Garnier Opera House

Here are five amazing things you can do around the Garnier Opera House

1.) Free walking tour

Discover the major Landmarks of Paris with a local guide. From the Opera House to the Louvre, walk on the most famous streets of Paris discovering why the city of Light became the center of entertainment in Europe and the home of luxury and culture.

2.) Visit the Opera House

Each Day from 10am to 5pm, you can walk around the Opera House and discover its famous Grand Stairs, its corridors and also the museum of the Opera. Enjoy a walk around the most luxurious place in Paris where gold shines everywhere.

3.) Lunch or dinner at L’Opera Restaurant

This Michelin distinguished (two stars) restaurant welcomes you for a lunch inside the Garnier Opera house. You can try some incredible French food in this traditional place. But if you cannot afford this fancy restaurant, an interesting alternative would be to learn how to cook some delicious traditional dishes in a French Cooking Class and to enjoy them afterwards!

4.) Shopping on the Boulevard Haussmann

Near the Opera House, this boulevard is the best place to go shopping in Paris, even better than the Champs Elysées! There you can find the worldwide famous Galeries Lafayette or the Printemps Stores.

5.) Place Vendome

Experience a world of luxury and wealth. All around this plaza, built under the reign of Louis XIV, jeweler shops sell incredible jewels and real pieces of art. This plaza is currently an international center of luxury with the most famous jeweler stores and one of the most famous palaces: The Ritz Hotel.

Insider’s tips:

• Now you can say: “I’ve had a meal at Opera Garnier!” You just have to find the restaurant on the right side of the Opera House.
• Follow the Phantom of the Opera House, this amazing and tragic love story, which took place in behind the scene…

Facts about the Garnier Opera House

The Opera Garnier’s construction lasted from 1861 to 1875. Napoleon III ordered it for different reasons. Firstly, he wanted to improve his own security and so he managed to have a personal entry in this new opera house (currently, the entry on the left side). Secondly, he wished to build a place to show the wealth and power of France. A place where all the new upper class would be able to meet each other every evening.

A young and unknown architect won the call for tender: He was named Charles Garnier. This Opera House is a mix of different styles, and when the Empress asked him the name of this style, he simply answered: “Napoleon III style, madam.” At the end of the nineteenth-century, it was the biggest Opera in Europe. Now, it’s the smallest one.

How to get there

By Metro:
Opera Station: Lines 8, 3, 7

By Bus:
Lines 20, 21, 22, 27, 29,42, 52, 53, 66, 68, 81, 95

Opening Hours

You have to know the Opera is closed in the morning because of the rehearsals. The opening hours go from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm and until 5:30 pm from July 15th to September 10th.

Near By

1.) Montmartre:
This famous neighborhood of Paris is just a few minutes away from the Opera house. Discover it with a Parisian guide in a Free Walking Tour, and see the place where Van Gogh and Picasso used to live in Paris. Walk around the narrow and romantic streets of Montmartre and feel the legendary spirit of this little “village” in the city.

2.) Palais Royal Garden:
Enjoy a break from all the sightseeing in Paris in this quiet and wonderful place where Parisians like to spend their time during sunny days.

3.) Tuileries Garden:
Walk through the alley of this old Royal garden, and enter one of the most famous gardens in Paris between the Louvre Museum and the Concorde Square.

Why it’s worth visiting

• The most impressive and preserved opera house in Paris.
• A historical treasure also unique thanks to the amazing artists who have been there. Breathe Paris spirit!
• The neighborhood is perfect for all the fashionistas.