About Garnier opera

It's hard not to be moved by this "imperial theatre", a masterpiece of 19th century architecture, where everything evokes music and dance. Its architect, Charles Garnier, was however at the time of its construction, in 1860, a young unknown 35 years old.

The decision to build it stems from a news item: in 1958, Napoleon III escaped an attack when he left the opera house on rue Le Peletier. He decides to build another theater in an open and safe place. Napoleon III will never inaugurate the Opera, completed only in 1875, after the fall of the Empire.

The baroque exuberance of the facade decorated with sculptures testifies to the wish of Napoleon III. On the right, we immediately spot the “Dance” group by the sculptor Carpeaux. It is only a copy, signed Paul Belmondo, the father of the actor. The original is in the Musée d'Orsay, away from pollution.
Inside, it is above all the grand main staircase – with a double spiral – and its thirty marble columns that cause a sensation. Without forgetting the ceiling of the auditorium, decorated in 1962 by the painter Chagall, where one can recognize – if one is not afraid of a stiff neck – the most famous monuments of Paris such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, and cult ballets (the Firebird, Gisèle…).

Discover the Opéra Garnier, a 10-minute walk from Secret de Paris – Hotel & Spa! < Back to the Opéra Garnier rooms at Secret de Paris – Hotel & Spa, a charming hotel for a romantic weekend in Paris