Inside Paris' Palais Garnier: The History, The Phantom, and That Chandelier
I first went to Paris in 2017 with my family. We only had a couple of days and we did a whirlwind tour of the expected highlights (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Montmartre) before we headed to our next destination. On that visit, we walked by the beautiful Palais Garner (which is the picture above) and knew it was connected to Phantom of the Opera, but unfortunately we didn't have time to do more than a drive-by. On my most recent visit, I had time to go back to explore the Palais Garnier. I booked a guided tour to learn more about this incredible building and find out if there really is a phantom living under the opera house!
Immerse Yourself in the Grandeur:
The Palais Garnier is an historic 1,979 seat opera house that was built at the request of Napoleon III. It was originally named le nouvel Opéra de Paris (the New Paris Opera), but the name was subsequently changed to Palais Garnier due to its extraordinary opulence. When Napoleon decided to commission the construction of the new opera house, he held a competition to choose the architect for his masterpiece. Over 170 architects submitted plans to Napoleon III for his approval. Charles Garnier was a very young, unknown architect who was surprisingly chosen over many other well-known architects of the time. Our tour guide pointed out how Charles Garnier left his mark on his incredible vision by incorporating his name in some of the decorative moulding in the front lobby. Can you see it?
Construction of the opera house took over a decade (partly due to the Franco-Prussian War and the fall of the Second Empire) with the building finally opening in 1875. For nearly a century it was the primary home of the Paris Opera before Opéra Bastille opened in 1989. Today Palais Garnier is primarily used for ballet performances with the occasional opera performance.
Garnier channeled Napoleon III's preference for elegance and opulence incorporating lots of marble, gold and red. It was also designed with Parisian high society in mind by creating a place to dress up and be seen. The Grand Staircase, the ornamental balconies overlooking the theater, and the Grand Foyer all provide spaces for Parisians dressed in their finest to show up and show out. I wish I could travel back in time and spend just one night in the opera house with all of the beautifully dressed patrons.
What You Will See:
The outside of Palais Garnier is a work of art in and of itself. Fourteen painters, seventy-three sculptors and mosaicists came together to create the façades of the building. The building is also constructed with grand ramps and pavilions designed to offer patrons direct entrance into the building from their carriages. After admiring the exterior, it is time to get mind-blown by the incredible interior of the building.
The Entry: The first sight you will see upon entering the opera house is the lobby. It is a grand lobby with marble columns, mirrors, sculptures, mosaic tiled floors and the decorative ceiling moulding pictured above (with Charles Garnier's name incorporated). It is understated compared to the rest of the interior, but still impressive and sets the stage.
The Grand Staircase: The Grand Staircase (and the space around it) is the building's architectural centerpiece. It was the focal point of the opera before the performances started. Patrons would make their grand entrance up the Grand Staircase to show off their high fashion. The balconies overlooking the staircase were intentionally built for observation as much as circulation.
The Auditorium: The auditorium features the building's signature red-and-gold color scheme (apparently intentionally chosen to flatter audience members' appearances under candlelight and gas lighting). The upper balconies overlooking the main floor are elegantly decorated indicating that someone important is sitting there.
On the ceiling of the auditorium is a painting by artist Marc Chagall that doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the decor of the opera house. The original ceiling was painted by Jules Eugène Lenepveu, but in 1964 the French Culture Minister commissioned Mr. Chagall to paint a new ceiling (which is positioned right above the original) depicting scenes from operas and ballets by 14 composers. The painting also incorporates several Parisian attractions. Look closely to see the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and Sacre Coeur. An example of the original painting is shown in the opera house library museum and seems to align more closely with Mr. Garnier's design. The Chagall painting is indeed beautiful, but seems out of place. What do you think?
The infamous chandelier hangs below the painted ceiling and weighs roughly seven tons. It is made of bronze and crystal. More on the Phantom of the Opera chandelier lore below.
