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Arts Centers | Circus | Concerts | Dance | Film | Theater
Arts Centers
Le Lucernaire.
Le Lucernaire wins a standing ovation as far as cultural centers are concerned. With two theaters (eight performances a night), three movie screens, an art gallery, a bookstore, a lively restaurant-bar, and the equally lively surrounding neighborhood of Vavin, it caters to young intellectuals. | 53 rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs, 6e, Montparnasse | 75006 | 01–45–44–57–34 | Station: Notre-Dame-des-Champs.
Fodor’s Choice | Opéra Garnier.
Opéra Garnier—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 de la Bastille, whereas the Garnier now presents smaller-scale works such as Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito and Così Fan Tutte. Gorgeous and intimate though the Garnier is, its tiara-shape theater means that many seats have limited visibility, so it’s best to ask specifically what the sight lines are when booking (partial view in French is visibilité partielle. TIP The cheaper seats are often those with partial views. Seats 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 discount tickets, if available, are offered 15 minutes before a performance for senior citizens and anyone under 28. The box office is open 11–6:30 daily, but you should get in line up to two hours in advance. Individual and guided tours (€9) are available; check the website for details. | Pl. de l’Opéra 9e, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75002 | 08–92–89–90–90 | www.operadeparis.fr | Station: Opéra.
Fodor’s Choice | Opéra Royal de Versailles.
The Royal Opera of Versailles, 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. Recently renovated, the intimate 652-seat structure 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 day of the performance. TIP There are no bad seats at the Royal Opéra, so instead of spending upward of 100€ on a ticket, you can get away with something a bit less pricey. For the Hall of Mirrors, you may not see much in the cheap seats, but the sound will still be glorious. | Place d’Armes | Versailles | 78000 | By commuter train (SNCF) from Paris Gare Montparnasse or Paris Gare Saint Lazare to Gare de Versailles | 01–30–83–75–05 | www.chateauversailles-spectacles.fr | Station: RER: C, Chateau de Versailles.
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées was the scene of 1913’s infamous Battle of the Rite of Spring, when police had to be called in after the audience ripped up seats in outrage at Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps and Nijinsky’s choreography. Today it is elegantly restored and worthy of a visit if only for the architecture (it’s one of Paris’s most striking examples of Art Deco). The theater also hosts first-rate opera and dance performances, along with jazz, world music, orchestral, and chamber concerts. | 15 av. Montaigne, 8e, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–49–52–50–50 | Station: Alma-Marceau.
Circus
Italian Antonio Franconi helped launch the first Cirque Olympique (considered the start of the modern circus) in Paris in 1783, and the French have been hooked ever since. Circus acts are cherished as high art in Paris—for all ages. The city boasts a 19th-century permanent circus theater and sprouts tents in every major park to present spectacles from the sublime to the quirky.
Circus Arts at the Parc de la Villette.
Circus Arts at the Parc de la Villette features an Espace Chapiteaux: a high-tech circus-tent complex that hosts entertaining innovators, including students from the National Circus Arts Center. It focuses on contemporary performance art—not to be missed by “new circus” fans. | 211 av. Jean-Jaurès, 20e, La Villette | 75019 | 01–40–03–75–75 | Station: Porte de Pantin.
Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione.
Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione brings together two famous circus 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 housecats that leap through rings of fire. | 110 rue Amelot, 11e, République | 75011 | 01–47–00–28–81 | www.cirquedhiver.com | Station: Filles du Calvaire.
Cirque National Alexis Gruss.
Cirque National Alexis Gruss, founded in 1854, remains an avowedly old-fashioned production with showy horseback riders, trapeze artists, and clowns. It runs November through mid-March, with performances Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday. | Rte. de l’Hippodrome, 16e, Bois de Boulogne | 75116 | 01–45–01–71–26 | www.alexis-gruss.com | Station: Ranelagh.
Concerts
There’s something majestic about listening to classical music under the airy roof of a medieval church, where many free or almost-free lunchtime and evening concerts are performed. Check weekly listings and flyers posted at the churches for information.
Museums also host classical concerts; tickets are usually sold separately from admission. The Auditorium du Louvre presents chamber music, string quartets, and a special series of promising new musicians on Thursday; the Musée du Moyen-Age stages medieval music concerts between September and June, including the l’Heure Musicale (tickets 9€–15€) on Sunday at 4 and Monday at 12:30; and the Musée d’Orsay often offers small-scale concerts in the lower-level auditorium.
Cité de la Musique.
