Attending a mass or an organ recital at St-Sulpice in the St. Germain area of Paris and hearing the world famous Grande Orgue is an amazing and unforgettable experience.

While the church itself, built in the 1600s and 1700s is both lovely and large (second in size to Notre Dame) the organ is the real draw.

On Sundays following the 10:30 mass (prelude at 10:15) the organist presents a half hour recital that allows you to truly appreciate the organ.

After the recital, visitors can climb the 66 steps of the spiral staircase to the organ loft to see the console with its five keyboards and many stops and chat with the organist. It's a treat to be behind the scenes and see the organ works. Wait by the small unmarked door to the left of the entrance as you face the back of the church and someone will open it.

St-Sulpice also has twenty-one chapels and boasts three Delacroix murals, including Jacob Wrestling the Angel.

References to St-Sulpice in The Da Vinci Code have brought thousands of curious fiction readers to the church. Near the gnomon obelisk an explanatory note says:

"Contrary to fanciful allegations in a recent best-selling novel, this is not a vestige of pagan temple. No such temple ever existed in this place. It was never called a "Rose -Line." It does not coincide with the meridian traced through the middle of the Paris Observatory which serves as a reference for maps where longitudes are measured in degrees East or West of Paris...Please also note that the letters "P" and "S" in the small round windows at both ends of the transept refer to Peter and Sulpice, the patron saints of the church, not an imaginary "Priory of Sion."

Forget about these sensational ideas and enjoy St-Sulpice for the marvelous gem that it is!

Métro: St-Sulpice
RER: St-Michel

Église Saint-Sulpice