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Voykit pocket guide · France
Saint-Denis, Île-de-France
Spend half a day to see the Basilica; add a few hours if you want a Stade de France match.
Saint-Denis is a northern Paris suburb dominated by the historic Basilica of Saint‑Denis and the modern Stade de France. A short visit (3–4 h) covers the basilica and town centre; a match or concert adds 2–3 h. Overnight stays are only needed for event fans.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–45 excl. bed · Mid €45–70 excl. bed · High €70+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · General emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.5–2.5 |
| Metro ticket | €1.90 |
| Stade de France ticket | €30–80 |
| Basilica entry | Free (guided tour €8–12) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CDG · Paris Charles de Gaulle
- RER B about 30 min to Saint‑Denis
Typical fares
- Metro line 13 Saint‑Denis ↔ Paris centre
- about €1.90 per ride (single ticket)
- RER B CDG ↔ Saint‑Denis
- ≈ €10 one‑way
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Metro line 13 (north‑south) and line 12 (basilica stop); walk or use city buses. No extra fare beyond standard metro ticket.
See and do
Known for
- Basilique de Saint‑Denis
- Stade de France
- Musée Bouilhet‑Christofle
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Paris centre | Metro line 13 to Saint‑Lazare, about 20 min | ≈30 min |
| Parc des Buttes‑Chaumont | Metro line 13 to Botzaris, 15 min walk | ≈25 min |
Sleep
- Saint‑Denis town centre
- Near basilica and metro line 13; good for short stays.
- Stade de France area
- Close to stadium, convenient for event nights.
Language
French is the language of daily life. In Paris hotels, museums and restaurants near sights, English works; in rural France it thins quickly. A greeting in French (bonjour, merci, s'il vous plaît) matters more than fluency, and many people switch to English once you have tried.
- Use 'vous' with anyone you do not know; 'tu' is for friends, children and people who invite you to use it.
- Regional languages survive: Breton, Alsatian, Occitan, Basque and Corsican appear on signs and in names.
- Numbers from 70 to 99 are built by addition (soixante-dix = 60+10); check prices in writing.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- High crime rates; stay in well‑lit areas and avoid wandering alone after dark.
- Pickpocketing common near Stade de France on event days.
Crime rates are high; keep valuables secure, travel in groups after dark, and stay near metro stations.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Saint-Denis, Île-de-France yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Basilique de Saint‑Denis
- Stade de France
- Musée Bouilhet‑Christofle
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Official website of Saint‑Denis: ville-saint-denis.fr
- Basilique de Saint‑Denis official: www.saint-denis-basilique.fr/en
- Wikivoyage: Saint-Denis (Île-de-France), revision 5339217 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5339217
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/saint-denis-ile-de-france). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.