la tour saint jacques paris france

The Tour Saint-Jacques: An Enigmatic Treasure in Central Paris

Last Updated on August 24, 2023

During my early years living in Paris, I passed a nondescript construction site in the city center on a semi-daily basis. Clad with scaffolding and dark plastic sheeting, the site just off the Rue de Rivoli struck me as a bit of an eyesore on one of Paris’ busiest thoroughfares.

Years passed, and I was never curious enough to ask what lay beneath the scaffolding, or why it was taking such a long time to complete what I assumed was the construction of an office building or something akin.

In 2008, this theory was proven wrong– scaffolding was removed from the top, and what appeared to be a Gothic-style tower began to emerge, as if greeting the sky.

Then one morning in 2009, I was riding a bus that stopped just across the street from the gated square where the site stood. Stepping off the bus, I looked up to see this — and practically felt my jaw slacken with awe:

There was something revelatory about this– in the literal sense that the site was suddenly revealed in all its stupefying, unexpected beauty. Mostly hidden from view for years, the 16th-century Tour Saint-Jacques was back. And it was glorious.

Explore This Article

A Bit of History

If you find yourself wondering whether the dramatic tower was once attached to a church, congrats– you clearly know your pre-modern French architecture. Completed in around 1523, the Tour Saint-Jacques is all that remains of a medieval church called Eglise Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, which was unfortunately destroyed in 1797 during the turbulent years of the French Revolution.

{Related: Bastille Day Once Celebrated the Restoration Monarchy, & Other Bizarre Facts}

The church, itself constructed from the 12th century, was an important pilgrimage site in Paris for Catholics, and a stop on the famous Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle pilgrimage route which leads south through France into Spain.

The tower was designed in a flamboyant Gothic style, as evidenced by features such as pointed, tapering pinnacles and carved niches decorated with statues, gargoyles and other elements.

Its sumptuous decor is attributed in part to the patronage of wealthy butchers who operated nearby in the enormous Les Halles market, and for whom the church was named.

Incidentally, one of the patrons of the original church is said to be Nicolas Flamel, the reputed alchemist, who operated an almshouse nearby.

After the church was destroyed and pillaged in the Revolution, it was used for a time as a stone quarry. The French state acquired the tower in 1836, declaring it a historic monument in the 1860s.

Second Empire Restoration Efforts

It was only during the Second Empire that major restoration efforts brought the tower back to its original, opulent guise. An architect named Théodore Ballu headed the redesign, creating a 19th-century style square and park around it and setting the tower on a pedestal. Statues, gargoyles, and other Gothic elements were also restored or entirely replaced.

{Take A Self-Guided Tour of Medieval Paris}

This was all happening during a time when Paris was being radically transformed from its medieval layout, with narrow, cobbled streets giving way to grand, wide boulevards .

So the renewal of the late-medieval Tour Saint-Jacques meant, somewhat paradoxically, that it became a key part of the city center in a new, bold, Belle-Epoque Paris that looked radically different from the city of earlier centuries.

The tower was again restored in the first decade of the 2000s after major cracks in the stone– much of it original– were discovered. In 1998, it became a UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks in part to its confirmation as a historic stop along the Santiago de Compostela (Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle) pilgrimage route. Relics for the Saint were discovered inside the tower, firming up the connection.

Visiting the Tower & What to See

Admiring the facade from the leafy square is something I highly recommend– and it only takes a few minutes. Better yet, have a picnic of bakery goods or take-out and enjoy lunch on one of the benches on the square, taking in the tower’s details as you eat.

The base of the tower , perched on a pedestal with stairs, features ornately carved arch structures, statues and small gargoyles. A statue of the French mathemetician and physicist Blaise Pascal stands within the arch structure, built to commemorate his experiments on atmospheric pressure.

They were either carried out here or nearby, according to conflicting accounts.

{Related: The Best Places for Picnics in Paris}

At the northwest corner, admire the biblical sculptures of the Four Evangelists (lion, bull, eagle, and man)– these are replicas rather than the originals, restored during the 19th century. The gargoyles and statues of saints adorning the walls of the tower are also replicas.

There’s also a statue of Saint Jacques le Majeur that stands on a platform. A tiny meteorological station was built here in 1891 by the Observatoire de Montsouris, a still-operating Observatory close to Montparnasse in southern Paris.

Guided Tours & Climbing the Tower

If you wish to climb the tower, you can do so via guided tour only (via an agency called MagmaCultura), available exclusively by reserving online here. The tour retraces the history of the former bell tower of the Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie church.

You can find current prices at the ticketing website above. The Tower is open to visitors every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until 13 November, from 10am to 6pm.

During the tour, you’ll have to ascend 300 narrow stairs to the top, where you can expect outstanding views over both Paris’ right bank and left . You’ll also get a closer look at some of the ornate statuary and other design details of the tower from your bird’s-eye vantage point.

If you’re claustrophobic or suffer from vertigo, you may wish to avoid, and anyone with heart or lung conditions should certainly abstain.

Getting There & Practical Information

The Tour Saint-Jacques is located smack in the Paris city center, in the area known as Châtelet and right on the border of the 1st and 4th arrondissements (districts). It’s situated in a pleasant, gated square named after it.

There’s plenty to see and do nearby, so this can be a quick stop in a morning of exploration: you’re minutes away from Parisian sights and attractions including the Centre Georges Pompidou , the Marais neighborhood, Hotel de Ville (City Hall) the Les Halles shopping center, and the Rue Montorgueil market district .

The Seine River and the Ile de la Cité (home to monuments including Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie) are just blocks to the south.

• Address: Square de la Tour Saint-Jacques, 75001 (1st arrondissement)
• Metro: Châtelet, les Halles or Rambuteau

Courtney Traub is the Founder and Editor of Paris Unlocked. She’s a longtime Paris resident who now divides her time (as well as she can manage) between the French capital and Norwich, UK. Co-author of the 2012 Michelin Green Guide to Northern France & the Paris Region, she has been interviewed as an expert on Paris and France by the BBC, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Le Figaro, Matador Network and other publications. Courtney has also written and reported stories for media outlets including Radio France Internationale, The Christian Science Monitor, Women’s Wear Daily and The Associated Press. In addition to going down various rabbit holes of curiosity when it comes to French culture, history, food and art, Courtney is a scholar of literature and cultural history whose essays and reviews have appeared in various forums.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore Topics

Recent posts.

• Best Time to See Paris: A Season-by-Season Guide on When to Go
• A Week in Paris, Versailles & Reims: A Self-Guided Itinerary
• Itinerary: A Morning Around One of Paris’ Best Food Markets
• A 10-Day Adventure in Paris & Lyon (Self-Guided Itinerary)
• Privacy Policy

Paris Unlocked

Tour Saint-Jacques

• Hôtel de Ville • 2 min walk
• Châtelet • 3 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travelers

Tour Saint-Jacques - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

The Saint-Jacques Tower in Paris: 16th-Century Marvel

A 16th-Century Tower in the City Center, Restored to its Former Glory

Courtney Traub.

