Opéra

Opéra station sits at the foot of the Palais Garnier - Charles Garnier's extraordinary Second Empire opera house, completed in 1875, which gave Gaston Leroux the setting for The Phantom of the Opera. The building is justifiably one of the most visited monuments in Paris: its gilded grand foyer, marble staircase and painted ceiling by Marc Chagall (in the main auditorium) are genuine architectural spectacles. Guided tours run daily and access to the building for exploration purposes is straightforward even on performance days.

Immediately south on Boulevard Haussmann, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps - two of Europe's grandest department stores - draw enormous crowds of shoppers. The Galeries Lafayette flagship has a Belle Époque glass dome interior that is worth visiting for the architecture alone, and its rooftop terrace is free and gives one of the city's finest rooftop views.

Station Overview

Zone 1. Lines 3, 7 and 8 serve Opéra. Step-free access is available. The station is one of Paris's busiest tourist-facing interchanges.

Lines and Connectivity

Line 3 runs east-west connecting Gambetta and Pont de Levallois. Line 7 connects north to Gare de l'Est and south through Châtelet and the Latin Quarter to Villejuif. Line 8 connects to Madeleine, Bastille and Créteil.

Travel Tips

• Book Palais Garnier tours online - same-day tickets are often available but specific time slots sell out
• Galeries Lafayette rooftop (free) is accessible via the lifts inside the store - spectacular view over Haussmann-era rooftops
• The Passage des Panoramas (oldest covered arcade in Paris, 1800) is 10 minutes walk east - a slice of 19th-century Paris
• Boulevard Haussmann between Opéra and Saint-Lazare is best in early morning before the shopping crowds arrive

Nearby Attractions

Palais Garnier - Immediately outside. Daily tours of the opulent interior. Performances by Paris Opéra Ballet and Opéra National de Paris. Book tickets well in advance.

Galeries Lafayette - 5 minutes walk south on Boulevard Haussmann. The glass dome interior and free rooftop terrace are highlights even without shopping.

Passage des Panoramas - 10 minutes walk east. The oldest covered arcade in Paris, dating from 1800. Stamp and postcard dealers, restaurants and a timeless atmosphere.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

Standard Métro hours. The area is very busy on Saturdays when the department stores attract large crowds. Weekday mornings before 10:00 are the calmest time to visit the Palais Garnier and the surrounding streets.