La Madeleine: Chopin’s church, five minutes from the hotel

Why does the Madeleine look like a temple?

In 1806, Napoleon decided to turn the unfinished church into a temple to the glory of the Grande Armée and gave the work to the architect Pierre Vignon. After the Russian campaign he dropped the plan, and the building became a church again, completed in 1842. Hence its silhouette, unique in Paris: a Greek temple ringed by Corinthian columns, with no bell tower.

What is there to see inside?

• The nave under three domes, lit from above.
• The great Cavaillé-Coll organ, installed in 1846 and played by Camille Saint-Saëns and Gabriel Fauré, both organists at the Madeleine.
• The high altar and its sculpture of Saint Mary Magdalene.
• From the steps, the view down rue Royale to Concorde and the National Assembly.

30 October: a concert in memory of Chopin

On 30 October 1849, around 3,000 people attended Frédéric Chopin’s funeral at the Madeleine, where Mozart’s Requiem was performed. On Friday 30 October 2026, from 8.45 to 10 pm, the Orchestre Hélios and a choir recreate the ceremony: a Chopin nocturne and waltzes, then the Requiem. The concert is ticketed; prices vary between sellers, so book through an official site.

When to go and how to get there?

The church opens every day from 9.30 am to 7 pm, outside services; entry is free. From the Concortel, walk to place de la Madeleine: about 5 minutes (estimate). Madeleine metro station (lines 8, 12 and 14) is at the foot of the steps.

To extend the walk, follow our route around the Madeleine and Saint-Lazare, or carry on to the Orangerie. More ideas in Discover Paris.