Paris Opera House
(Palais Garnier)

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

Magnificent front facade of 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

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)

Reviews

Rated 4.7 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating There are no words to describe the opulence of this building. The age, the stone work, the art and all the famous performances that have been hosted in this palace and opera house are endless. So glad we decided to enjoy a tour of the building and exhibitions. Unfortunately we were unable to obtain tickets to a performance.
Lee Mathers - in the last week

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4 Star Rating It’s a must see and worthwhile tour in the palace. The fine architecture captured many hearts and some ladies purposely dressed up to take photos in this beautiful place. The fee is €15 per adult
Jessie Ong - in the last week

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5 Star Rating What an amazing Opera house! It was an absolutely incredible sight to see in person, the pictures do not do it justice. The entry tickets were €15 euros each but there were plenty of ways to obtain a discount ticket.
Ethan E - 2 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating The opera building is stunning, both from the outside and inside. Before the performance or during breaks, you can explore and admire the architecture. It is advisable to book your tickets in advance online, and ensure punctuality, as latecomers may not be admitted until the next break. There are small bars offering snacks inside, but be prepared for long lines to them.
Arkadiusz Jędrzejewski - 3 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating Really loved the guided tour! It was very informative and entertaining. Lasting about 1.5 hours, it was never boring; we were also allowed inside. We had the English tour. Although it was really busy at the time at the building, thanks to the tour, we were able to see the entire building and learn a lot about its history. I recommend reserving tickets via the website! At the entrance waiting for the guided tour to start there is no toilet, that was the only downside.
Vincent - 2 months ago

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Directions

Metro / RER Line Nearest Station Walking Time
M3, 7 or 8Opera1 minute
M9Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette Station2 minutes
M12 or 14Madeleine9 minutes
RER AAuber 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).

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