

In 1833, at only 22, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll gains his first contract for the construction of the new big organ of the Saint-Denis Basilica. And the young Toulouse man thinks on a great scale, imagining a unique instrument with the Baker Machine. Officially inaugurated on September 21, 1841, the organ of the Saint-Denis Basilica is adorned with 69 keys and over 4,200 pipes!

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For three exclusive tours, Guérillot will walk you through the famous basilica located in Seine-Saint-Denis, and especially the westwork chapels and the necropolis of the Kings of France.

Saint-Denis Basilica, the necropolis of the Kings of France in Saint-Denis (93), discover its history
How about (re)discovering the Basilique Saint-Denis? Classified as a historical monument, this religious edifice in Saint-Denis (93) is home to the necropolis of the Kings of France, and is a must-see for history buffs and those curious about the region's heritage. We tell you all about it! [Read more]

So, if you are tempted to visit the organ of the Saint-Denis Basilica, do not think twice and book away. Note each tour – open to a very limited number of people – lasts 45 minutes, and then 75 minutes for the tour of the royal necropolis.