Destination guide France

Paris

Marble, gilt and velvet at the opera house on Place de l’Opéra.

Avenue de l’Opéra, Paris

In the city

The opera house, four ways.

Visit the Palais Garnier on your own, or with a guide: a full tour, a short introduction or a tour after the public has gone.

Explore Palais Garnier

timed entry

Visitor guide

Know before you go.

Practical information for a visit to Paris and the Palais Garnier, from getting around to staying safe and finding somewhere to eat.

Checked 7 November 2026. Prices, apps and advice change; check the sources before you travel.

Quick facts

Currency: Euro (€).
Language: French.
Time: UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer.
Plugs: Type C and E (European two-pin), 230 V.
Best time to visit: France’s tourism site suggests autumn, with Montmartre’s grape-harvest festival and the Festival d’Automne from September to December.

About Paris

The Palais Garnier opened on 5 January 1875.
Charles Garnier won the competition to design it in 1861, aged 35, against 171 other entries.
Marc Chagall painted the auditorium ceiling in 1964.
About 2.1 million people live in the City of Paris, and about 7.1 million in Greater Paris.

Getting around

Taxis

Airport taxis charge fixed fares, the same in both directions: Charles de Gaulle €56 to the Right Bank or €65 to the Left Bank, Orly €45 or €36. Every ride costs at least €8, and you can always pay by card. A green roof light means the taxi is free; use licensed taxis with a “Taxi Parisien” sign.

Ride apps

Uber and Bolt both offer private-hire cars and taxi bookings in Paris.

From the airport

RER B serves all Charles de Gaulle terminals; metro line 14 reaches Orly in about 25 minutes from Châtelet, and Orlyval also serves Orly. Airport journeys need the €14 Paris Région–Aéroports ticket. RoissyBus and Orlybus no longer run.

Public transport

A Métro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 and a Bus-Tram ticket €2.05; a trip using both needs both tickets. Load tickets on a €2 Navigo Easy card or the Île-de-France Mobilités app; paper tickets are no longer sold. A Navigo Day pass costs €12.30.

Staying safe

The UK government does not advise against travel to France. It notes a high threat of terrorism and that protests can disrupt transport. Pickpocketing is common on public transport and at busy sights.

Pickpocket gangs work on the metro, the RER and at main stations; one distracts you while another steals.
Stay alert on RER B, the line to both airports.
Be wary of strangers offering a free drink or show at a private club.
Keep your ticket until you leave the metro; inspectors fine on the spot.

Emergency numbers

All emergencies: 112
Ambulance: 15
Police: 17
Fire: 18

Places to eat nearby

Well-known restaurants near the sights, listed for convenience. Apollonaut has no connection with them and takes no bookings. Price levels (€ to €€€) are a rough guide; check opening times before you go.

Café de la Paix Place de l’Opéra, 9th · Classic French brasserie €€€
Bouillon Chartier Grands Boulevards Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 9th · Traditional French bouillon €
Drouant Place Gaillon, 2nd · Traditional French €€€
Abri Soba Rue Saulnier, 9th · Japanese soba (MICHELIN Bib Gourmand) €€
Caillebotte Rue Hippolyte-Lebas, 9th · Modern French (MICHELIN Bib Gourmand) €€
Racines Passage des Panoramas, 2nd · Italian €€

Sources for this guide

Photography credits

Avenue de l'Opéra Paris by Jebulon, CC0.
Opera Garnier Grand Escalier by Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Palais Garnier's grand salon, 12 February 2008 by Photograph: Eric Pouhier, Modifier: Rainer Zenz, Niabot (last modification), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Ópera, París, Francia, 2022-10-31, DD 45-47 HDR by Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Ópera, París, Francia, 2022-10-31, DD 36-38 HDR by Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images have been resized and cropped for this guide.

Paris

The opera house, four ways.

Self-guided visit

Guided tour

After-hours tour

Flash tour