The only remaining element of a church that once stood in central Paris and a former starting point for Christian pilgrimages southward, the St-Jacques Tower dates to the 16th century--  and recently underwent a dramatic restoration.

The belltower, which had become a public danger due to unstable stone elements, was hidden under heavy scaffolding for years before being unveiled in all of its revamped glory in early 2009. Since then, the tower has once again become a major feature of the landscape on Paris' central right bank ( rive droite ),  and for good reason: it tower boasts stunning stained glass and statuary and looks less like an orphaned remnant of a church than it does a standalone monument.

Read related: 4 Towers to Visit in Paris That Aren't the Eiffel 

Location & Getting There

Getting to the tower is quite easy since it's so centrally located, at the meeting point of many metro and bus stops. 

Address: Square de la tour Saint-Jacques, 88 rue de Rivoli, 4th arrondissement Metro: Chatelet or Hotel de Ville (Lines 1, 4, 7, 11, 14) (Buy Paris metro passes direct)

Tower Visiting Hours

The tower is accessible by reservation in advance only, as part of a guided tour. The 50-minute guided tours are available for individuals and groups at restricted times. Only 5 people are allowed up at a time.

The climb to the top is 300 steps (approximately 16 floors); you should abstain from attempting it if you suffer from vertigo or fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia). Visitors with limited mobility or heart problems are also discouraged should likewise exercise caution. Please also note that for safety reasons, children under 10 are not permitted to take the tour.

Reserving a Tour

To reserve a slot, call  +33 (0) 1 83 96 15 05 from 10 am to 1 pm on Wednesday, or visit the information desk at the tower to reserve on the same day or in advance. 

If you can't make one of the tours or don't like the idea of climbing the tower, the public square on which it stands affords good views and photo opportunities. The square is open daily during daylight hours and closes at dusk.

A Short History of the Tower: 

• The early 1500's: The 170-ft belltower is erected as part of the Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie Church. Although the church was built during the Renaissance, it's designed in the medieval gothic tradition. Christian pilgrims begin their journey along the Saint-Jacques de la Compostelle route here.
• 1793: The church is destroyed during the French Revolution. The remaining tower is pillaged and used as a stone quarry.
• 1836: The City of Paris acquires the tower, which becomes the centerpiece of one of the city's first public squares.
• 2006: The city undertakes an intensive restoration project on the tower.
• 2009: The fully restored tower is unveiled.

Read related feature: All About the Halles/Beaubourg Neighborhood

Tips for Visiting the Tower?

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the tower isn't open to visitors without a tour reservation. Visit the square in the early morning or dusk hours for fantastic views of the dramatic tower from below (and photo ops of light hitting St Jacques-- a poetic sight by any standards).

Make sure to wear comfortable shoes. Walking 300 stairs up to the top in heels or flip-flops will not be a pleasant experience.  

If you're really hankering to see some dramatic architecture, consider heading over the river to the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral , or to the light-filled, sublime Sainte-Chapelle , featuring some of the medieval period's most intricate and beautiful stained glass. 

Top 20 Most Popular French Cities for International Visitors

All About the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris

The 10 Most Beautiful Bridges in Paris

A Guide to the 4th Arrondissement in Paris

Top 15 Monuments and Historic Sites in Paris

The Top 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in France

Chateau de Vincennes: The Complete Guide

Paris' Pont des Arts: The Complete Guide

9 Places for Jewish History in Paris, From Museums to Memorials

The Bois de Vincennes in Paris: A Complete Guide

All About the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Paris

Les Invalides in Paris: The Complete Guide

Top 15 Things to Do at Night in Paris

A Self-Guided Tour of Parisian Architecture

18 Best Free Things to Do in Paris

The Palais de Chaillot: The Complete Guide

• Museums and Exhibits
• Shows and Comedy
• Concert and Music
• Movies and Tv Shows
• History and Heritage

Tour Saint-Jacques, the ancient bell tower with its sublime view over Paris, open from May to November

How about an incredible view of Paris ? Head for the top of the Tour Saint-Jacques , accessible only for part of the year, between May 17 and November 10, 2024 , to discover this medieval tower, built between 1509 and 1523, the starting point of the Compostelle pilgrimage. For the rest of the year, it can only be admired from below, in the square of the same name.

The statue of Blaise Pascal stands in the center at the finish line. History has it that he conducted barometric experiments here. The tower is designed in Gothic style , with gargoyles and other ornamental moldings thanks to the particularly hard "liais" bench and the stone extracted from the Saint-Leu quarries in the Oise region. The Tour Saint-Jacques is located in the heart of the capital , at the center of the commercial thoroughfares (rue Saint-Denis, rue Saint-Martin and rue des Ecrivains, now rue de Rivoli).

It's a place steeped in history , home to a lead shot factory from 1824 to 1836, and once the heart of a monumental church, Saint-Jacques-la-Boucherie , where Nicolas Flamel is buried. In 1853, historian N.--M. Troche suggested transforming the tower into a clock, and Paris incorporated the Montsouris municipal meteorological observatory until 1898.

• Tips for the week of June 3 - 9, 2024 in Paris: free or inexpensive outings
• Free museums and monuments: places to visit this Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Paris
• Free Museums and Monuments to visit in Paris and the Ile-de-France region, good ideas for outings

Guided tours are offered by the MagmaCultura agency, in partnership with the City of Paris, from 10am to 6pm, Wednesday to Sunday , by reservation only. Don't forget to bring good shoes, as you'll have to climb 300 steps to earn this superb view of the capital. For this reason, access is forbidden to children under 10 and people with heart problems.

To get to the Tour Saint-Jacques, you can get off at Châtelet , on lines 4, 7, 14, 11 and 1, as well as RER lines A, B and D.

Refer your establishment, click here Promote your event, click here

Location La Tour Saint Jacques Square Saint-Jacques 75004 Paris 4

Prices -18ans, étudiants et chômeurs: €10 Tarif normal: €12

Recommended age From 12 to 80 years old

Average duration 1 h

Official website www.toursaintjacques.fr

Tour Saint Jacques: The Gothic Remains of a 16th-Century Church

By: Author Sophie Nadeau

Posted on Last updated: 4th March 2023

Categories Paris

Last Updated on 4th March 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

Tour Saint Jacques sits, high and mighty above rue de Rivoli, imposing over the surrounding square and streets. All that remains of a medieval church which once stood in the district, the tower can be found on the fringes of Le Marais, a historic district known for its medieval architecture and winding lanes. Here’s a quick history of Tour Saint Jacques , as well as how to visit for yourself and things to know before you go.

A history of Tour Saint Jacques

Located within the grounds of a garden with the same name, Tour Saint Jacques is the solitary remainder of a once grand Gothic ecclesiastical building. The  church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie was so-called because it was funded by wealthy patrons of the Butcher’s guild of the nearby Les Halles food market.

Though today Les Halles is home to a large shopping centre, during the Medieval period, and right up until the 1970s, the market was the largest food market in Paris.

