Sainte-Chapelle: Gothic Kaleidoscope
Step inside Sainte-Chapelle and experience one of Paris’s most extraordinary treasures. This tour takes you beyond its dazzling stained glass to uncover the stories, symbols, and relics that shaped both the chapel and the French monarchy. You’ll learn how to read medieval imagery, trace biblical tales in glass, and discover the chapel’s role as a royal sanctuary for Christianity’s most sacred objects. Whether you’re drawn by history, art, or faith, this journey will give you a new way of seeing one of Paris’s most remarkable spaces.
Created by Emma Thorton
Emma Thorton is originally from Yorkshire and has called Paris home for over ten years. She has a background in history and a deep love for quiet corners, stained glass, and the stories hidden inside old churches. She leads walking tours that invite people to slow down, look closely, and feel the quiet beauty of these sacred spaces.
"This tour elevated our experience to a whole new level. Informative, engaging, and perfectly paced." - Anonymous Reviewer
Listen to a preview
What you'll walk and learn about
Welcome to Sainte-Chapelle!
Start this tour outside the golden gates of the entrance.
The Spire of Sainte-Chapelle
Elevating the soul by elevating the gaze
Statue of King Louis IX
The only canonized French king
The Upper Chapel
The center of a gothic jewel box
The Genesis Window
Where it all began
The Exodus Window
The story of Moses
Isaiah and Tree of Jesse
Tracing the royal lineage of Jesus
Saint John the Evangelist
One man’s vision of the Apocalypse
The Passion of Christ Window
From suffering to glory
The Baldachin
Where relics once crowned the chapel
The Crusades Window
The story of Sainte-Chapelle, told in glass
The Rose Window
A glimpse of the apocalypse
Exit of Sainte-Chapelle
Take it all in one last time
"Absolutely wonderful! This is a great walk to learn about Saint Chapelle and how to read a stained glass window. The windows are breathtaking! "