The HistoPad at the Conciergerie: What the AR Tablet Shows
The included augmented-reality tablet rebuilds the medieval palace and the revolutionary prison around you — here's exactly what to expect.
The Conciergerie's halls are magnificent but largely empty today, stripped of the furnishings and life of their two great eras. The HistoPad, an award-winning augmented-reality tablet included free with every ticket, fills them back in: point it at a room and the medieval palace or the prison of 1793 rises up around you in 3D. This concierge guide explains exactly what the HistoPad shows, how it works, and how to get the most from it. We secure your skip-the-line entry in advance so the tablet is the only screen you have to think about.
What the HistoPad is and how it works
The HistoPad is a handheld tablet, produced by the heritage-technology company Histovery and handed to you on arrival as part of your admission. It works through a visual recognition system: as you move through the monument you look for marked 'Doors of Time', point the tablet at them, and the screen opens a full 360-degree reconstruction of how that space once looked. You can turn on the spot and the reconstruction turns with you, so the empty stone hall in front of you becomes a furnished, populated room on the screen in your hands.
There is no app to download and nothing to set up - the tablet is configured and charged when you receive it, and staff can help if you are unsure. It is available in multiple languages, making it especially useful for international visitors, and it is suitable for families, turning a visit that might otherwise feel like a series of bare rooms into an interactive journey. The HistoPad is included in the price of admission; there is no extra fee to use it.
The medieval palace, rebuilt
The first thing the HistoPad restores is the lost royal palace. Standing in the great Hall of the Men-at-Arms, you can see it as it was in the 14th century under Philip the Fair - furnished, lit and busy with the life of the royal household it was built to serve. The reconstruction conveys the scale and ambition of the Palais de la Cité at its height, when this was the working heart of the French monarchy, in a way the bare hall alone cannot.
The tablet also rebuilds the medieval kitchens, with their great fireplaces back in use, and other spaces of the working palace, helping you understand how such an enormous household actually functioned. Because so little of the original furnishing survives, these reconstructions do a lot of the interpretive work of the visit - they are the difference between admiring an impressive empty room and understanding what it was for. There are eleven immersive reconstructions in all across the route.
The revolutionary prison of 1793
The HistoPad's second great theme is the Revolution. In the prison areas, the tablet recreates the Conciergerie as it was in 1793, at the height of the Terror, when it held those awaiting the Revolutionary Tribunal. The most affecting of these reconstructions is the cell of Marie-Antoinette, rebuilt as it is thought to have appeared during her final weeks - a small, guarded room that the tablet furnishes and populates so you can picture the conditions of her confinement.
Seeing the same building in two eras, palace and prison, is what makes the HistoPad more than a gadget here. It lets you read the Conciergerie as a place that changed utterly between the 14th century and the 18th, while its stones stayed the same. For visitors whose main interest is the Revolution, the 1793 reconstructions are the highlight, anchoring the human story to the actual rooms you are standing in.
Getting the most from the HistoPad on your visit
To enjoy the HistoPad without rushing, allow a little more time than you might for an empty monument - around an hour to ninety minutes lets you scan the Doors of Time properly rather than glancing at a few. Don't try to scan every surface; focus on the marked points, which are placed where the reconstructions are most rewarding, and look up and around once a scene loads to take in the full 360-degree view. Quieter times of day - early morning or late afternoon - make it easier to stand still and explore a reconstruction without a crowd moving past.
Families travel well with the HistoPad, as the interactivity holds children's attention where bare halls might not, and the multiple language options suit international groups. Because the tablet is included with admission, you don't need to decide whether it is worth an add-on - it simply comes with your ticket. We secure your skip-the-line entry in advance, so you collect your HistoPad and begin straight away rather than waiting at the desk.
Frequently asked
Is the HistoPad included in the ticket price?
Yes. The HistoPad augmented-reality tablet is included free with every admission to the Conciergerie - there is no extra charge to use it. You collect it on arrival as part of your visit.
What does the HistoPad actually show?
It rebuilds eleven rooms of the monument in 3D, in two eras: the medieval Palais de la Cité as it looked in the 14th century, including the great hall and kitchens, and the prison of 1793, including a reconstruction of Marie-Antoinette's cell. You point it at marked 'Doors of Time' to load each 360-degree scene.
Do I need to download an app or set anything up?
No. The HistoPad is a tablet handed to you on arrival, already configured and charged. There is no app to download, and staff can help if you are unsure how to use it.
Is the HistoPad available in my language?
The HistoPad is offered in several languages, which makes it especially useful for international visitors. You can select your preferred language on the tablet when you start your visit.
Is the HistoPad good for children?
Yes. The interactive, game-like way it rebuilds rooms in 3D tends to hold children's attention far better than empty historic halls, making it one of the most family-friendly features of the visit.