Opéra National de Paris – Palais Garnier

© Jean-Pierre Delagarde / OnP

Decked out in red and gold, lit up by a huge crystal chandelier and enhanced by the warm, bright colours of the ceiling painted in 1964 by Marc Chagall (a work commissioned by the Minister of Cultural Affairs, André Malraux), the Italian-style theatre contains 2051 velvet-covered seats.

© Jean-Pierre Delagarde / OnP

The huge, richly decorated foyers are the special haunt of audiences during intervals.
The Avant-Foyer stands out for its mosaic-covered vault in shimmering colours on a gold background, offering a magnificent view of the Grand Staircase hall and the Carré des Caryatides.The Grand Foyer was designed by Charles Garnier to echo the galleries of Classical period châteaux. Its huge size is further accentuated through the play with mirrors and windows. The magnificent ceiling painted by Paul Baudry illustrates musical themes. The lyre, the main decorative component, dominates the entire decorative vocabulary, on capitals, heating grids and door handles alike. A copy of the bust of Charles Garnier by the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux stands in the centre of the foyer, near one of the windows providing a view down the Avenue de l’Opéra as far as the Louvre. The two galleries communicate, providing plenty of room for Gala dinners (up to 700 people). An extension of the Grand Foyer, the openwork Loggia provides a unique view over the Avenue de l’Opéra.

© Jean-Pierre Delagarde / OnP

This circular space was once reserved for the subscribers, who entered it via the covered entrance on the east façade, now the Opéra Restaurant. The area devoted to the new box office on the other side, on the west façade, provides a more extensive view of the Rotonde des Abonnés, and has room for a larger number of guests. The majestic Pythia Fountain under the Grand Staircase is to be found beyond the Rotunda.

© Jean-Pierre Delagarde / OnP

A light, airy rotunda adorned with a painted ceiling by Georges Jules-Victor Clairin and tapestry cartoons illustrating a variety of drinks, together with hunting and fishing scenes. This saloon was added after the Opera had opened, and has a distinct 1900s touch. It provides a more intimate setting ideal for cocktails and suppers.

© Brodbeck & de Barbuat / OnP

A light-filled gallery with broad picture windows providing extensive views of the city, this saloon is an excellent venue for cocktails, suppers and lectures.