Courtyard between the street and the entrance to the café and hammam
The Grand Mosque of Paris
After years of visits to Paris and wanting to visit the Grande Mosquée de Paris (Grand Mosque of Paris), I was delighted to make my way there last summer. It was a particularly hot day and after wandering around the Jardin des Plantes (opposite the Grand Mosque) and exploring the large garden maze, I found it a refreshing place to escape the heat. Found in the 5th arrondissement, this significant landmark built in 1926 to honour Muslim soldiers from French colonies who fought in WWI, also served a vital role during World War II as a refuge for Jews, with its rector providing certificates of Muslim identity to help them escape Nazi persecution.
Designed in Moorish style, it features intricate tile work, a beautiful courtyard with sculpted arcades, and a 33 metre minaret, mostly all hidden behind its high walls. The Grand Mosque expands into prayer rooms, gardens, hammam, library, a North African restaurant and other facilities behind its tall walls.
More...
The Grande Mosquée de Paris' architecture is a mixture with a history of Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian artisans working on the landmark. Marble, polychrome faience, stucco and fountains in porphyry and cedar doors incredibly works well together.
Courtyard of the Grand Mosque of Paris
Walking through the large doors that face out onto the corner intersection of rue Geoffroy-St-Hilaire and rue Daubenton, took me into another world. A hushed, cool, tiled courtyard with a beautiful patio surrounded by sculpted arcades welcomed me with a faint breeze that seemed to bring instant calm with it. The high walls blocked out the busyness of the outside streets and all the visitors to the Jardin des Plantes just opposite the Mosque, so it was only those of us within the walls that seemed to exist for that moment in time.
Hammam
The hammam (communal steam bath) at the Grand Mosque welcomes women every day of the week, except for men-only days, which at the time of my visit were Tuesdays and Sundays. The hammam offers traditional steam bath experiences and body treatments. Packages are available and operate on a walk-in basis with no advance booking required. On the treatment menu that I looked at (I did not have time my last visit to take a treatment), the Mosque describes the hammam's treatments as "delighting the body and spirit and bringing you a wonderful beauty and inner purification". It also describes the process as "a relaxing moment, through a succession of bath rooms with vapours increasingly hot".
The entrance to the hammam is discretely located behind the sweet cart which is between the courtyard and the restaurant. You can just walk straight through the door to the hammam if you are on your way to a treatment. The stunning architecture and beauty of the Byzantine era greets you once you've stepped through this door in its bright blues, whites and golden accents.
Prayer Rooms
The prayer rooms are intricately decorated spaces for worship and are not open to visitors.
Interior gardens of the Grand Mosque of Paris
Interior Courtyards and Gardens
To access the interior courtyards and gardens you'll have to pay a small fee. Currently it's €3,00 to see and enjoy these spaces of the Grand Mosque. The interior courtyards and gardens are closed on Fridays due to services that take place, but otherwise it's open and you don't have to make a booking.
The interior gardens become resplendent with wisteria in spring with clusters of fragrant purple flowers decorating the courtyards. To view the gardens when the wisteria is in flower, mid-April to May is best. Read our full guide on Where to Find Wisteria in Paris to make sure you catch the magnificent displays of wisteria in public parks and hidden corners around Paris on your next spring visit.
The Grand Mosque Library
The library is a place to consult manuscripts and books.
Intricate details of the restaurant's ceiling taken from my dining table
Intricate details of the restaurant's ceiling and walls taken from my dining table
Adjacent dining area to the restaurant
Main entrance to café and hammam on the corner of rue Geoffroy-St-Hilaire and rue Daubenton, Paris
My beautiful table in the restaurant
Restaurant and tearoom
The restaurant and tearoom are where all the deliciousness happens. The sweets are on display in a large cabinet between the courtyard and restaurant and you choose which ones you'd like and then you can sit in the outer courtyard delicately sipping on mint tea and nibbling your chosen sweet pastries.
For full meals and a wider range of drinks, the restaurant is your better choice. Actually, the waiters prefer not to serve you sweets and drinks in the restaurant, as they like to keep the tables for customers who will be dining on a full meal. Sitting amongst gold embossed cushions, and intricate carved ceilings and wall panels, I truely enjoyed my meal, mint tea and sweets, and a chance to sit inside amongst the cool breeze that flowed between the open windows. It really was a very hot day that I visited the Grand Mosque, but the curry and mint tea enjoyed at a slow pace was a lovely memory I'll not forget.
The glasses were etched with gold patterns and the dishes were all served on a metal platter. When it came for my sweets to be served, they were also on a colourful patterned plate.
Useful Information
Address: 2 bis place du Puits-de-l'Ermite, 75005 Paris, which is a small square off rue Georges Desplas.
Open: Generally open daily, though closed for Friday prayers and on certain holidays.
Special dress: In the courtyards and gardens head coverings are not required. In the hammam, dress or rather undress codes, follow the customs of attending a hammam.
Website of Grand Mosque of Paris: https://www.grandemosqueedeparis.fr/
Make the Most of Your Visit to Paris with these Guides
Pin 'Grand Mosque of Paris' to read again later or share with friends
Related Posts
