One of the fondest memories I have of my “student in Paris” days was attending performances at the Palais Garnier. Top tier and most of the time requiring opera glasses the experience was always magical.  If you’d like to visit the sumptuous building or are interested in any of L’Opera de Paris performances at a discount, here’s the insider lowdown:

Last-minute tickets

• €10 for seats with a limited view or no view of the stage at the Palais Garnier

Tickets for seats in the 6th category are only sold on the day of the performance at the box office of the Palais Garnier. These seats offer a limited view or no view of the stage depending on their location, however, tickets for them do provide access to the auditorium and allow the bearer to hear music played by a live orchestra and in some cases, catch a glimpse of what is happening on stage (with the possibility of getting a better view by standing when the seat is at the rear of a box).

• €5 for a standing-room ticket in the circle of the Opéra Bastille

32 standing tickets are sold at 5€ each (category 10) at the Opera Bastille ticket offices (130 rue de Lyon – 75012 Paris) on the day of the performance: from 11:30 a.m. Monday to Saturday; and one hour prior to the performance on Sundays and bank holidays. Tickets are limited to two per person.

• Special reduced rates  Special reduced rates on last-minute tickets for an up-coming performance that are still available at the Paris Opera’s box offices 30 minutes prior to curtain-up:

For those under the age of 28 and the unemployed:

– €35 for a ticket to an opera.

– €25 for a ticket to a ballet or concert/recital.

– €10 for a ticket to a Sunday chamber music concert.

For senior citizens over the age of 65:

– €70 for a ticket to an opera.

– €40 for a ticket to a ballet or concert/recital.

– €15 for a ticket to a Sunday chamber music concert.

Not valid for Young People’s Avant-Premières, evenings for the Under 40s, or special evenings.

Discounted rates. Certain performances are subject to a 10% discount depending on the date: See prices.

Budget prices. Throughout the season, the Paris Opera offers performances at budget prices:

• The programme of the Academy and chamber music concerts at the Amphithéâtre Bastille from €10 to €25 (depending on age),
• Musical Middays at the Palais Garnier from €10 to €30 (depending on the seat category),
• Concert-encounters at the Studio Bastille: €5.

Take an hour and twenty minute tour:  Your visit will begin with the “Rotonde des Abonnes” (Members’ Rotunda) which was formerly used to welcome the audience, and where you will be able to discover the unique signature of the architect Charles Garnier amongst the arabesques. 

The mysterious Prophetess Pythia will greet you before you take the majestic “Grand Escalier” (Main Staircase), which brings you to the auditorium, the lounges and the foyers. The abundant decor, the splendour of the various foyers and the variety of materials used will take your breath away. The numerous paintings and sculptures allow the Palais Garnier to be not only a theatre but also a museum at the same time.

If you’re looking for some over-the-top splendor, love history as well as the arts, this downtown treasure is well worth the euros.  Did I mention the Chagall ceiling?

After your visit, consult your No Worries Paris guide for other things to do in the neighborhood. Printemps and Galeries Lafayette are just around the corner. Or try L’Opéra Restaurant. It’s built into the Palais Garnier opera house’s east facade.

For what’s happening at the Bastille opera site go to: https://www.operadeparis.fr/en

FYI: For 1,000 euros you can adopt one of the Garnier’s red velvet plush seats. They’re going fast: https://fauteuils.operadeparis.fr/choisissez-un-fauteuil