Opéra Garnier (self guided tour)
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Opera Garnier - by 139904 from Pixabay
Description
The Opéra Garnier (also called Palais Garnier) was built for the Paris Opera in the 2nd half of the 19th century and bears the name of its architect. It was designed in the "Napoleon III" style which includes Baroque, Palladio and Renaissance elements and leaves no space without decoration. The use of a varieties of marbles and stones, porphyry and gilded bronze gives the façade its variety of colours. The inside is famed for its Grand Staircase and the Grand Foyer, a hall that is 54m long, 18m high and 13m wide with rich decoration (chandeliers, painted ceilings, etc.). The self-guided tour reviewed here can be complemented by a multimedia guide service (additional fee applies) and gives access to the current exhibitions (when available).
Access & Transport
The Opera oversees the Avenue de l'Opera and is best accessed from métro Opéra (3,7,8) or Aubert (RER A). The monument is also surrounded by several main roads with bus stops. (incl. Bd Hausmann and Bd des Capucines). The temporary exhibitions’ area is not accessible for people with reduced mobility
Instructions & Recommendations
We recommend booking online ahead of time and ensuring that there are no afternoon performances on your plan day of visit (tour is not possible on those afternoons). Also, note that access to the auditorium may be restricted or forbidden due to technical and/or artistic reasons. The Palais Garnier is locally so centrally that it can be combined with countless activities, the most obvious being one of the Grands Magasins along Bd Haussman (Printemps and Galeries Lafayette), Place Vendôme, Madeleine Church and le Musee Grévin.
Environmental & Social
The Opera is in the process of developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy and has already achieved remarkable progress with a 15% drop in electricity consumption between 2009 and 2019, all energy coming from renewable sources since 2016, investment in LED lighting equipment and an increasing proportion of food from local origins. Socially marginally positive as it helps spreads culture and the arts + part of the artistic heritage of the city
Conclusion
The Opera Garnier is without questions one of the most opulent monuments in the city - maybe too much for many. It can't however be denied that this all-in all-over approach to decoration achieves a great effect. Whether or not the self-guided tour is worth it depends on your interest and budget but if the latter is not an issue, then yes, we would recommend it - or even the guided tour ideally.
Key positive
Beautifully proportioned and filled with first rate sculptures and paintings
The Grand staircase and Grand Foyer are unique masterpieces by themselves
Hyper central location
Key negative
Self-guided tour lacks background information / description
Can be crowded
Slightly expensive compared to other cultural activities with much more content
Suitability
Suitable for all ages but not recommended for kids under 12-14 Accessible to visitors with reduced mobility (entrance with ramp at the back of the building)
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 19m
est. visit time:1h 15m
Monday10:00 - 17:00
Tuesday10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday10:00 - 17:00
Thursday10:00 - 17:00
Friday10:00 - 17:00
Saturday10:00 - 17:00
Sunday10:00 - 17:00