The flamboyant Gothic architecture of the Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie was constructed between 1509 and 1523 and served the neighbourhood until the church was demolished during the French Revolution, leaving only the tower.

In times gone by, the church would have been one of the key Paris locations on the Tours branch of the pilgrimage on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle). Today, the tower is considered as a National Historic Landmark.

How to visit Tour Saint Jacques

Thanks to the fact that the tower rises up above the rest of the district, you can view the tower at all times of the day and night, rising up above the rest of the buildings along rue de Rivoli.

However, the actual park surrounding the tower, Square de la Tour Saint Jacques, is open from 8 AM – 8:30 PM Monday to Friday and Saturday 9 AM to 8:30 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.

If you want to get a bird’s eye view of the best of Paris (including views onto the River Seine, Notre Dame Cathedral, and, of course, the Eiffel Tower) , then you’ll be delighted to discover that you can actually ascend the medieval tower for a small fee. 

A guided accompanied tour takes place every hour from 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Prices are €12 for the full adult price and €10 for concessions. Tours last for 40 minutes and you’ll be required to climb around 300 steps to reach the top of the tower.

Tours can be booked on the website of Des Mots et Des Arts and children under 10 are not allowed to visit. If you want to attend a tour for free, then you should know that Tour Saint-Jacques is free to visit during European Heritage Days, which are usually held during a weekend in mid- September .

Due to its enviable position in the heart of Le Marais district of Paris, there’s no shortage of things to see and do nearby.

As well as a quirky array of hidden gems that even many locals don’t know about, should you head to Le Marais, you’ll also find a large assortment of shopping experiences (including many a vintage shop) and eatery.

Enjoyed reading about how to visit Tour Saint Jacques? Pin this article now, read it again later:

Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A Francophile at heart, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She splits her time between Paris and London and travels as much as she can! Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Tour St-Jacques

Just north of place du Châtelet, the Flamboyant Gothic, 54m-high St James Tower is all that remains of the Église St-Jacques la Boucherie, built by the powerful butchers guild in 1523 as a starting point for pilgrims setting out for the shrine of St James at Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Guided 50-minute tours (in French; book online at www.desmotsetdesarts.com) take visitors up 300 stairs to an expansive panorama. Children must be 10 years or older.

39 rue de Rivoli, 4e

Get In Touch

01 83 96 15 05

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Eiffel Tower

There are different ways to experience the Eiffel Tower, from a daytime trip or an evening ascent amid twinkling lights, to a meal in one of its…

Centre Pompidou

Home to Europe's largest collection of modern and contemporary art, Centre Pompidou has amazed and delighted visitors ever since it opened in 1977, not…

Sainte-Chapelle

Visit Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day when Paris’ oldest, finest stained glass (1242–48) is at its dazzling best. The chapel is famous for its stained…

Musée du Louvre

It isn’t until you’re standing in the vast courtyard of the Louvre, with its glass pyramid and ornate façade, that you can truly say you’ve been to Paris.

Les Catacombes

It’s gruesome, ghoulish and downright spooky, but it never fails to captivate visitors. In 1785, the subterranean tunnels of an abandoned quarry were…

Musée Rodin

Even if you're not an art lover, it is worth visiting this high-profile art museum to lose yourself in its romantic gardens.

Jardin du Luxembourg

This famous inner-city oasis of formal terraces, chestnut groves and lush lawns has a special place in Parisians' hearts. 

Elegant and regal in equal measure, the massive neoclassical dome of the Left Bank's iconic Panthéon is an icon of the Parisian skyline. Louis XV…

Nearby Paris attractions

1 . 59 Rivoli

In such a classical part of Paris, 59 Rivoli is a bohemian breath of fresh air. Watch artists at work in the 30 ateliers (studios) spread over six floors…

2 . Hôtel de Ville

Paris’ beautiful town hall was gutted during the Paris Commune of 1871 and rebuilt in luxurious neo-Renaissance style between 1874 and 1882. The ornate…

3 . Fontaine des Innocents

The name of this multi-tiered Renaissance fountain (1550) comes off as a bit ironic – nothing in central Paris feels even remotely innocent – but is in…

4 . Conciergerie

A royal palace in the 14th century, the Conciergerie later became a prison. During the Reign of Terror (1793–94) alleged enemies of the Revolution were…

5 . Centre Pompidou

6 . Sainte-Chapelle

7 . Atelier Brancusi

Northwest of the main building of the Centre Pompidou, this reconstruction of the studio of Romanian-born sculptor Constantin Brancusi (1876–1957),…

8 . Lafayette Anticipations

In 2018 the corporate foundation of French retailer Galeries Lafayette opened this unique multidisciplinary space for producing, experimenting with and…

Enjoy Paris Through My Eyes

How to Visit Châtelet’s Tour Saint-Jacques in Paris

If you want to begin your pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, begin at Châtelet and the Tour Saint-Jacques in Paris. Or skip the pilgrimage and let MagmaCultura help you discover the fabulous history of the tower and its uses through the centuries. A specialized guide leads you to one of the most beautiful, panoramic views of Paris! Along the journey up 300 steps, you will also visit a room with tower decoration fragments and a meteorology room that was in use until 2000.

MagmaCultura works with the City of Paris for the ticketing and guided tours. The Tower is open to visitors every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from the second weekend in June until the second weekend in November, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For group visits, school visits or visits in languages other than those offered online , write to [email protected] . For the English tour at 1 p.m., use the contact email address to request specific dates and times. In September, October and November a minimum of two per weekend are planned depending on the availability of the guides. The French tours run every hour between 10 a.m. and 6 pm.

To be sure of going up in the tower, reservations should be made online www.toursaintjacques.fr .  Tickets are for timed entry. There is a ticket kiosk at the foot of the Tour Saint-Jacques.  Full price is 12 euros and reduced price is 10 euros. The reduced price (for visitors under 18 and students) includes admission and the g uided tour. The tour lasts one hour. Access restrictions: People suffering from claustrophobia and vertigo. People with walking difficulties or heart problems, with visual, hearig or physical disabilities. You must be over 10 years old.

MagmaCultura agency’s tour retraces the history of this eleventh century vestige on the Right Bank ( Rive Droite ). The former bell tower of the Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie church has dominated the landscape of the Right Bank of the Seine for five centuries. The church was sold during the French Revolution and only the tower remains. Prior to the City of Paris’s purchase of the tower in 1836, it was  a bomb-making facility. The city turned it into an ornamental tower surrounded by a garden, which remains today.

More information from the City of Paris

City of Paris events Tour Saint-Jacques 

City of Paris Discover the view from the Tour Saint-Jacques  

A Little History Before You Go

I would highly recommend reading the history of the area before you take the tour. Read about the Grand Châtelet and Grand Boucherie (in French so needs a translation). Because of the smell, this area was outside the city walls. The butchers and fish mongers worked and cleaned and sold the meat and fish. The Seine was so close they could conveniently jettison the carcasses and innards to float away. This area was so filthy and unhygienic! What a difference a couple of centuries makes.