Cité de la Musique presents a varied program of classical, experimental, and world-music concerts in a postmodern setting. | In Parc de La Villette,221 av. Jean-Jaurès, 19e, La Villette | 75019 | 01–44–84–44–84 | www.citedelamusique.fr | Station: Porte de Pantin.
IRCAM.
IRCAM organizes contemporary and classical music concerts, as well as dance and other modern art performances, in its own theater and at the Centre Pompidou next door for only €14. | 1 pl. Igor-Stravinsky, 4e, Beaubourg/Les Halles | 75004 | 01–44–78–48–43 | www.ircam.fr | Station: Châtelet, Les Halles, Hôtel de Ville.
Fodor’s Choice | Salle Cortot.
Salle Cortot is an acoustic jewel built by Auguste Perret in 1918. At the time he promised to construct “a hall that sounds like a Stradivarius.” Jazz and classical concerts are held here. TIP Free student recitals are offered at 12:30 on Tuesday and Thursday from October to April. | 78 rue Cardinet, 17e, Parc Monceau | 75017 | 01–47–63–47–48 | www.ecolenormalecortot.com | Station: Malesherbes.
Salle Gaveau.
Salle Gaveau is a perfectly appointed gold-and-white hall with 1,200 seats, remarkable acoustics, and a distinctly Parisian allure. It hosts chamber music, piano, and vocal recitals. | 45–47 rue la Boétie, 8e, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–49–53–05–07 | www.sallegaveau.com | Station: Miromesnil.
Salle Pleyel.
Salle Pleyel’s packed concert calendar—covering everything from jazz to Mozart—features international stars like Lionel Hampton and directors of the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra, plus repeat performances by the Orchestre de Paris. | 252 rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré, 8e, Concorde | 75008 | 01–42–56–13–13 | www.sallepleyel.fr | Station: Ternes.
Opera
Opéra Comique.
Opéra Comique is a gem of an opera house whose reputation was forged by its former director, enfant terrible Jérôme Savary. As well as staging operettas, the hall hosts modern dance, classical concerts, and vocal recitals. Tickets usually range from €6 to €50 and can be purchased at the theater, by mail, online, or by phone. | 5 rue Favart, 2e, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75002 | 08–25–01–01–23 | www.opera-comique.com | Station: Richelieu Drouot.
Opéra de la Bastille.
Opéra de la Bastille, the mammoth ultramodern facility designed by architect Carlos Ott and built in 1989, long ago took over the role of Paris’s main opera house from the Opéra Garnier (although both operate under the same Opéra de Paris umbrella). Like the building, performances tend to be on the avant-garde side—you’re as likely to see a contemporary adaptation of La Bohème as you are to hear Kafka set to music. Tickets for Opéra de Paris productions range from €5 to €200 and generally go on sale at the box office a month before shows, earlier by phone and online. The opera season usually runs September through July, and the box office is open Monday through Saturday 11–6:30.TIP You can buy tickets (12€) for guided tours of the opera house at the box office. Call for dates and times. | Pl. de la Bastille, 12e, Bastille/Nation | 75012 | 08–92–89–90–90, 01–40–01–19–70 tours | www.operadeparis.fr | Station: Bastille.
Théâtre du Châtelet.
Also known as Théâtre Musical de Paris, this venue stages some of the finest opera productions in the city and regularly attracts international divas like Cecilia Bartoli and Anne-Sofie von Otter. It also hosts classical concerts, dance performances, classic Broadway musicals, and the occasional play. | Pl. du Châtelet, 1er, Beaubourg/Les Halles | 75001 | 01–40–28–28–40 | www.chatelet-theatre.com | Station: Châtelet.
Dance
Classical ballet takes the stage in Paris in places as varied as the historic Opéra Garnier and the Grand Palais. More avant-garde or up-and-coming choreographers tend to show their works off in the smaller performance spaces of the Bastille and the Marais, and in theaters in nearby suburbs. And of course there’s the Centre National de Danse.
Centre National de la Danse.
After being sidelined by politics and budget problems for a decade, this dance center opened in a former administrative center of the Pantin suburb of Paris. The space is dedicated to supporting professional dancers, with classes, rehearsal studios, and a multimedia dance library. A regular program of performances, expositions, and conferences is also open to the public. | 1 rue Victor Hugo | Pantin | 93507 | 01–41–83–98–98 | www.cnd.fr | Station: Hoche; RER: Pantin.
Maison des Arts de Créteil.
