La Conciergerie sits on the Île de la Cité as part of the former royal palace (Palais de la Cité), first a residence of the Capetian kings and, from the late 14th century, a prison — a masterpiece of secular Gothic architecture. During the French Revolution it housed the Revolutionary Tribunal and held countless prisoners before execution, most famously Marie-Antoinette, earning it the nickname 'the antechamber of the guillotine.' Part of the UNESCO World Heritage 'Banks of the Seine,' it is a short walk from Sainte-Chapelle and the newly reopened Notre-Dame (late 2024), making it a natural stop on an Île de la Cité walking route. A free HistoPad tablet overlays the medieval court and revolutionary prison in augmented reality, so the largely bare stone halls fill with their history as you move through them.
Salle des Gens d'Armes: one of Europe's largest surviving secular Gothic halls, built in the early 14th century under Philip the Fair, its vaults rising to keystones at 8.5 m
Marie-Antoinette's cell and expiatory chapel: a memorial chapel raised in 1816 on the site of her prison cell
The medieval kitchens: a royal cooking hall from the 1350s with monumental fireplaces still in place
The towers: the riverside Caesar, Silver (Argent) and Bonbec towers, and the Clock Tower (Tour de l'Horloge) bearing Paris's first public clock
The HistoPad tablet: a free device that reconstructs the palace and prison eras in 3D as you point it around each room
Good to know
CautionThe Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame and Seine banks are hotspots for petition, friendship-bracelet and 'found gold ring' scams. If a stranger approaches with a clipboard or an object, don't engage — just keep walking.
SafetyChâtelet interchange, Cité station and the cathedral forecourt are pickpocket-heavy. Wear your bag in front and keep phone and wallet out of outer pockets.
RulesEntry includes an X-ray security check (the site adjoins the law-court complex). Large backpacks and suitcases may be refused and only small foldable pushchairs are allowed, so travel light.
SeasonHistoPad tablets are usually handed out only until about 4:15pm and last admission is 30 minutes before closing. Avoid a late-afternoon visit if you want the tablet experience, which is central to the site.
MannersMarie-Antoinette's chapel is a place of remembrance. Keep your voice low and avoid flash or tripods when taking photos.
RulesClosed on 1 May and 25 December. A combined ticket with Sainte-Chapelle is available, so check it before buying if you plan to see both.
Practical info
Reach it on foot from Métro line 4 (Cité) or lines 1/7/11/14 (Châtelet); the address is 2, boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris. It is generally open 9:30am–6pm (last entry 5:30pm), but prices, hours and combined-ticket terms can change, so confirm the latest details on the official website before your visit.
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