We visited Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre back in August 2025, and the dome climb was definitely one of the highlights of our Paris trip.
Sacré-Cœur sits at the highest point in Paris on top of Montmartre Hill. It’s this bright white church built between 1875 and 1914 in a Romano-Byzantine style. The stone actually gets whiter when it rains instead of darker, which is why it stays so bright.
To get up to the church you’ve got two options: climb the 237 steps up the hill, or take the Montmartre funicular which costs the same as a metro ticket and gets you up in about 90 seconds.
Entering the church is free. We waited in a security line that wrapped almost all the way around the building, but it moved fast—only about 15 minutes. They check your bags at a security checkpoint before you enter the property. Inside there’s a massive mosaic of Christ that’s one of the largest in France. You can take photos inside, though some prayer areas are off-limits for photography.
One thing to know: once you leave the property and go past that security checkpoint, you can’t come back in without waiting in line all over again. So plan accordingly.
The real draw is climbing the dome. The entrance is on the left side of the church. You go down some stairs and there’s a kiosk with a vending machine where you buy tickets—€7 for adults 16 and over, €4-€5 for kids under 16. After you buy your ticket, you walk a bit further and there’s an area where you scan your tickets to enter and start climbing.
It’s 300 steps up a narrow, circular spiral staircase. No elevator. Some spots are really tight—you might have to turn sideways if someone’s coming down while you’re going up. If you don’t like confined spaces, just know what you’re getting into.
The view from the top is incredible though. You get a full 360-degree panorama of Paris. The Eiffel Tower looks tiny in the distance, but you can see it along with the whole city spread out below. Honestly one of the best lookout points in Paris.
The dome is open daily from 10:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (last entry at 5 p.m.). The basilica itself is open 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day.
If you’re in Paris, definitely make time for this. The 300 steps are a workout and those narrow circular stairs can feel cramped, but the views make it worth it.