The church, Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, originally finished in 1523, was dismantled stone-by-stone in 1793 and only the clock tower was allowed to remain. The tower was saved when a private individual persuaded the revolutionaries to save this unique piece of their heritage and history. They agreed as long as it was transferred into secular hands and out of the church’s possession.

The City of Paris bought and restored the tower of the former church, Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, in 1836. It was renovated in 1858 to not look like a church bell tower.  The tower survived the Haussmannien period and became an ornament along the public thoroughfare of rue de Rivoli.

Wanting to have green spaces as in London, a park was made around the tower and a facing street was named in honor of Queen Victoria coinciding with her Paris visit. The tower of Saint-Jacques was used as a meteorological observatory from 1895 to 2000. For anyone that visited Paris after 2001, you would have seen the tower engulfed in scaffolding. The renovations were so extensive to match stone fragments and reinforce the foundation that work could not begin until 2006 and lasted until its reopening in 2013.

Colleen's Paris

• Share on Tumblr

You May Also Like

Christian Louboutin Exhibition(iste)

Toys That Speak French and Toy Stores in Paris

Marcel Proust “A Parisien Novel” is a Novel Journey

Discovering the Tour Saint-Jacques

Many people, tourists and Parisians alike, do not know the history of La Tour Saint-Jacques (St. James Tower in English). Perhaps because it only reopened in 2009 after a restoration that took almost 10 years. Even I, who have walked by it many times, only knew that it was the vestige of an old church.

Well, one of my resolutions was to discover the lonely Tour Saint-Jaques, so I’ll be sharing a summary of its history and what you should know if you want to visit it, plus a couple of fun facts as per usual!

HISTORY OF THE TOUR SAINT-JAQUES

To understand the history of the Tour Saint-Jacques, we must go back to the Paris that was surrounded by a medieval wall. The Company of Butchers (yes, nothing glamorous but very powerful, like the Company of Merchants that founded the Hôtel de Ville), settled outside the great market that was Châtelet. It is said that they had a lot of money and had a church built in honor of St. James the Great, on the remains of a temple found there and dating far back (there are even legends that speak of the time of Charlemagne).

Years later, the church was bought and dismantled on condition that the tower was preserved. It was later acquired by an industrialist to create a foundry for lead bullets for hunting. The height of the tower was sufficient for the falling lead drops to cool when they reached the bottom (50 meters high).

After two fires, the Tower was bought by the Mayor of Paris, and around 1852, when the excavation works of the Rue de Rivoli began, it was decided this place would be restored. This was largely financed by Nicolas Flamel, a French bourgeois millionaire, and even has his initials on the stained glass windows, as well as those of the architect Théodore Ballu.

The Tour Saint-Jacques bell tower is thus the only vestige of the Saint-Jacques-La-Boucherie church, which was built in honor of Saint James the Great. Its current decoration, in flamboyant Gothic style, is the result of another restoration process initiated by Napoleon III.

It was finally restored again between 2001 and 2009 and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and the “Camino de Compostela”.

A TOWER FULL OF LEGENDS

Two legends caught my attention about this tower. The first is that it is said that during the Revolution the Saint-Jacques Tower was not demolished because Blaise Pascal (the famous mathematician and physicist) had resumed there his experiments on atmospheric pressure. This legend is false, because Pascal carried out these experiments in the Saint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas church located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris.

The other is that Nicolas Flamel (who financed the restoration of the tower along with his wife, and of whom there is a representation in the north portal), was said to be an alchemist, who turned metals into gold having found the Philosopher’s Stone. Harry Potter fans will surely be interested! Well, it turns out that Flamel was very wealthy because he had had a prosperous career and because he married a wealthy widow. Certainly an interesting way to turn metal into gold.

HOW TO VISIT THE TOUR SAINT-JACQUES

Currently the Ville de Paris has handed over the organization of the tours of the Tour Saint-Jacques to the agency “Des Mots et des Arts”, a Parisian agency, which organizes workshops, guided tours and thematic tours (very interesting for history fans).

The tours are mainly in French, but also in English. If you feel like it, and do not have knee problems, heart or claustrophobia, you can easily book your visit on the website of the agency in charge and access this unique place. Entry is only available during the summer starting at 10€ and it is strictly forbidden for children under 10 years old and babies.

You must book and pay online (the groups are small), the day of the visit arrive very punctual at the reception place (a small blue booth at the side of the park), the attendants will verify your registration, give you a ticket, and then the visit begins.

The introduction is at the base of the tower, and then the ascent beginsThe introduction is at the base of the tower, and then you start the ascent to a first level (50 steps to warm up your knees), then 70 more and finally the rest, for a total of 300 steps (it’s like climbing the Arc de Triomphe).

The view of Paris will leave you speechless.

Fun Fact 1:

The Place de la Tour Saint-Jacques was the first endowed and equipped square in Paris and was created in 1856 after the acquisition of the land by the City of Paris. This was part of the great transformations carried out in the city by Baron Haussmann, which sought to improve hygiene and circulation in the city center.

To get to the Place de la Tour Saint-Jacques (Square de la Tour Saint-Jacques) you can take Metro Lines 1, 4, 7, and 11 and get off at Châtelet (and walk 4 minutes) or Metro Lines 1 and 11 to Hôtel De Ville, and walk on Rue de Rivoli until you meet the square and the tower.

Fun Fact 2:

At the top of the Tower, you’ll find gargoyles, a large statue of St. James (standing) and 4 allegorical representations: The Lion (St. Mark), the Bull (St. Luke), the Angel (St. Matthew) and the Eagle (St. John). These statues are approximately 4 meters high and are accompanied by 18 statues of saints that decorate the sides of the tower.

So you know, if you come in summer and until November 3, you can take a guided tour of the Tour Saint-Jacques. Between 10:00 a.m. and 17h00 (5 p.m.) from Friday to Sunday. Tickets are available on the website Des Mots et Des Arts or directly at the ticket window (a little blue house on one side of the park). If you don’t want to worry about anything, you can ask us to design a personalized guide, where we can create an itinerary that fits your needs!

Paris is waiting for you.

