Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
The performing arts scene in Paris runs the gamut from highbrow to lowbrow, cheap (or even free) to break-the-bank expensive. Venues are indoors and outdoors, opulent or spartan, and dress codes vary accordingly. Regardless of the performance you choose, it's probably unlike anything you've seen before. Parisians have an audacious sense of artistic adventure and a stunning eye for scene and staging. An added bonus in this city of classic beauty is that many of the venues themselves—from the opulent interiors of the Opéra Garnier and the Opéra Royal de Versailles to the Art Deco splendor of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées—are a feast for the eyes.
One thing that sets Paris apart in the arts world is the active participation of the Ministry of Culture, which sponsors numerous concert halls and theaters, like the Comédie Française, that tend to present less commercial, though artistically captivating, productions. Other venues with broader appeal are known for sold-out shows and decade-long runs.
Most performances are in French, although you can find English theater productions. English-language movies are often presented undubbed, with subtitles. Of course, you don't need to speak the language to enjoy opera, classical music, dance, or the circus.
This mecca for cinephiles brought up on Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, and Alain Resnais is known for its superb, and exhaustive, retrospectives of world cinema past and present. Its spectacular home—in the former American Center, designed by Frank Gehry—includes elaborate museum exhibitions plus three cinemas and a video library. British and American films are always screened in the original language with French subtitles.
Founded in 1680, the Comédie Française is the most hallowed institution in French theater. It specializes in splendid classical French plays by the likes of Racine, Molière, and Marivaux. Buy tickets at the box office, by telephone, or online. If the theater is sold out, the Salle Richelieu offers steeply discounted last-minute tickets an hour before each performance.
Many an arts career was launched at this institution, where Josephine Baker charmed the city clad in nothing but a banana skirt and pearls, and icons such as Charlie Chaplin, Maurice Chevalier, and Mistinguett made their big Paris debuts. The 1926 Art Deco facade is a listed historic monument, but the opulent interiors hark back to its Belle Époque heyday as Paris's most daring cabaret. Nowadays, Dita Von Teese and other cabaret acts perform here regularly, but you'll also find more family-style shows, including dance, solo acts, and musicals.
Paris's legendary music hall hosts an eclectic roster of performances encompassing genres that range from gospel and jazz to French chanson to rock. Edith Piaf rose to fame after a series of Olympia concerts, and Jeff Buckley's famous Live at the Olympia was recorded here. Nowadays, you can see top acts ranging from Beach House to Lady Gaga to George Benson.
Artists like Maurice Chevalier and Arletty were once a staple of this small concert hall in the storied Montmartre neighborhood before cabaret and vaudeville moved in. Today it's one of Paris's top pop and contemporary music venues; artists like Adele and Coldplay played here in their early days.
Since it opened in 1932, the Grand Rex—a designated historic landmark—has been Europe's largest cinema, with 2,800 seats in its main auditorium and Paris's largest screen. The cinema's history is almost as colorful as its superb Art Deco architecture, considered some of the finest in the city. Although some films are in French or are dubbed in French, many of the international films are in their original language (including many in English) with French subtitles.
First opened in 1921, Le Louxor has since been returned to its original Egyptian-theme splendor. Now the city's grandest cinema, this Art Deco beauty is gorgeously appointed—all in rich ocher with jewel-toned velvet seating—and shows a roster of contemporary international art films in three cinemas. Have a drink at the top-floor bar or balcony for spectacular views of the neighborhood and Sacré-Coeur.
France's third-oldest theatrical institution is a gem of an opera house whose reputation was forged by its former director, enfant terrible Jérôme Savary. In addition to staging operettas, the hall hosts modern dance, classical concerts, and vocal recitals. Tickets, which vary widely in price, can be purchased at the theater, online, or by phone.
Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, this enormous silver spaceship of a building contains one of the world's finest and most expensive auditoriums. It can accommodate 2,400 music lovers, and the adjustable modular seating means you'll be able to see the stage no matter where you sit. Because the hall is home to the Orchestre de Paris, concerts are mostly classical; however, programming includes guest artists and an eclectic program of dance, pop, jazz, and world music performances that appeal to patrons with more diverse tastes—and smaller budgets. There are also excellent programs for kids. Part of the same complex (formerly known as the Cité de la Musique), Philharmonie 2 features a 1,000-seat concert hall and a 250-seat amphitheater and presents an eclectic range of concerts (some of which are free) in a postmodern setting. The newly opened restaurant L'Envol, with to-die-for views, is designed to provide "healthy, straightforward" gourmet meals pre- or post-performance by a former Top Chef candidate. There's also a café for snacks, coffee, or drinks. The Philharmonie de Paris is a 45-minute métro ride from downtown, and 600 parking spaces are also available.
This acoustic jewel was built in 1929 by Auguste Perret, who promised to construct "a concert hall that sounds like a Stradivarius." You can buy tickets for jazz and classical concerts only at the box office 30 minutes before each show; check the website for information on advance purchases. Free student recitals are offered at 12:30 pm on Tuesday and Thursday from October to April, and on some Wednesday afternoons from January to May.
Since 1985, France's foremost horse whisperer, who goes by the name of Bartabas, has created captivating equestrian shows that mix theater, dance, music, and poetry. If you're lucky enough to be visiting during the two months Zingaro performs at home (usually in late fall), you'll have the chance to witness a truly unique spectacle. The 500-seat theater-in-the-round on the outskirts of Paris is part of a caravan, where trainers and their families, 45 horses, and Bartabas himself live and work. The horses perform in close proximity to the audience in astonishing displays of choreography and acrobatic skill. If you can't make it for Zingaro, there is a consolation prize: in 2003, Bartabas created the Académie du Spectacle Équestre at the royal stables of Versailles (Grandes Écuries). Audiences can catch a decidedly more elegant show there on weekends (Saturday at 6 pm, Sunday at 3 pm) and on certain weekdays during school holidays. Expect to pay €34 to €59 for tickets.
