Palais Garnier
A lavish Second Empire opera house with a grand staircase, a gilded Grand Foyer and a Chagall ceiling, and the inspiration for The Phantom of the Opera.
Palais Garnier opened in 1875. Designed by architect Charles Garnier, it is the epitome of the opulent style of Napoleon III's era. The white marble grand staircase and the Grand Foyer, with its mirrors and gilt decoration, rival the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The auditorium's dome holds a colorful ceiling painting by Chagall, completed in 1964. The legendary underground lake is said to have inspired the novel The Phantom of the Opera. You can visit independently during the day for about €15 (the auditorium may be closed during rehearsals), or buy a ticket to a performance by the Paris Opera Ballet. Get off at Opéra station on metro lines 3, 7 or 8.
Opening hours
Visits about 10:00–17:00 (adjusted on performance and event days)
Nearby sights
- Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
- Printemps Haussmann
- Musée d'Orsay
- Tuileries Garden & Place de la Concorde
- Louvre Museum
- Musée de l'Orangerie
- Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
- Montmartre / Sacré-Cœur