Tour saint Jacques

• Présentation
• Questions - Réponses
• Liens utiles

Tour saint Jacques Crédit photo : Flickr

La Tour Saint Jacques se situe en plein coeur de Paris, dans le 4ème arrondissement, non loin de la Mairie de Paris, du Louvre ou encore de Notre Dame . Cette tour de style gothique flamboyant se trouve actuellement dans un petit parc, à l'intersection des rues de Rivoli et Nicolas Flamel. La tour Saint-Jacques a été construite au XVIe siècle, plus précisément entre 1509 et 1523, comme partie d'une église dédiée à Saint Jacques le Majeur, le saint patron des pèlerins. Cette église connue sous le nom de l' église Saint Jacques de la boucherie était le point de départ pour le pèlerinage des Chrétiens qui allaient à Compostelle en Espagne. La tour était utilisée pour guider les pèlerins, car elle était, avec ses 54 mètres de hauteur, l'un des plus hauts points de Paris à l'époque. Au fil du temps, l'église a subi de nombreux changements et a finalement été démolie en 1797, pendant la Révolution française. La tour est la seule partie de l'église à échapper à la démolition. On raconte que la tour Saint-Jacques à Paris a survécu à la démolition en grande partie parce qu'elle était utilisée comme observatoire météorologique par l'Académie des sciences au 18e siècle. Mais cette relation à la science était plus profonde. En effet, en 1745, l'Académie a installé un instrument appelé "thermomètre à mercure" à l'intérieur de la tour pour mesurer la température de l'air. Cet instrument était le premier du genre à être utilisé en France pour mesurer la température. Plus tard, en 1774, Blaise Pascal, un scientifique français célèbre pour ses travaux en mathématiques et en physique, a effectué des expériences sur la pression atmosphérique à la Tour Saint-Jacques. Il a utilisé un baromètre pour mesurer la pression de l'air à différents niveaux de la tour, en montant et descendant l'escalier en colimaçon de la tour pour mesurer les changements de pression. Les travaux de Pascal sur la pression atmosphérique ont été essentiels pour la compréhension de la météorologie. Ils ont notamment conduit à des avancées dans d'autres domaines scientifiques. La Tour Saint-Jacques est donc un lieu important dans l'histoire de la météorologie et de la physique. Ainsi depuis 1891, le haut de la tour est devenu une station météorologique. Aujourd'hui encore, la tour est toujours utilisée pour des expériences scientifiques et des études météorologiques. Elle est équipée de capteurs modernes pour mesurer la température, la pression et d'autres données météorologiques, et elle sert de point de référence pour les mesures de la qualité de l'air à Paris. La tour a subi des restaurations majeures au fil des siècles pour la préserver, l'embellir et la maintenir debout. La première restauration majeure de la tour a eu lieu en 1836, après que des pierres de la tour se sont effritées et soient tombées sur la rue en dessous. La restauration a été supervisée par l'architecte Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus, qui a remplacé les pierres endommagées et renforcé la structure de la tour. Il a également ajouté une statue de Saint Jacques, en bronze, au sommet de la tour pour remplacer l'ancienne statue en plomb qui avait été fondue pendant la Révolution française. En 1854, une deuxième restauration a été entreprise sous la direction de l'architecte Victor Baltard et de Théodore Ballu. Cette fois-ci, la tour a été entièrement démontée et reconstruite, avec l'ajout de nouveaux éléments architecturaux pour renforcer sa structure. La tour a également été surélevée de quelques mètres pour la rendre plus visible depuis les rues avoisinantes. Enfin, la dernière restauration majeure de la Tour Saint-Jacques a eu lieu en 2009. La tour a été restaurée à son état d'origine avec l'enlèvement des ajouts du XIXe siècle, tels que les contreforts et les balustrades, pour la rendre plus proche de son apparence d'origine. Cette restauration a également permis de renforcer la structure de la tour et de préserver sa longévité. Aujourd'hui, la Tour Saint-Jacques est un monument historique classé et est ouverte au public pour des visites guidées. Les visiteurs peuvent gravir les 300 marches en colimaçon pour admirer la vue imprenable sur Paris depuis le sommet de la tour. Le square de la Tour Saint Jacques attire aussi touristes et habitants du quartier par la beauté de ses plantations et l'élégance de ses pelouses, ce qui en fait un des plus beaux jardins publics de la capitale.

Questions - Réponses Tour saint Jacques

Qui a construit la tour saint jacques .

La Tour Saint-Jacques, située à Paris, est un monument isolé, reste d'une église du XVIe siècle, l'église Saint-Jacques-la-Boucherie, détruite après la Révolution française. Cette tour gothique de 52 mètres de hauteur était autrefois le point de départ des pèlerins se rendant à Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. Dominant le square Saint-Jacques, elle est célèbre pour sa richesse décorative, ses statues, et son sommet offrant une vue panoramique sur Paris. Elle a été classée monument historique en 1862 et a subi plusieurs restaurations.

Quelles expériences ont été réalisées dans la tour Saint Jacques ?

La Tour Saint-Jacques à Paris a servi de cadre à d'importantes expériences scientifiques. Au XIXe siècle, le physicien français Léon Foucault y réalisa des expériences démontrant la rotation de la Terre. En 1851, il y suspendit son célèbre pendule, un dispositif simple mais ingénieux qui, en oscillant constamment dans le même plan, révélait le mouvement de rotation de la Terre sous lui. Ces expériences ont été cruciales pour la compréhension de la dynamique terrestre et restent un jalon majeur de la physique.

Quels sont les animaux emblématiques dela tour Saint Jacques ?

La Tour Saint-Jacques à Paris est ornée de sculptures d'animaux emblématiques, parmi lesquels les plus remarquables sont les dragons. Ces créatures mythiques, sculptées avec un souci du détail, symbolisent la protection et sont un motif récurrent dans l'architecture gothique. En outre, la tour présente des gargouilles, figures typiques de ce style architectural, conçues pour évacuer l'eau de pluie et représentant diverses formes animales fantastiques. Ces éléments sculpturaux ajoutent à l'aura mystique et historique de la tour, témoignant de l'art et de la culture médiévale.

Qui est la statue sous la Tour Saint Jacques ?

Sous la Tour Saint-Jacques à Paris se trouve une statue de Blaise Pascal, le célèbre mathématicien, physicien et philosophe français du XVIIe siècle. Cette statue rend hommage à ses expériences sur la pression atmosphérique réalisées en 1648. Pascal a utilisé la hauteur de la tour pour ses expériences sur le baromètre, démontrant ainsi les variations de pression de l'air avec l'altitude, une contribution majeure à la science de la physique et de la météorologie.

Peut-on visiter la Tour Saint Jacques ?

Oui, la Tour Saint-Jacques à Paris est ouverte au public pour des visites, mais avec certaines restrictions. L'accès est limité à des visites guidées, généralement disponibles pendant les mois d'été et organisées par l'Office du Tourisme de Paris. Les visiteurs peuvent monter les 300 marches pour atteindre le sommet, offrant une vue panoramique impressionnante sur la ville. Cependant, les places sont limitées et les billets doivent souvent être réservés à l'avance en raison de la forte demande.

Quelles sont les plus belles vues de Paris ?

Paris regorge de points de vue époustouflants. La Tour Saint-Jacques, avec son panorama unique sur le cœur historique de la ville, est un incontournable. La Tour Eiffel offre des vues emblématiques depuis ses plateformes d'observation. Le sommet de la Basilique du Sacré-Cœur à Montmartre révèle une perspective romantique sur Paris. L'Arc de Triomphe offre une vue magnifique sur les Champs-Élysées. Le Centre Pompidou se distingue avec sa vue moderne sur le Marais, tandis que la Tour Montparnasse offre une vue panoramique sur toute la ville, y compris la Tour Eiffel.

