This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only link to products that I have experience with and feel would be beneficial to my blog readers.
Did you know that the Phantom of the Opera was based off a real accident at an opera house in Paris? In 1896, a counterweight for the grand chandelier in the Palais Garnier broke free and fell, killing a worker in the process. That incident, and the theater itself, served as inspiration for Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera (and the subsequent musical adaptation by Andrew Lloyd Webber).
The Palais Garnier is open for tours and remains one of my absolute favorite experiences in Paris. It’s exactly what you expect…an opulent playground for the rich socialites of Paris. It is easy to imagine the women in their gowns parading along the halls and down the grand staircase for everyone to see. I highly recommend taking the time to visit!
Before you go, definitely make sure that you check what time the Palais Garnier is open on the day you want to visit. Due to rehearsals and performances, it often closes early (or is closed altogether). I recommend pre-purchasing tickets on their website as that means you can skip the ticket line and only have to queue in the security line to get in. However, if you’re visiting the Musee d’Orsay or the Musee Gustave Moreau, you might wish to buy your tickets on site as both these museums have a reduced rate agreement with the Palais Garnier (check the website for details).
If you’re lucky enough to be there at a time when a guided tour is offered (they have both English and French options available), choose that option. If not, an audioguide is highly recommended as there is limited signage.
On the tour, you’ll visit all the public areas including the grand foyer, grand staircase, the theater (with the grand chandelier and Chagall ceiling…pending no rehearsals are ongoing), the salon de la luna et du soliel, and the opera museum. Unfortunately, tours do not include the underground lake (well…water tank), though I have heard that there are independent companies that offer tours that do include the lake. I’ve never had the chance to go on one, so I can’t speak for their quality. As always, make sure to research any tour company prior to booking.
You will, however, get to pass by Box 5, which is still kept empty for the Phantom.
One new experience since the last time I visited is a Phantom of the Opera themed escape game, complete with costumed actors. I need to convince a group of friends to come to Paris with me to check it out!
If you can’t make it to Paris anytime soon, you can still appreciate the architecture of the Palais Garnier thanks to Google. They’ve documented much of the theater through the Google Cultural Institute.
