Sacre-Coeur on a Budget: Prices and Free Days
The basilica is free. The only real cost is the dome, and a scam to dodge
Sacre-Coeur charges nothing to enter, no ticket, no timed slot, no reservation. The only paid part is the 280-step dome climb, EUR8 for adults, EUR5 for under-16s, sold on-site only at the base of the stairs. The other genuine cost on this hill isn’t a ticket at all, it’s the bracelet scam worked by crews on the steps up from Anvers Metro, and avoiding it is worth more than any admission fee.
| What | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Basilica entry | Free | None |
| Dome and crypt climb | EUR8 adult / EUR5 under-16 | On-site only, no advance booking |
| Montmartre funicular | Standard EUR2.55 Metro-Train-RER fare | None; covered by a Navigo Easy ride |
| Guided walking tour | Varies | Optional |
Is the dome climb worth the EUR8?
Yes if you want a 360-degree view over Paris from height without paying Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe prices; the 280 steps are narrow and the ticket booth is on-site only, so there’s no way to reserve ahead, you simply queue at the base once you’ve arrived. Check current dome hours at sacre-coeur-montmartre.com before you climb, the dome closes for a midday break most days. Skip it and the basilica itself, free, still gives you the mosaic ceiling and the view from the front steps.
What’s the bracelet scam, and how much does dodging it save you?
Crews concentrated on the steps up from Anvers, and sometimes near the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero too, grab a wrist and start tying a friendship bracelet before you can refuse it, then demand payment and won’t let go once it’s on. There’s no fixed price, they push for whatever they can get, so the real cost is whatever you hand over under pressure. Say non firmly and keep walking; going before 10am also means fewer crews are set up yet.
How do you get up the hill without paying for a taxi?
The funicular from Place Saint-Pierre to the basilica’s forecourt runs on the same flat Metro-Train-RER fare as any other ride, EUR2.55, loaded onto a Navigo Easy card. It saves the steepest part of the climb and is covered by the same ticket you’re already using for the Metro, no separate funicular fare exists.
Where to eat cheaply near Montmartre
A crepe from a street stand in Montmartre runs EUR4-6, the standard budget lunch in the neighborhood, well under a sit-down bistro bill. The pricier sit-down spots around Place du Tertre are priced for the view and the artists’ square as much as the food; walk a couple of streets down toward Rue des Abbesses for the same quality at a lower price.
Compare budget stays near Montmartre on Booking.com before committing; the neighborhood has a real mix of hostels and small hotels below the mid-range band that most central Paris districts charge. For the basilica in a wider budget context, see the Paris on a budget guide or the Paris overview ; for the other free sight in the city, see Notre-Dame Cathedral ; and plan a Montmartre morning into the 3-day itinerary .