



Paris: Chapelle Expiatoire
The Vibe:A royal memorial on a revolutionary graveyard
Louis XVIII raised this neoclassical chapel where Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were first buried. It stands on a former cemetery of the Revolution, quiet and little-visited.
A small garden of box hedges leads to a pale stone chapel. Inside, two marble statues of the king and queen stand in the hush.
- Built where Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were first buried
- Commissioned by Louis XVIII in the 1810s
- A neoclassical memorial run by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux
- One of the city's most overlooked historic sites
Fit For
- 🌍 Culture travellers: "A quiet chapter of the Revolution's aftermath."
- 🧳 Solo: "An off-beat, contemplative stop."
- 📸 Photographers: "The garden and pale stone suit soft light."
- 👵 Seniors: "A short, calm visit away from the crowds."
Highlights
- The marble statues of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette
- The neoclassical chapel and its crypt altar
- The formal garden laid over the old graveyard
- The cenotaphs of the Swiss Guards — Hidden Gem
- The peaceful square away from the boulevards
Paris Local Expert

Hamed (Leo) Kiani
Table of Contents
- Metro Saint-Augustin (line 9) or Havre-Caumartin
- Entrance from Square Louis XVI, off Rue Pasquier
- Set back in a garden, away from the main boulevards
Food & Coffee Shops
Cafés around Saint-Augustin and the grands boulevards
Gourmet halls on Place de la Madeleine nearby
Bistros toward Gare Saint-Lazare
Cafés around Saint-Augustin and the grands boulevards
Gourmet halls on Place de la Madeleine nearby
Bistros toward Gare Saint-Lazare
Insider Tips
Check the opening days in advance; they are limited
Pair it with La Madeleine, a short walk away
Rarely crowded, even in high season
Check the opening days in advance; they are limited
Pair it with La Madeleine, a short walk away
Rarely crowded, even in high season
Photography Tips
The pale façade reads best in soft, even light
The garden frames the chapel from the entrance
Interiors are dim; no flash on the statues
The pale façade reads best in soft, even light
The garden frames the chapel from the entrance
Interiors are dim; no flash on the statues
Things To Do Nearby
La Madeleine church a short walk south
Parc Monceau to the north-west
The grand boulevards and Opéra to the east
La Madeleine church a short walk south
Parc Monceau to the north-west
The grand boulevards and Opéra to the east