The Library-Museum (Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra): The Library-Museum holds set designs, costumes, scores and archival material related to the history of the Paris Opera. This is also where the replica of the original ceiling painting is located.
The Grand Foyer: Another jaw-dropping place in the opera house is the Grand Foyer. The Grand Foyer runs the length of the building and was designed to evoke the Hall of Mirror at Versailles with gilded ceilings, mirrored walls and chandeliers. Having visited both on my most recent trip I can definitely see the similarities. Our tour guide also pointed out a specific gilded sculpture of Hermes on the ceiling in the Grand Foyer that had Charles Garnier's face. If I hadn't been on the tour I would have never noticed this small detail.
The Phantom of the Opera Lore:
You may not know this, but the Palais Garnier was the setting for Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera. Not only was the building itself used as the location, the novel also incorporated real features of the Palais Garnier, such as the chandelier in the auditorium and underground water beneath the building. It seemed so accurate that people began to believe Palais Garnier was haunted by a phantom. I am sorry to tell you it is all lore, but loosely based on factual situations.
In 1896, one of the counterweights on the chandelier broke loose and fell into the audience, killing one person. It is this incident that is widely believed to have inspired the falling chandelier scene in the book and subsequent musical. If you have seen the Broadway production, you know the falling chandelier is one of the most exciting moments of the show! But alas, the Phantom never caused the chandelier to fall in the Palais Garnier to disrupt an opera for his love Christine.
Additionally, there is an actual underground water reservoir beneath the opera building which was built for structural and fire-suppression reasons. However, there is not a literal underground lake like in the book/show where the Phantom rows his boat with Christine under his spell.
Despite the fact that there is not a real Phantom haunting the corridors of the Palais Garnier, they certainly embrace the excitement surrounding the story. The tour points out the box seat in the balcony (Number 5) that the Phantom claims as his own in the story The entry to this box has a sign denoting that it is the Phantom's box. And of course the gift shop capitalizes (literally) on the Phantom lore. It does add an element of excitement to the building and, who knows, maybe there is a real Phantom haunting the theater after all.
Planning Your Visit:
Book ahead. Advance booking is recommended, especially for weekends, holidays and high tourist times when demand is high. Online booking is mandatory. There are no ticket sales on site.
Check the Schedule. The Palais Garnier is closed on January 1 and May 1. Additionally, access to certain areas (notably the auditorium) depends on the performance schedule for that day since it remains an active venue. If seeing the auditorium is a priority (and I think it should be), check the visiting timetable in advance to confirm there is no performance that doy so the auditorium will be open. Even if no performance is scheduled, please note the site clearly states that rehearsals can cause frequent and unpredictable closures of the auditorium and a ticket does not guarantee access.
Guided vs. Self-Guided: You can choose to book a ticket for a guided or self-guided tour. A standard ticket includes the public route through the vestibules, Grand Staircase, Grand Foyer, Library-Museum, and the auditorium when available. Guided tours and audio guides cover the same route but add historical context: construction history, architectural details, and the building's cultural legacy, including its connection to The Phantom of the Opera. Ticket prices vary depending on the type of tour selected. Check the Palais Garnier webiste for ticket prices, hours of admission, and schedule.
Length of Visit: Plan for 60-90 minutes for the self-guided visit and up to two hours for the guided tour.
Gift Shop: Make sure to leave time to visit the gift shop. The unique items sold in the gift shop relate to ballet and opera. Of course, there are Phantom related souvenirs available for purchase.
Is It Worth It?
This was a last minute decision for me to tour the Palais Garnier. I had some free time and it was close to my hotel. I am so glad I decided to check it out. The building is strikingly beautiful and the decor is extravagantly elegant. I am also a huge Phantom of the Opera fan so I was very interested in hearing the story. I was disappointed to find out it was lore, but seeing the parts of the opera house that inspired Leroux's novel was very cool. I highly recommend including a tour of the Palais Garnier on your itinerary. You will not regret it!
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