Others are statues of great composers, including Mozart, Beethoven and Rossini. Some represent various arts, such as music, dance, theatre, architecture, painting and sculpture. The style is eclectic, with arches supported by columns. Viewing the Palais Garnier from the outside, you’ll appreciate the artistry, creativity and careful design of this imposing building.Īrchitect Charles Garnier won a competition to design this building and it was built between 18. The main themes of this mural are music, dancing and love, and it also includes some well-known Parisian landmarks. It is indeed a controversial ceiling, created by Marc Chagall in his signature, dreamy style. The style of this painted ceiling may look a bit out of place, a little too modern for this kind of building.
When you look up you’ll see the massive chandelier and the painted ceiling. I took a self-guided tour, which didn’t include access to the auditorium itself, but we could see all of it through the boxes on the second level. The auditorium has all the red velvet and gold leaf you might expect to see at an opera house, but its ceiling holds a unique surprise. Luckily for us, we can still enjoy the elegant beauty of these rooms today regardless of that historic mix-up. However, the decorator confused the two themes and so the rooms’ intended uses were reversed. The Sun Salon has warm colours and was intended to serve as a smoking room the Moon Salon is designed in darker tones and was meant to be the room where visitors would have their sorbet. Their decor may be slightly more modest, compared to other parts of the building, but they are still very impressive. The Salon du Soleil (Sun Salon) and the Salon de la Lune (Moon Salon) are the two rooms at each end of the Grand Foyer. If you like, you can step outside from this room directly onto the balcony for some views of the city, though you just might find that everything is a bit underwhelming after spending time in the Grand Foyer… The Salons Similarly to the Grand Staircase, it was the place to see and be seen, used mostly during intermissions and at the end of performances. It felt a lot like visiting a Royal palace and some consider this room comparable to the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. I loved the ceiling fresco depicting the history of music, the gold decorations, the chandeliers and just the sense of how unashamedly opulent and hedonistic this place is. The most luxurious room in this superbly lavish building, the Grand Foyer, has the richest and most flamboyant decorations It is a massive construction made of marble and decorated in gold.Ĭharles Garnier, the architect who designed the building and gave it its name, said that “The opera is the staircase”.īack in the 19th century, it was the place to “make an entrance” in your most elegant attire these days it’s the place to take endless selfies. The Grand Escalier was designed to astonish, and it does. You’ll enter at the ground level and then go up the grand staircase.
If you’re taking a self-guided tour, you can wander around freely and take your time visiting each room. The interior of the Palais Garnier is quite outstanding in every way. This video on YouTube will also give your a great online tour: That’s another Parisian gem that I highly recommend you visit.įinally, if you’re not in Paris yet and want to see the opera house online, take a virtual tour on Google Arts & Culture.įor a more extensive virtual tour of Paris that includes the opera house, take this highly rated The Right Bank from City Hall to Opera virtual tour.
You can buy your ticket at the opera house itself or reserve a spot in advance.Ĥ. These tours are available in different languages and take place several times a day. You can also take a public guided tour of the opera house.
PARIS OPERA HOUSE VISITING HOURS PROFESSIONAL
If you prefer a tour that you can customise to fit your own interests, take a private guided tour of the opera house with a professional guide.ģ.
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