Tarifs Tour saint Jacques

12€ par personne

10€ pour les moins de 18 ans, les étudiants et les chômeurs

L'accès au sommet est interdit aux moins de 10 ans.

Billet Tour saint Jacques

A partir de la Tour Saint Jacques, découvrez le reste des monuments de Paris. Notre partenaire a regroupé ici une sélection de bons plans et de billets coupe files ainsi que des billets combinés pour vous permettre de les réserver à l'avance. Planifiez ainsi votre séjour parisien en toute tranquillité et retrouvez les billets directement sur votre téléphone portable.

Acces Tour saint Jacques

Comment aller à la tour saint jacques .

C'est grâce à la station Chatelet que vous pourrez vous rendre à la tour Saint Jacques. cette station est déservie par les lignes de métro 1, 4, 7, 11 et 14.

Horaires Tour saint Jacques

Quels sont les horaires d'ouvertire de la tour saint jacques .

La Tour Saint Jacques est ouverte du vendredi au dimanche de 10 heures à 17 heures entre mai et novembre. Il n'est pas possible de visiter la Tour le reste de l'année.

Contact Tour saint Jacques

Telephone : 01 83 96 15 05

Carte Tour saint Jacques

Adresse : Tour Saint Jacques, 39 Rue de Rivoli, 75004 Paris

Liens utiles Tour saint Jacques

• Site de l'office du tourisme de Paris

Vidéos Tour saint Jacques

Photos Tour saint Jacques

• Sites and Monuments in Paris
• Sites and Monuments in France
• Things to do in Paris
• Things to do in France
• ACCOMMODATION
• RENTING A CAR
• CHEF SERVICE
• CONCIERGERIE SERVICES
• TRAVEL TIPS
• TRAVEL LUGGAGE
• Arrondissements
• Monuments & Landmarks
• Secret & Offbeat Paris
• More about Paris...
• Île de France
• More Regions of France...
• Aix-en-Provence
• More Cities...
• Castles and Palaces
• Cathedrals and Churches
• Gardens and Parks
• World Heritage Sites
• Villages of France
• Autumn / Fall
• Mardi-Gras / Carnival
• April Fools' Day
• Bastille Day
• All Saints' Day
• More Holidays and Celebrations...
• National Anthem
• Gallic Rooster
• National Day
• Motto of France
• Motto of Paris
• Coat of Arms
• French President
• Le Croissant
• French Cheese
• French Wines
• Christmas Food and Recipes
• French Nursery Rhymes
• France geography
• FUN QUIZZES
• MOVIES AND MUSIC
• FRENCH LANGUAGE
• BOOKS BY FRENCH MOMENTS
• BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
• The Secrets of the Eiffel Tower
• The Gems of Paris
• Office desks and chairs
• Travel suitcases
• LEARN FRENCH WITH PIERRE
• THE STORY SO FAR
• WORK WITH US
• THE NEWSLETTER
• HOW TO SUPPORT US
• PHOTO USAGE POLICY

A climb to the top of the Tour Saint-Jacques, Paris

Last Updated:  11 August 2022

Only a few people have been able to climb the  Tour Saint-Jacques , a single tower that rises in the centre of Paris . Many don’t even notice the monument as their paths lead them straight to famous landmarks in the vicinity: Notre-Dame , Sainte-Chapelle , the banks of River Seine … and the shopping precinct of rue de Rivoli. Here is a selection of photos taken during our ascent. At the end of the article, I’ll tell you how you can plan your ascent to the tower and enjoy breathtaking views over Paris!

What about Tour Saint-Jacques? 

Bearing witness to the past of the Right Bank, the Saint-Jacques Tower is a Parisian monument that cannot be overlooked. Since its full restoration in the 2000s, the former bell tower of a church which no longer exists has been opened to the public by its owner, the Municipality of Paris. We booked in advance and came to visit the inside and the top of the tower yesterday.

Situated in the neighbourhood of  Châtelet  in the  4th arrondissement of Paris, the curious Saint-Jacques Tower stands alone, surrounded by the trees and lawns of the Square de la Tour Saint-Jacques.

From the public garden, the Flamboyant Gothic features of the tower are clearly visible, particularly at the top of the tower:

To the top of the Tour Saint-Jacques

Please note! This account dates back to our last ascent to the tower in 2015. Since then, a few things have changed (a different tour agency, the great fire of Notre-Dame, etc.), which explained you might have only a slightly different experience.

We started our guided tour of the tower at the west side gate, where the friendly guide welcomed us. Around 12 people joined the group, and the visit started at 10 am at the base of the tower for a historical presentation of the tower.

By the statue of Blaise Pascal , the tour guide explained the troubled past of the former church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie and the destiny of its bell tower, which was saved from demolition during the French Revolution. Now we are ready for the ascent of 300 steps!

Following the presentation, we climbed a short flight of spiral stairs to reach the first floor. Inside were artefacts left by the craftsmen who participated in the recent restoration. The tour guide explained the phases of restoration from the 19th century to the 2000s.

The 19th-century restoration

The 19th-century restoration programme took place at a time when Gothic architecture was rediscovered.

Under the auspices of writers (Victor Hugo) and with architects’ passion, many Gothic churches and monuments were restored.

Viollet-le-Duc is famous for its work on Carcassonne , Pierrefonds and notably Notre-Dame Cathedral , where he added fantastic creatures made of stone: the chimeras.

Tour Saint-Jacques was no exception to the rule, and many additions were made when restoring the site. An example of this is the beautiful siren (see photo below) added in the 19th century to the tower’s façade, knowing that sirens were not at all fantastic creatures depicted in the Middle Ages!

The location of the former bells

The second flight of stairs of approximately 80 steps led us to another fascinating floor where the ceiling is the actual top of the tower. The tower housed a carillon with 12 bells when it was the bell tower of the church. It was one of the finest in Paris after that of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Reaching the platform

The longest climb finally got us to the tower’s summit at 60 metres high, where the group discovered one of the most beautiful views of Paris. For our tour guide, it is the most stunning view due to the central position of the tower: a 360-degree view makes the monuments and landmarks of Paris so close and offers unexpected perspectives.

With a good lens, the Eiffel Tower reveals its iron laces. In the forefront rises the neo-Gothic basilica of Sainte-Clotilde :

View of the Île de la Cité in the forefront and the Left Bank in the background. You can spot several monuments: the Tribunal de Commerce, the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle, the Saint-Sulpice and Saint-Germain-des-Prés churches, the Montparnasse Tower and the Panthéon (under restoration):

The long façade of the Conciergerie on the Île de la Cité with the neighbourhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés behind it. You can see the dark skyscraper of Montparnasse Tower in the background:

A gargoyle overlooking the first arrondissement of Paris:

The modern structure of the Pompidou Centre and the Gothic church of Saint-Merri in the forefront:

The best place to view Haussmann’s work

A stunning view reveals the work of Baron Haussmann in the mid-1850: boulevard de Sébastopol leading to the Gare du Nord. The shady street marks the boundary between Paris’s 1st (left) and 4th (right) arrondissements. To the left, the neighbourhood of Les Halles (with the new canopy and Saint-Eustache church) and the hill of Montmartre:  

To the left: the perspective of rue de Rivoli leading up to the Place de la Concorde. You can see the CBD of La Défense in the background.