This popular dance venue just outside Paris often attracts top-notch international and French companies, such as Blanca Li, Bill T. Jones, and the cutting-edge annual EXIT Festival. | Pl. Salvador Allende | Creteil | 94010 | 01–45–13–19–19 | www.maccreteil.com | Station: Créteil-Préfecture.
Théâtre de la Bastille.
Théâtre de la Bastille merits mention as an example of the innovative activity in the Bastille area; it has an enviable record as a launching pad for tomorrow’s modern-dance stars. | 76 rue de la Roquette, 11e, Bastille/Nation | 75011 | 01–43–57–42–14 | Station: Bastille.
Théâtre de la Cité Internationale.
Théâtre de la Cité Internationale is a complex of three theaters in the heart of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, an international student residence community and park. It hosts young avant-garde companies. | 17 bd. Jourdan, 14e, Parc Montsouris | 75014 | 01–43–13–50–50 | Station: RER: Cité Universitaire.
Théâtre de la Ville.
Théâtre de la Ville is the top spot for contemporary dance. Troupes like Anne-Teresa de Keersmaeker’s Rosas company are presented here. Book early; shows sell out quickly. | 2 pl. du Châtelet, 4e, Beaubourg/Les Halles | 75004 | 01–42–74–22–77 | Station: Châtelet.
Film
The French call films the septième art (seventh art) and discuss the latest releases with the same intensity as they do gallery openings or theatrical debuts. Most theaters run English-language films undubbed, with subtitles, which are indicated with VO, meaning version originale; films that are dubbed are VF (version française). First-run cinemas are clustered around the principal tourist areas, such as the Champs-Élysées, Boulevard des Italiens near the Opéra, Bastille, Châtelet, and Odéon. For listings online check www.allocine.fr or www.offi.fr/cinema.
Cinéma des Cinéastes.
Cinéma des Cinéastes shows previews of feature films, as well as documentaries, films for kids, short films, and rarely shown movies; it’s in an old cabaret transformed into a movie house and wine bar. | 7 av. de Clichy, 17e, Montmartre | 75017 | 08–92–68–97–17 | Station: Place de Clichy.
Fodor’s Choice | Cinémathèque Française.
Cinémathèque Française is a mecca for cinephiles brought up on Federico Fellini, Igmar Bergman, and Alain Resnais. Its spectacular home, in the former American Center designed by Frank Gehry, opened in October 2005 and includes elaborate museum exhibitions as well as four cinemas and a video library. | 51 rue de Bercy, 12e, Bercy | 75012 | 01–71–19–33–33 | www.cinematheque.fr | Station: Bercy.
La Géode.
La Géode screens wide-angle Omnimax films—including kid-friendly documentaries—on a gigantic spherical surface. | At Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Parc de La Villette,26 av. Corentin-Cariou, 19e, La Villette | 75019 | 01–40–05–79–99 | Station: Porte de La Villette.
Fodor’s Choice | La Pagode.
La Pagode—where else but Paris would you find movies screened in an antique pagoda? A Far Eastern fantasy, this structure was built in 1896 as a ballroom for the wife of the owner of Le Bon Marché department store. In the 1970s it was slated for demolition but saved by a grassroots wave of support spearheaded by director Louis Malle. Though the fare is standard, the surroundings are enchanting. Come early for tea in the garden (summer only). | 57 rue de Babylone, 7e, Invalides | 75007 | 01–45–55–48–48 | Station: St-François Xavier.
Le Balzac.
Le Balzac often presents directors’ talks before film screenings and features concerts as well as live music for silent classics. | 1 rue Balzac, 8e, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–45–61–10–60 | Station: George V.
Le Desperado.
Action Écoles specializes in American classics and cult films for only €8! | 23 rue des Écoles, 5e, Latin Quarter | 75005 | 01–43–25–72–07 | Station: Maubert Mutualité.
Le Forum des Images.
Le Forum des Images, emerging from a massive renovation, organizes thematic viewings in six state-of-the-art screening rooms, often presenting directors or a film expert for discussion beforehand. Archival films and videos, workshops, and lectures are also on the schedule here. Entry starts at €5; €8 for festivals. | Forum des Halles, Porte St-Eustache entrance, 1er,2 rue du Cinéma, Beaubourg/Les Halles | 75001 | 01–44–76–63–00 | Weekdays 12:30–11:30, weekends 2–11:30 | Station: Les Halles.
MK2 Bibliothèque.
MK2 Bibliothèque is a slick, 14-salle cineplex in the shadow of Mitterrand’s National Library with trademark scarlet-red chairs—they fit two people without a divider, so the experience is sort of like watching a movie at home on your couch. The site also has two restaurants plus shops selling gifts and DVDs. | 128–162 av. de France, 13e, Tolbiac | 75013 | 08–92–69–84–84 | Station: Quai de la Gare, Bibliothèque.
