POPE LEO XIV ON THE CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES: AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT IN PARIS IN SEPTEMBER 2026

At the end of September, one of Paris’s most famous avenues will take on a very different atmosphere. On Saturday, 26 September 2026, Pope Leo XIV will preside over a major open-air Mass between Place de la Concorde and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, as part of his apostolic journey to France from 25 to 28 September.

Several hundred thousand people are expected to attend this event, which is open to everyone. For travellers staying in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, it will also be an opportunity to discover a different side of the Champs-Élysées.

INFORMATION AT A GLANCE

• Date: Saturday, 26 September 2026
• Mass: 3:00 pm
• Location: Place de la Concorde and Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris 8th arrondissement
• Access: free and open to everyone
• Registration: strongly recommended
• Recommended arrival: before 11:00 am
• Access points scheduled to close: 1:00 pm

LEO XIV IN FRANCE
a highly anticipated visit

Pope Leo XIV became the 267th Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church on 8 May 2025, following the conclave, and is the first pope from the United States. Before the beginning of his pontificate, Robert Francis Prevost was already familiar with France, having notably travelled to Marseille in September 2023 alongside Pope Francis.

His visit to France in 2026 therefore carries particular significance, as it will be one of his first major encounters with the French public since the beginning of his pontificate. In Paris, his presence will mark a major religious, historic and cultural event, expected to bring together a large number of faithful and visitors in the capital.

A MAJOR MASS
in the heart of the Champs-Élysées

FROM PLACE DE LA CONCORDE TO THE CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES

The celebration on 26 September will take place in an unusual setting for a Mass: the monumental axis stretching from Place de la Concorde to the Champs-Élysées.

The choice of location places Leo XIV’s visit within the long history of encounters between popes and Paris. The official website for the visit notably recalls the visits of John Paul II in 1980 and Benedict XVI in 2008. Leo XIV will be the tenth pope to visit the French capital.

While the visit naturally holds particular importance for Catholics, it is open to everyone. Families, Parisians, visitors and curious onlookers alike will be able to witness this historic event in the heart of the capital.

HOW TO ATTEND
the Pope’s Mass in Paris

REGISTRATION IS RECOMMENDED BUT NOT MANDATORY

Attendance is free. Registration with the organisers does not work as a ticketing system and does not guarantee a specific place. Its main purpose is to help organisers anticipate visitor flows, assign participants to different sectors and send each person information about their recommended access point.

Organisers recommend arriving before 11:00 am, with access points scheduled to close at 1:00 pm. There is no need to arrive several hours before opening in the hope of securing a better position, as participants will be assigned by sector rather than by order of arrival.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

To make security checks easier, travelling light is recommended. Small backpacks and handbags of under 25 litres, reusable water bottles, food, umbrellas and pushchairs for children under the age of six are among the items permitted. Glass bottles, alcohol, bicycles and folding chairs are prohibited, except in certain cases related to age or disability.

GETTING AROUND
the 8th arrondissement

WALKING IS THE BEST OPTION

Organising a gathering of this scale will significantly affect traffic around Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées.

Security perimeters will be introduced, and stations located within the Mass area will be closed between Friday evening and Saturday. Organisers therefore recommend taking public transport to a point outside the immediate event area and then walking to the relevant access sector. Taxis and private-hire vehicles will also be subject to restrictions.

George V and Charles-de-Gaulle–Étoile stations, normally among the most convenient for reaching the upper section of the Champs-Élysées, are among those announced as closed for the event.

Tip: check your route again a few days before the visit, as transport and traffic arrangements may be adjusted depending on security requirements.

POPEMOBILE OR MASS
two separate events

THE PROCESSION ON FRIDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER

One important point to note: Pope Leo XIV’s journey in the Popemobile will not take place on the Champs-Élysées.

It is scheduled for the previous day, Friday, 25 September, between Notre-Dame-des-Champs Church and Place Saint-Michel, along a route of approximately 2.5 kilometres through the 5th and 6th arrondissements. The procession is expected to take place between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm.

On the Champs-Élysées, the main public event will therefore be the Mass on Saturday, 26 September.

STAYING CLOSE
to the Champs-Élysées

RUE VERNET, BETWEEN THE ARC DE TRIOMPHE AND THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE

For those wishing to experience the event while remaining in the heart of Paris’s 8th arrondissement, Hôtel Vernet is located at 25 Rue Vernet, just a few steps from the Champs-Élysées and around a five-minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe under normal conditions.

This location usually makes it easy to explore the Golden Triangle, Avenue George V and, slightly further away, Avenue Montaigne on foot. On 26 September, however, security perimeters may require detours, so visitors should follow the sector and access instructions provided by the organisers rather than attempting to reach the avenue directly.

FINDING CALM AFTER THE EVENT

Set slightly back from the immediate bustle of the avenue, Hôtel Vernet offers a welcome contrast to the energy of the Champs-Élysées. Founded in 1913, the hotel occupies a historic Parisian building reinterpreted by François Champsaur, where wood panelling, marble, contemporary lines and works of art create a more intimate atmosphere.

Beneath the historic glass roof created by Charles Champigneulle over a metal structure attributed to Gustave Eiffel, Le V restaurant also offers the opportunity to extend the day over a meal, in a setting where architectural heritage meets contemporary creation.

For couples, families or friends spending a few days in Paris, Rue Vernet is therefore a particularly convenient starting point for exploring this part of the city on foot, both during this exceptional weekend and when discovering the Golden Triangle afterwards.

FAQ

WHEN WILL POPE LEO XIV BE ON THE CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES IN 2026?

Pope Leo XIV will preside over an open-air Mass on Saturday, 26 September 2026 at 3:00 pm, between Place de la Concorde and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

DO I NEED TO REGISTER TO ATTEND THE POPE’S MASS ON THE CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES?

Registration is free and strongly recommended, but it is not mandatory and does not constitute a reserved seat. It notably allows participants to receive their assigned sector and recommended access information.

HOW FAR IS HÔTEL VERNET FROM THE ARC DE TRIOMPHE AND THE CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES?

Hôtel Vernet, located at 25 Rue Vernet in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, is just a few steps from the Champs-Élysées and around a five-minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe under normal conditions.

IS HÔTEL VERNET A DESIGN HOTEL?

Yes. The interiors were reinterpreted by François Champsaur. The design brings together the historic character of the building with marble, wood, copper, contemporary furniture and works of art, including pieces by Jean-Michel Alberola.

WHAT SETS HÔTEL VERNET APART FROM THE GRAND HOTELS OF THE CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES?

Its more intimate scale and artistic identity. Its 50 rooms and suites are designed in the spirit of contemporary Parisian apartments, while the restaurant’s historic glass roof, François Champsaur’s interior design and the artworks integrated throughout the hotel create a distinctive dialogue between heritage and contemporary creativity.