To the right: the district of Les Halles with Saint-Eustache church and the hill of Montmartre.

A closer look at the perspective of rue de Rivoli created by Baron Haussmann in the mid-1850s:

A stunning view of the Historical Axis of Paris (la Voie Triomphale). From the Louvre, the axis runs through the Tuileries Garden, the Place de la Concorde (see the Luxor Obelisk), the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe and the Grande-Arche de la Défense (under restoration in 2015):

The Musée d’Orsay and the banks of River Seine:

The Pont des Arts without the love-locks! In 2015 the City of Paris replaced the locks with temporary pinkish deck rails before the installation of new transparent panels:

The best place to see the landmarks of Paris

Two domes in the same picture: the small dome of the Institut de France and the golden dome of Les Invalides:

In the forefront is the dome of the Bourse du Commerce (1st arrondissement) and the massive complex of Opéra Garnier in the background:

The Sacré-Cœur Basilica standing atop the hill of Montmartre:

A closer look at the church of Saint-Eustache, one of Paris’ most beautiful churches:

The Rue de Rivoli and Rue Saint-Antoine looking eastwards (4th arrondissement):

The Romanesque bell tower of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, one of the oldest churches in Paris:

 The Île Saint-Louis and its romantic quays:  

A closer look at the Gothic features of the Palace of Justice with the towers of the Conciergerie and the Sainte-Chapelle:

Saint-Sulpice (6th arrondissement), Paris’ second biggest church after Notre-Dame cathedral:

The trees of boulevard Saint-Michel, marking the boundary between the 5th (left) and 6th (right) arrondissements:

The Panthéon and its impressively tall crane (2015-2016 restoration):

The Fontaine du Palmier (Palm tree fountain) overlooks the Place du Châtelet and the banks of the River Seine:

How to book the climb!

To visit the monument, book online here .

Fees: Adult: 12 euros, Concession: 10 euros.

Please note:

• The climb is not accessible to children under ten years old.
• The ascent can be difficult as it takes place through a long narrow spiral staircase.
• Therefore, it is best to be in (very) good physical condition and not be prone to dizziness or claustrophobia.

Opening times (2022)

• From Friday 10 June to Sunday 13 November 2022
• Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
• From 10 am to 6 pm.

The guided tour proposed by the MagmaCultura agency retraces the history of the former bell tower of the Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie church, which has dominated the landscape of the right bank of the Seine for five centuries.

Check out our curated magazine on Flipboard for exclusive stories & insights on France!

About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

Like it? Leave a comment!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

Name * * * * * * * * * *

E-mail * * * * * * * * * *

Website [optional]

Save my name, email and website in the browser for my next comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

I finally timed my 10th visit to Paris correctly and was able to do the tower tour in September ‘21. Five of us were guided by two very pleasant and knowledgeable young folks who seemed to truly enjoy their work. I’ve been to just about all of the “high” points from which to view the city, and the Tour Saint-Jacques is right there near the top. You’re high enough to see a lot, but not so high that you lose perspective of the details. The climb, if you are healthy enough, is well worth the effort! 🤙🏽

Thank you, Greg for telling us about your visit (and climb!) to the Tour Saint-Jacques!

Transparency: Some blog posts and pages may contain affiliate or sponsored links. If you are planning a trip, the use of these links helps us to run the site. There is no additional cost to you. All you have to do is click on the link and any booking you make is automatically tracked. Thank you for your support!

Escape to France with every email! Get insider insights, travel guides, cultural gems delivered and exclusive offers to your inbox twice a week. Your journey to Paris and France begins when you sign up!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER AND GET THE FREE EBOOK

24 PLACES TO SEE IN FRANCE

Paris.fr ne fait aucun suivi publicitaire et ne collecte aucune donnée personnelle . Des cookies sont utilisés à des fins statistiques ou de fonctionnement, ainsi que d'analyse (que vous pouvez refuser ici), nous permettant d'améliorer le site en continu.

• Aller au contenu
• Aller à la navigation
• une information
• une actualité
• une activité
• un évènement
• une démarche

Sept choses à savoir sur la tour Saint-Jacques

Vestige d'une église, elle est le point de départ d'un célèbre pèlerinage

Blaise Pascal y a réalisé des expériences

Une station météorologique y est déployée à partir de 1891

Un lion, un taureau, un aigle et un ange la surplombent

Les travaux d'Haussmann sont pour beaucoup dans sa mise en valeur

Elle offre l’une des plus belles vues panoramiques de Paris…

Elle ne se visite que de mai à novembre… et elle se mérite !

Cette vidéo est hébergée par youtube.com En l'affichant, vous acceptez ses conditions d'utilisation et les potentiels cookies déposés par ce site.

Vidéo Youtube

• Tour Saint-Jacques
• À voir, à faire
• Musées et monuments

Description

Infos pratiques.

Dernier vestige de l’église Saint-Jacques-la-Boucherie , construite au XVIe siècle puis détruite à la Révolution, la tour Saint-Jacques est un bijou de style gothique flamboyant . Point de départ du pèlerinage vers Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle , l’Église tirait son nom de son emplacement originel, dans le quartier de la corporation des bouchers de Paris.

Les grandes enseignes de prêt-à-porter ont depuis remplacé les boucheries et la tour Saint-Jacques constitue dans ce décor une incongruité médiévale qui mérite un détour. Profitez de l’espace de verdure offert par le petit square qui se trouve à ses pieds, le premier aménagé à Paris, pour observer les impressionnantes gargouilles et statues de saints , les vitraux délicats et motifs finement sculptés qui décorent les parois, et amusez vous à y dénicher les symboles cachés des quatre évangélistes .

Secrets et mystères de la tour Saint-Jacques

De nombreuses légendes ont façonné son caractère mystérieux depuis des siècles. Chaque année, de mai à novembre, l’agence MagmaCultura organise des visites guidées très complètes de 50 minutes pour découvrir ce souvenir du Paris médiéval et vous livrer quelques-uns de ses secrets .

Lancez-vous dans l’ascension des 300 marches de la tour . Depuis son sommet, à 54 mètres d’altitude, Paris se dévoile sous vos yeux, et la vue imprenable sur le Sacré-Cœur , la tour Eiffel et Notre-Dame vous fera bien vite oublier vos efforts. De quoi retrouver des forces en prenant de la hauteur.

Découvrez la tour Saint-Jacques à travers l’un des jeux de pistes de l’application Paris Region Aventures spécialement conçue pour les familles et téléchargeable gratuitement.

Accès et contacts

• https://www.paris.fr/lieux/tour-saint-jacques-5045

Jours et horaires d'ouverture

Toute l'année, tous les vendredis, samedis et dimanches de 10h à 17h. La Tour est ouverte du mois de mai au mois de novembre.