Parc de La Villette.
Parc de La Villette shows free open-air movies in July and August. Most people take along a picnic. You can rent deck chairs and blankets by the entrance. | In Prairie du Triangle at Parc de La Villette,221 av. Jean-Jaurès, 19e, La Villette | 75019 | 01–40–03–75–75 | www.villette.com/fr/ | Station: Porte de Pantin, Porte de La Villette.
St-André-des-Arts.
St-André-des-Arts, one of a number of popular cinemas near the Sorbonne, is also one of the best cinemas in Paris. It hosts an annual festival devoted to a single director, such as Bergman or Tarkovski. | 30 rue St-André-des-Arts, 6e, Latin Quarter | 75006 | 01–43–26–48–18 | Station: St-Michel.
UGC Ciné-Cité Bercy.
UGC Ciné-Cité Bercy is a mammoth 18-screen complex in the Bercy Village shopping area. For sound and seating, it’s one of the best. | 2 cour St-Emilion, 12e, Bercy | 75012 | 08–92–70–00–00 | Station: Cour St-Emilion.
Theater
A number of theaters line the Grands Boulevards between the Opéra and République, but there is no Paris equivalent of Broadway or the West End. Shows are mostly in French, with a few notable exceptions listed here. English-language theater groups playing in various venues throughout Paris and its suburbs include the International Players (www.internationalplayers.co.uk). Broadway-scale singing-and-dancing musicals are generally staged at either the Palais des Sports or the Palais des Congrès.
Ateliers Berthier.
Ateliers Berthier is the outlying atelier for the more illustrious Théâtre de l’Odéon. Its location in the 17e is a bit off the beaten path; the upside is that on Tuesday and Saturday it often has 3 pm matinees in addition to the 8 pm show. | Bd. Berthier’s corner,1 rue André Suarès, Parc Monceau | 75017 | 01–44–85–40–40 | Station: Porte de Clichy.
Café de la Gare.
Café de la Gare offers a fun opportunity to experience a particularly Parisian form of theater, the café-théâtre—part satire, part variety revue, jazzed up with slapstick humor and performed in a café salon. TIP You’ll need a good grasp of French slang and current events to keep up with the jokes. | 41 rue du Temple, 4e, Marais | 75004 | 01–42–78–52–51 | Station: Hôtel de Ville.
Casino de Paris.
Casino de Paris, once a favorite of the immortal Serge Gainsbourg, has a horseshoe balcony, a cramped, cozy music-hall feel, and performances by everyone from Dora the Explorer to the Scissor Sisters! This is where Josephine Baker performed in the early ’30s with her leopard Chiquita. | 16 rue de Clichy, 9e, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75009 | 08–92–69–89–26 | www.casinodeparis.fr | Station: Trinité.
Comédie des Champs-Élysées.
Comédie des Champs-Élysées offers intriguing productions in its small theater, next door to the larger Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. | 15 av. Montaigne, 8e, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–53–23–99–19 | Station: Alma-Marceau.
Fodor’s Choice | Comédie Française.
Comédie Française, founded in 1680, is the most hallowed institution in French theater. It specializes in splendid classical French plays by the likes of Racine, Molière, and Marivaux. TIP 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 the performance. | Salle Richelieu, Pl. Colette, 1er, Louvre | 75001 | 08–25–10–16–80 | www.comedie-francaise.fr/ | Station: Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre | Studio Théâtre, Galerie du Carrousel du Louvre,99 rue de Rivoli, 1er, Louvre | 75001 | 01–44–58–98–58 | Station: Palais-Royal | Théâtre du Vieux Colombier,21 rue Vieux Colombier, 6e, St-Germain-des-Prés | 75006 | 01–44–39–87–00 | Station: St-Sulpice.
La Cartoucherie.
This complex of five theaters (Théâtre du Soleil, Théâtre de l’Aquarium, Théâtre de la Tempête, Théâtre de l’Epée de Bois, and Théâtre du Chaudron) in a former munitions factory lures cast and spectators into an intimate theatrical world. Go early for a simple meal; actors often help serve “in character.” Detailed information for each theater is available at the website. | In Bois de Vincennes,route du Champ de manoeuvre, Bois de Vincennes | 75012 | www.cartoucherie.fr | Station: Château de Vincennes, then shuttle bus or Bus 112.
Le Manoir de Paris.