One of Paris's most sumptuous theaters features musicals and other productions with a pronounced popular appeal (think The Lion King or Holiday on Ice). Many of the shows here are subtitled in English, thanks to Theatre in Paris ( theatreinparis.com).
The magnificent, magical former haunt of the Phantom of the Opera, painter Edgar Degas, and any number of legendary opera stars still hosts performances of the Opéra de Paris, along with a fuller calendar of dance performances (the theater is the official home of the Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris). The grandest opera productions are usually mounted at the Opéra Bastille, whereas the Garnier now presents smaller-scale works such as Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito and Così Fan Tutte.Tickets generally go on sale at the box office a month before any given show, earlier by phone and online; you must appear in person to buy the cheapest tickets. Last-minute returned or unsold tickets, if available, are offered an hour prior to a performance. The box office is open Monday to Saturday 11:30–6:30 and one hour before curtain; however, you should get in line up to two hours in advance. You can also check the website at noon on certain Wednesdays for flash sales of sold-out shows. Venue visits (€12) and guided tours in English (€15.50) are available and can be reserved online; check the website for details.
The most lavish opera house in France (and perhaps in all of Europe) hosts an impressive yearly calendar of major operas, ballets, recitals, and musical theater by world-class French and international performers. The intimate 652-seat theater has excellent acoustics and provides an ideal setting for works by big-name composers, with an emphasis on the Baroque and classical periods. Finished in 1770—just in time for the marriage ceremonies of the young dauphin (later King Louis XVI) and 14-year-old Marie-Antoinette—the structure's stunning neoclassical decor is crafted entirely of gilded and faux-marbled wood. A regular program of smaller concerts is also held in the splendid Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) and at the Royal Chapel, where recitals might feature a 300-year-old royal organ. Although it's recommended to buy tickets online one to two months in advance (up to six months ahead for star performers), they can be purchased at the box office on the evening of the performance depending on availability.
The outlying atelier for the more illustrious Théâtre de l'Odéon is in the 17e, a bit off the beaten path; the upside is that on Sunday it often has a 3 pm matinee in addition to the evening show (usually at 8 pm).
This spot offers an opportunity to experience a particularly Parisian form of entertainment, the café-théâtre—part satire, part variety revue—jazzed up with slapstick humor and performed in a café salon. You'll need a good grasp of French slang and current events to keep up with the jokes. There's no reserved seating; doors open 15 minutes before showtime.
Once a favorite of the immortal Serge Gainsbourg, Casino de Paris (a performance venue, not a gaming casino) has a horseshoe balcony and a cramped but cozy music-hall feel, and it presents everything from performances by touring musicals to Lorde and Belle & Sebastian concerts. This is where Josephine Baker performed in the early '30s with her leopard, Chiquita.
Catch previews of feature films, as well as documentaries, shorts, children's movies, and rarely shown flicks at Cinéma des Cinéastes. Near the Montmartre neighborhood, it's an old cabaret transformed into a movie house and wine bar.
This circus brings together two famous institutions: the beautiful Cirque d'Hiver hall, constructed in 1852, and the Bouglione troupe, known for its rousing assembly of acrobats, jugglers, clowns, trapeze artists, tigers, and house cats that leap through rings of fire. Shows run mid-October to early March, with a new production each season.
Next door to the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the Comédie des Champs-Élysées offers intriguing productions in its small theater.
Held throughout Paris from mid-July to mid-August, the Quartier d'Été festival attracts international stars of dance, world music, theater, and the circus. Prices for concert tickets typically range from €15 to €28, but half of the performances are free.
The annual Jazz à la Villette Festival is held at various Parc de La Villette venues, including the Philharmonie de Paris and Trabendo, over 10 days in early September. You'll pay €21 to €33 for tickets; check the website for detailed information.
The Rue de la Gaîté has been a Left Bank entertainment hub since the late 18th century. Once dotted with dance halls and cabarets, this street is still home to a multitude of lively bars and several historic theaters that feature well-known actors and offer a selection of dramas, musicals, and concerts. Check out the decorative La Comédie Italienne at No. 19, specializing in sharp, original plays and Carlos Goldoni Italian classics. All performances are in French. The theater, with whimsical trompe l'oeil paintings, can also be rented for private events.
Rising up from the Seine like a futuristic ocean liner, Le Seine Musicale answers Paris's desire to compete as one of the world's prime music destinations. The structure's two state-of-the-art concert halls, the largest with a seating capacity of 6,000, feature a range of musical performances, from classical to the legends of jazz and rock (Bob Dylan played the inaugural concert). Behind the sleek mirrored facade—whose solar panels generate enough power to dramatically illuminate the building at night—lie three restaurants, a plethora of bars, art galleries, and outdoor gardens offering panoramic views of Paris. The 28-acre island on the Seine is technically in Boulogne-Billancourt, a suburb of Paris, but is easily reached by métro or bus.
The Forum organizes thematic viewings in five state-of-the-art screening rooms, often presenting discussions with directors or film experts beforehand. Archival films and videos, workshops, and lectures are also on the schedule here. Movie tickets cost €7.20, but roundtables, discussions, and access to the film library are free; you can also download the Forum app for smartphones.
Occupying an abandoned factory, Le Lucernaire wins a standing ovation as far as cultural centers are concerned. With three theaters staging a total of six performances per day, plus three movie screens, a bookstore, photography exhibitions, a lively restaurant-bar, and the equally animated surrounding neighborhood of Vavin, it caters to a local audience of young intellectuals.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
