While I must have passed by the Opéra Garnier a million times over the last few years; my first visit inside the building took place only this past summer. When I saw the incredible rooms inside Opera Palais Garnier, it completely took my breath away. I could not believe that I had not taken the time to visit this fantastic piece of architecture beforehand. For me, it was easily the most beautiful building in France.

One thing that I would definitely recommend is taking a guided tour of the Opéra Garnier; whether you are a local or a tourist.

The tour guide that I had on the day of my visit was particularly excellent. You learn a lot about the building from its history to its architecture to the psychology of the society at the time, which gave birth to the idea of a building with so much opulence in the first place.

For those of you who have not yet visited the Opéra Garnier, I will not ruin the tour for you by giving away its secrets – but wanted to share glimpses of my favorite rooms in the Palais with you. The shots depicted here are of the Grand Staircase, the Grand Foyer (rival to the famous Hall of Mirrors at Palais Versailles), and the interior of the opera, which features the famous chandelier-ed ceiling by Chagall. 

His painting depicts scenes from operas by 14 composers, including Mozart, Wagner, Berlioz, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, and Beethoven. It’s an incredible sight with which to finish the tour of an incredible building.

Opéra Garnier
Rue Scribe & rue Auber
75009 Paris
https://www.operadeparis.fr/

Guided tours in French and English every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
(and every day from 1 July to 31 August during the summer)