Let yourself be enchanted—and frightened—as talented performers bring Paris legends to life. When you walk through this mansion, the history of the Bloody Baker, the Phantom of the Opera, and Catherine de Medici’s hired assassin are acted out…on you! TIP If you are in Paris during Halloween, this is just about the best game in town. | 18 rue de Paradis, Eastern Paris | 75010 | No phone | Station: Chateau d’Eau.
Odéon–Théâtre de l’Europe.
Odéon–Théâtre de l’Europe was once home to the Comédie Française. This venue focuses on pan-European theater, offering a variety of European-language productions for no more than €34. | Pl. de l’Odéon, 6e, St-Germain-des-Prés | 75006 | 01–44–85–40–40 | Station: Odéon.
Théâtre Darius Milhaud.
Théâtre Darius Milhaud stages classics by Camus and Baudelaire, as well as occasional productions in English and shows for children. | 80 allée Darius Milhaud, 19e, La Villette | 75019 | 01–42–01–92–26 | Station: Porte de Pantin.
Théâtre de la Huchette.
Théâtre de la Huchette is a tiny Rive Gauche theater that has been staging the titanic Romanian-French writer Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano and The Lesson since 1957. Other productions are on view, too. (The box office is open Monday through Saturday 5 pm–9 pm.) | 23 rue de la Huchette, 5e, Latin Quarter | 75005 | 01–43–26–38–99 | Station: St-Michel.
Théâtre de la Renaissance.
This theater was put on the map by Belle Époque superstar Sarah Bernhardt (she was the manager from 1893 to 1899). Big French stars often perform here. | 20 bd. St-Martin, 10e, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75010 | 01–42–02–47–35 | Station: Strasbourg St-Denis.
Théâtre des Abbesses.
Théâtre des Abbesses, part of the Théâtre de la Ville, is a 400-seat venue in Montmartre; it opened in 1996 to feature lesser-known acts and up-and-coming choreographers, who often make it to the program in the Théâtre de la Ville the following year. | 31 rue des Abbesses, 18e, Montmartre | 75018 | 01–42–74–22–77 | Station: Abbesses.
Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord.
Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord is the wonderfully atmospheric, slightly decrepit home of English director Peter Brook, who regularly delights with his quirky experimental productions in French and, sometimes, English. | 37 bis, bd. de la Chapelle, 10e, Stalingrad/La Chapelle | 75010 | 01–46–07–34–50 | Station: La Chapelle.
Théâtre du Palais-Royal.
Théâtre du Palais-Royal is a sumptuous 750-seat Italian theater bedecked in gold and purple in the former residence of Cardinal Richelieu. | 38 rue Montpensier, 1er, Louvre | 75001 | 01–42–97–40–00 | www.theatrepalaisroyal.com | Station: Palais-Royal.
FAMILY | Fodor’s Choice | Théâtre Équestre Zingaro.
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. Since 1984, France’s foremost horse whisperer, who goes by the name of Bartabas, has created captivating equestrian shows that mix theater, dance, music and poetry. The 500-seat theater-in-the-round on the outskirts of Paris is part of a gypsy 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. Shrouded in mystery, Bartabas has taken his inspiration from eclectic sources (including Japanese Butoh dance, shamanism, Gypsy music, Baroque liturgy, and the Mexican Day of the Dead). The results are utterly original. TIP 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), where audiences can view a twice-daily display on weekends and certain weekdays. | 176 av. Jean Jaurès | Aubervilliers | 93300 | 01–39–02–62–75 | www.bartabas.fr | Station: Fort d’Aubervilliers.
Théâtre Marigny.
Théâtre Marigny offers top-flight theater, often with a big-name French star topping the bill. | Carré Marigny, 8e, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–53–96–70–30 | Station: Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau.
Théâtre Mogador.
Théâtre Mogador, one of Paris’s most sumptuous theaters, features musicals and other productions with a pronounced popular appeal (think Mamma Mia!). | 25 rue de Mogador, 9e, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75009 | 08–20–88–87–86 | Station: Trinité.
Théâtre National de Chaillot.
Théâtre National de Chaillot, housed in an imposing neoclassic building overlooking the Eiffel Tower, has two theaters dedicated to experimental, world, and avant-garde drama, dance, and music, or a mix of all three. Major names in dance—like the Ballet Royal de Suède and William Forsythe’s company—also visit regularly. There are programs for children, too. | 1 pl. du Trocadéro, 16e, Trocadéro/Tour Eiffel | 75116 | 01–53–65–30–00 | Station: Trocadéro.
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