Seine-Saint-Denis is an area of the Ile-de-France region, located just to the northeast of Paris. The area is home to some innovative museums aimed at the tourists and residents of Paris and sports fans will love visiting the Stade de France. The area is not all about new developments, however, as there are many historic towns and buildings in the area.

Historic Towns

The basilica of Saint-Denis is a historic abbey and church that has played a major part in French history. During the Hundred Years War, the basilica was lucky enough to avoid destruction when many other religious buildings in the area were destroyed. Visitors to the crypt can not only see the tombs but the original building dating from 775 and consecrated by Charlemagne. Now the building features many works of art and beautiful stained glass windows. The Paris-Ouen flea market has been in existence for decades, since the rag and bone men were driven from the city of Paris at the end of the 19th century. Modern visitors can enjoy wandering around the stalls, looking for bargains, every Saturday and Sunday.

Stade de France

Sports fans looking for a chance to see a major event should check out what’s happening at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The stadium was built for the football World Cup in 1998 and now hosts’ rugby and football matches, as well as live music concerts and even motor sports. On days when there are no live events, you can take a tour of the stadium and learn more about its history and architecture; twice a day in English. Two of the most innovative events take place each summer and winter, when the Stade de France is transformed into a beach and a ski resort respectively.

Air and Space Museum

The national Air and Space Museum at Le Bourget is home to thousands of exhibits on the themes of flight and space exploration. Le Bourget used to be an airport and the exhibits are arranged in the old terminal buildings. Highlights include the prototype Concorde aircraft, which visitors can board, and life-size models of other common aeroplanes. There are interactive exhibits on the subject of space exploration and you can even climb the old air traffic control tower to experience the high-pressure environment looking after planes in the sky.