Palais de Justice, Paris Palace

Address: Palais de Justice, 10 Boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris, France

Website: https://www.justice.gouv.fr/

Hours: Generally Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm for administrative offices; public access varies due to court sittings

Admission: Free to enter public areas; guided tours of some courtrooms may be available via judicial or official channels (check website)

The Palais de Justice is the principal judicial complex of Paris, located on Île de la Cité in the Seine. It houses multiple courts and judicial offices, including high appellate courts, within a complex that occupies a historic royal palace site.

Adjacent and historically linked to the Palais are the medieval Conciergerie and the 13th-century Gothic chapel Sainte-Chapelle; both are major visitor attractions and are commonly visited alongside the Palais. The complex has medieval origins and was rebuilt and expanded in later centuries to serve the needs of the French judiciary.

Historically the site was the seat of royal administrative and judicial power in Paris, and over time it evolved into the modern court complex used today. Many parts of the building are active courtrooms or administrative offices, so public access is limited to certain areas and visiting requires passing through security.

The Palais sits on the eastern end of Île de la Cité in central Paris, within easy walking distance of Notre-Dame and the Latin Quarter, and is served by multiple Métro stations nearby.

• Function: Located on Île de la Cité in central Paris, the Palais de Justice is the city’s principal judicial complex and houses several of France’s highest courts.
• Visitor note: Much of the complex sits on a historic royal palace site; access to court areas is restricted and visitors should expect security controls when entering the building.

What to See#

• Sainte-Chapelle: Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th-century Gothic chapel famous for its stained glass, sits on the same Île de la Cité and is often visited together with the Palais complex.
• Conciergerie: The Conciergerie is a former royal palace turned medieval prison on the complex, notable for its preserved halls and cells from the Revolutionary period.
• Courts and judicial offices: The Cour de cassation and other judicial courts occupy the modern and historic wings of the complex and form Paris’s principal legal centre.

Palais de Justice is on Île de la Cité in central Paris. Metro: Cité (Line 4) or Saint-Michel (Lines 4, RER B/C); several bus lines stop nearby (e.g., 24, 63). The nearest major landmark is Notre-Dame Cathedral - the Palais is a short walk across the Pont au Double.

• Security is strict - expect bag checks and identity control; avoid large backpacks.
• The Palais functions as a working courthouse; check hearing schedules if hoping to see proceedings.
• Approach on foot across the Pont au Double for the classic view framed by the Seine and Île de la Cité.