Saint-Denis

Country: France · 148,907 inhabitants

Attractions

Wikipedia

Saint-Denis (, French: [sɛ̃d(ə)ni] ) is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 9.4 kilometres (5+7⁄8 miles) from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis is the first most populated suburb of Paris, with a population of 148,907 at the 2022 census. It is a subprefecture (French: sous-préfecture) of the department of Seine-Saint-Denis, being the seat of the arrondissement of Saint-Denis. It is also part of the Métropole du Grand Paris.

The commune borders the 18th arrondissement of Paris to the south, roughly along the stretch between Porte des Poissonniers and Porte de la Chapelle, continuing to the Porte d’Aubervilliers.

As of 1 January 2025, following the formal absorption of the neighbouring commune of Pierrefitte‑sur‑Seine, Saint‑Denis is set to become the second most populated commune in Île‑de‑France after Paris.

Saint-Denis is home to the royal necropolis of the Basilica of Saint-Denis and was also the location of the associated abbey.

The commune is also home to France's national association and rugby football stadium, Stade de France, which was built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The stadium also hosted the rugby and athletics events, along with the closing ceremony, for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The athletics events & closing ceremony for the 2024 Summer Paralympics were also held at the stadium.

Saint-Denis is a formerly industrial suburb currently changing its economic base. It has been the second most populated commune in Île-de-France after Paris since 1 January 2025, following the absorption of Pierrefitte-sur-Seine to its north, as passed by both municipal councils on 30 May 2024.