Paris Opera House
(Palais Garnier)

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There has never been an opera house as extravagant and opulent as the Palais Garnier

Magnificent front facade of the Palais Garnier cc licensed photo by Peter Rivera

Palais Garnier is an opera house that was built to seat 1,979 guests. Construction started in 1861 and finished 14 years later in 1875. Originally called the Salle des Capucines, it was renamed Palais Garnier to celebrate its grandeur and its architect, Charles Garnier. Today it is mainly used to host ballet productions and is no longer the primary home of the Paris Opera since the Opera Bastille opened in 1989 with the ability to seat 2,700 guests.

Palais Garnier was the scene for the famous screenplay, The Phantom of the Opera, which was originally written by Gaston Leroux and later adapted to a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1986. This fact alone makes the Palais Garnier worth seeing if you have any love of opera and the stage.

Palais Garnier was commissioned as part of the reconstruction of Paris that was initiated by Emperor Napoleon III. The actual design of the opera house was created by Charles Garnier who won the architectural competition on May 29th 1861. The competition was in two phases. The first phase was out of 171 applicants which Charles won 5th place in narrowly becoming one of the 5 finalist competing for the second phase. In the second phase he improved greatly to first place while the winner of the first competition did worse. Charles Garnier's design was chosen for being the best and most simplistic, clear, logical and grandeur thanks to all the unique and superior qualities presented in his plans for the beautiful opera house. Garnier had to design a double foundation to accommodate the basement area because the ground water levels on the site were too high to allow the site to drain properly. This high level of ground water brought about a legend that the Palais Garnier was built on an underground lake, a concept used by Gaston Leroux in his novel and screenplay.

Palais Garnier is home to the world famous crystal and bronze chandelier that hangs in the centre or the Opera House. This massive chandelier's weight of seven tons and cost 30,000 gold francs. In 1896 one of the counterweights for the chandelier fell killing one of the workers. This very unfortunate accident was the result of the inspiration that Gaston Leroux used in his famous novel the Phantom of the Opera.

It took until 2011 for a restaurant to open and operate successfully in the Palais Garnier. Three previous attempts failed. The Palace didn't even have electricity installed until 1969. A restoration project was started in 1994 and only completed in 2007.

There has never been an opera house as extravagant and opulent as the Palais Garnier. Walking into the entrance hall and being confronted with the Grand Staircase made from solid white Italian marble is enough to astound even the most affluent visitors.

Nearby attraction: Musee Grevin

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Facts For Your Visit

Fee: Yes.

Address: Pl. de l'Opéra, 75009 Paris, France

Phone: 01 40 07 00 43

Official Website: Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier)

Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier) Reviews

Rated 4.7 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating Absolutely stunning building with a great guided tour via Manatour for inside access to the opera seating itself. The main function hall is more beautiful than Versailles' Hall of Mirrors, which we visited again shortly thereafter.
Carlos Javier Montañez - a week ago

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5 Star Rating It's all so beautiful and perfect, you can't go to Paris and not visit Palais Garnier. We can see the architecture alive, you can see that all the details were well thought out and made to perfection. It's very beautiful, I have no words to describe it. I just found it very hot inside because there is no air circulation, but it's very perfect. The camera can't show how beautiful it is
Glauco Vendrame - a week ago

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5 Star Rating I selected the after hours tour at 17:00, and it was an excellent decision. You tour this opera house in a small group, which allows you to take beautiful pictures with almost no people blocking your shots. Our guide was very knowledgeable and his English was perfect. I definitely recommend picking this tour.
Slava Kramarov - 2 months ago

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5 Star Rating Amazing place to visit. The guides are very nice and helpful. When you enter this place it’s like you are entering another world. A lot of great art work especially on the sealing. Also it’s a great place to take pictures. So when you want to visit come early so you have time to take pictures and enjoy the art.
Hassan Mohammadi - 2 months ago

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5 Star Rating Absolutely stunning. Speechless. This grandiose opera house is a true architectural marvel, with its opulent interiors, stunning chandeliers, and richly decorated ceilings. Walking through the elegant halls and taking in the beauty of the Grand Staircase was like stepping back in time to a more glamorous era. The highlight was definitely the grand auditorium, with its plush red seats and the breathtaking Chagall ceiling.
AsabaYT - 2 months ago

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Directions

Metro / RER Line	Nearest Station	Walking Time
M3, 7 or 8	Opera	1 minute
M9	Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette Station	2 minutes
M12 or 14	Madeleine	9 minutes
RER A	Auber	3 minutes

How to get to Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier) by Metro / RER

By Metro: Exiting Metro Line 3, 7 or 8 at Opera Station places you directly in front of Palais Garnier. From Metro Line 9 exit at Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette and walk south on Rue Haievy to the entrance. From Metro Line 12 or 14 take the Place de la Madeleine exit from Madeleine Station Madeleine and walk straight ahead on Place de la Madeleine to Boulevard de la Madeleine and go left. Continue straight to the entrance of the Opera House.

By RER: Take the RER A to Auber Station; exit and go left along Rue Auber to the entrance (3 minutes).