• Visite guidée uniquement. 12€ par personne 10€ pour les moins de 18 ans, les étudiants et les chômeurs.

Langues parlées

• Copyright image:
• Capelle Tourn / Ooshot / CRT Paris Ile-de-France

Session expirée

A Brief History of the Tour Saint-Jacques in Paris

What is the tour saint-jacques.

The Tour Saint-Jacques, or saint-jacques tower in English, is an elaborate 16th-century Flamboyant Gothic tower in Paris that was a meeting point for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Tour Saint-Jacques History

Legend has it that the body of Saint James, one of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles, was carried in a stone boat from Jerusalem to the Galician coast in northern Spain. In the 9th century, his remains were discovered by a local shepherd, and a shrine was built in his honour in Santiago de Compostela.

For the past thousand years, Christian pilgrims have made the arduous journey from all over Europe to pay homage to Saint James’ shrine. Although now a standalone Flamboyant Gothic tower, there was once a church on this spot named after the revered Apostle, a rallying point for pilgrims on the road to northern Spain. The church itself, however, was known by the longer name Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie (or Saint James of the Butchers), after the many butchers who worked at the nearby market of Les Halles and were the wealthy patrons of the church.

Much of the building was destroyed during the French Revolution, and in 1797, the medieval church was sold to an entrepreneur who made no secret of his intention to demolish the structure. Fortunately, since the French government decided to indemnify the new owner for the material value of the building’s stonework, and included the building in a proposed list of eleven ‘historic monuments’, the tower was saved. Tour Saint-Jacques stands at an imposing 52 metres tall, and due to its shape was later converted into a shot tower, a structure used for making small shot balls for guns. This was done by allowing molten lead to pass through a sieve at the top of the tower, where it would fall down into a tub of water, cool and harden in the shape of a bullet.

Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie was the burial place of Nicolas Flamel, a 14th-century Parisian scribe who became a patron of the church. Some 200 years after his death, Flamel was the subject of a myth that alleged he had discovered the Philosopher’s Stone, which turned base metals into gold and silver, and enabled him and his wife to become immortal. If you recognize the name but are unfamiliar with the history, it may be due to the fact he has appeared in a number of works of fiction, most famously in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , for obvious reasons.

The tower also has further philosophical connections. There’s a statue of the famous scientist and philosopher Blaise Pascal, which can be found at the base of the tower, who used it in the mid-17th century to conduct experiments on atmospheric pressure and the use of weights (before Isaac Newton discovered the laws of gravity).

Enhance your visit to the City of Light with our self guided walking tours of Paris .

Related Posts

A Brief History of the Place de la Concorde in Paris

A Brief History of Paris’s Iconic Eiffel Tower

What is the Tour Montparnasse in Paris?

There may be affiliate links on this page! That just means if you click on a link, find a ticket you like and buy it, we might make some cash. Don’t worry, you won’t pay any extra – sometimes you might even get a tasty discount. It’s a win for us and a win for you too!

Download the app and start exploring

So, what are you waiting for? Download the Urbs app today and bring your travel dreams to life.

Tour Saint-Jacques

• Hôtel de Ville • 2 min walk
• Châtelet • 3 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

TOUR SAINT-JACQUES: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Hérault : la justice administrative s’oppose au retour de la corrida à Pérols

Le tribunal a confirmé sa décision prise en urgence en 2023 d’interdire l’organisation d’une « novillada », qui oppose de jeunes taureaux à de jeunes toreros, avec mise à mort des taureaux, dans la commune de Pérols.

Le tribunal administratif de Montpellier a annulé mardi une décision de la ville de Pérols (Hérault) autorisant l’organisation d’une corrida sur son territoire, une « victoire » pour l’association Alliance anticorrida contre laquelle le maire de Pérols a décidé de faire appel .

Le tribunal avait été saisi par deux associations opposées à la corrida, dont Alliance anticorrida, ainsi que par trois habitants de la commune opposés à une délibération du conseil municipal qui souhaitait organiser cette novillada le 15 juillet 2023.

La ville de Pérols « fortement marquée par la culture taurine »

Or, selon le code pénal, « exercer des sévices graves ou commettre un acte de cruauté envers un animal domestique ou apprivoisé, ou tenu en captivité, est puni de trois ans d’emprisonnement et de 45 000 euros d’amende », des dispositions qui « ne sont pas applicables aux courses de taureaux lorsqu’une tradition locale ininterrompue peut être invoquée », a rappelé mardi le tribunal.

Dans sa décision, il reconnaît que la ville de Pérols, qui comprend des arènes ainsi qu’un club taurin centenaire, est « fortement marquée par la culture taurine ». Mais il estime que les manifestations taurines qui s’y sont tenues, notamment en 2022, « ne présentent pas de caractère ininterrompu » et qu’elles n’ont en outre, « depuis environ 20 ans, jamais concerné des courses de taureaux de type novillada ou corrida, avec ou sans mise à mort ».

L’existence d’un « ensemble démographique plus large » autour de Pérols où la corrida est pratiquée et qui justifierait la légalité de l’organisation d’une novillada n’a pas non plus été démontrée par la commune, a également estimé le tribunal qui a dès lors décidé que l’arrêté municipal contesté « (devait) être annulé » et a condamné la ville à verser la somme de 1 500 euros à l’Alliance anticorrida.

« La commune a décidé de faire appel de cette décision car nous voulons faire reconnaître qu’il existe bien à Pérols une tradition ininterrompue de tauromachie sous toutes ses variantes », a réagi auprès de l’AFP Malik Hamel, le directeur de cabinet du maire Jean-Pierre Rico.

Cette décision « devrait faire jurisprudence »

« On quitte enfin l’idée d’ensemble démographique pour revenir à l’esprit du législateur, qui avait clairement voulu donner à la notion de tradition locale ininterrompue une interprétation restrictive », s’est pour sa part réjouie la présidente d’Alliance anticorrida Claire Starozinski. Au-delà du cas de Pérols, cette décision « devrait faire jurisprudence » et « la corrida ne pourra pas être réimplantée là où elle n’avait plus droit de cité », a-t-elle ajouté.

Tradition espagnole introduite en France au XIXe siècle, la corrida provoque régulièrement des débats dans l’Hexagone entre défenseurs de cette « tradition culturelle régionale » et militants de la cause animale.

Aucune corrida ou novillada n’était envisagée par la ville de Pérols en 2024 et 2025. La commune y avait renoncé par avance, étant dans l’incertitude de la décision au fond de la justice administrative, selon Malik Hamel.

« La décision du tribunal marque une évolution considérable. Elle constate l’interruption de la tradition en limitant la notion de corrida à des actes de mises à mort mais, surtout, elle restreint le caractère local à la communauté de communes et non plus au département comme c’était le cas jusqu’alors », s’est réjoui dans un communiqué la Société protectrice des animaux (SPA). « C’est une véritable avancée pour les 75% des Français opposés à la corrida et, nous l’espérons, une étape vers son interdiction définitive », a commenté son président Jacques-Charles Fombonne.