Eleven metro stations closing on Friday 25 September for the Pope’s visit to Paris
Getting around Paris on Friday 25 September could turn into a real obstacle course. The Pope’s visit to Paris, scheduled over two days, is triggering widespread closures of metro and RER stations, and Parisians would be wise to plan their journeys well in advance.
A packed papal programme set to shake up the capital
Pope Leo XIV will be in Paris on 25 and 26 September, and his schedule is particularly demanding. On Friday, he will celebrate vespers at Notre-Dame, meet President Emmanuel Macron, then travel through the streets of the 5th and 6th arrondissements by popemobile. That evening, he will lead a vigil at the Stade de France, bringing together up to 80,000 young people aged 18 to 35 for a night of prayer.
On Saturday 26 September, the Pope’s visit to Paris continues with a mass celebrated at place de la Concorde, expected to draw hundreds of thousands of attendees. A historically significant event, though its practical consequences for residents are far from trivial.
Disruptions have already begun well before the pontiff’s arrival. From Tuesday 15 September, several streets near place de la Concorde were closed to parking, a clear sign that the security operation is already well underway.
The stations closing on Friday 25 September for the Pope’s visit to Paris
Friday will undoubtedly be the most challenging day for public transport users. The RATP has announced the closure of eleven stations in total, split into two separate waves tied to the Pope’s movements.
Left Bank north: seven stations closing from 10am
To secure the Pope’s route through the 5th and 6th arrondissements, seven stations will be inaccessible from 10am, with no reopening time announced at this stage. The affected stops are:
- Notre-Dame-des-Champs (line 12)
- Vavin (line 4)
- Saint-Placide (line 4)
- Port-Royal (RER B)
- Luxembourg (RER B)
- Saint-Michel (line 4, RER B and RER C)
- Cité (line 4)
It is worth noting that Saint-Michel station is already inaccessible, having been closed for works for several weeks as part of a three-month shutdown. For commuters in this area, the disruption is therefore very much a reality even before the Pope’s visit to Paris begins.
7th arrondissement: four stations closing from 12pm to 6pm
A second wave of closures will affect the 7th arrondissement, linked to the Pope’s visit to UNESCO. Four stations will be closed between 12pm and 6pm: Varenne (line 13), Ségur (line 10), Saint-François-Xavier (line 13) and Duroc (lines 10 and 13). Unlike the Left Bank closures, a reopening time has been confirmed here, giving travellers a clearer window around which to plan their journeys.
Saturday 26: further restrictions expected around la Concorde
The Pope’s visit to Paris does not end on Friday. On Saturday 26 September, the mass at place de la Concorde will draw hundreds of thousands of people, and additional station closures in that area are to be expected. The RATP has not yet released the details of these further restrictions, but they have already been flagged as unavoidable.
As a result, anyone needing to travel across Paris this weekend would do well to keep a close eye on official announcements. The traffic and parking restrictions around place de la Concorde, already in force since 15 September, combine with these station closures to form a security operation of considerable scale.
Whether you are attending one of the events or simply a resident trying to cross the city, the Pope’s visit to Paris on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September means rethinking your travel plans entirely. Give yourself plenty of extra time, disruptions affect the metro, the RER and the road network alike.
