Paris Opera house : tips, prices, hours

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A masterpiece of the decorative and flamboyant architectural style of the Second Empire, the Paris Opera House still has its admirers. It houses now representations of the Opera National de Paris

Access, opening hours and prices of the Opéra Garnier

• open everyday
  • from 10am to 5.00pm
  • from July 15th to August. 31st – from 10am to 6pm
  • closed on Jan 1st, May 1st, Apr. 12th, Apr.26th, Mai. 3rd,  Mai.16th
• Prices
  • visit: €10 (€6 reduce price) (access to the  monument and exhibitions)
  • for an Opéra: from €25 to €230
  • for a Ballet: from €12to €140
• Access and transportation
  • Metro : line 8,7 ,14 , stop at Opéra – RER A-E, stop at Opera – Haussmann
  • Bus : lines 20, 21, 22, 27, 66, 68,  81, 95,
  • address : rue Scribe 75009 Paris

Visiting the Opéra Garnier

Designed by the architect, Charles Garnier, the construction of the Opera began in 1860. The inauguration took place on 1875 ad was the consecration of Baron Hausmann’s great urban transformation project.

• The impressive main facade of the Opera sets the tone of the place in this quarter composed of huge avenues. The rather overblown style of the main staircase, the great foyer and the auditorium is typical of the time .
• On the day of the inauguration, Garnier paid for his own ticket, a second-class box at 120F. Despite its size – about 11000 square meters ( 36000 square feet) – the Opera has a seating capacity of just 2,200 spectators, whereas the stage can hold 450 performers.

The Opera has its serious side, but there are also some entertaining anecdotes connected with it.

• Its legendary underground lake (which is, in fact, a reservoir) does exist. It was used to drain water off underneath the building and would of course be of great use if there were ever a fire. One technician had the bright idea of farming trout in the water. They flourished rather too well, with the result that his colleagues used to come and fish for them at lunchtime. The story goes that the cunning technician then replaced tasty trout with barbel, a much less popular fish.
• If you were able to cross the rooftops of the Opéra, you might come across M. Pauchon, a beekeeper in his spare time who, for the last 16 years, has been tending two hives that he built here. Apparently, this bees love it, and the proof of the pudding is in the eating. He collects almost 200Kg of Honey every year and it’s one sale in the Opera’ shop.