#opera garnier private tour

[bbyskars]

just got home from watching john wick 4 and oh my god it was amazing!

don’t worry, i won’t give any spoilers but bill was amazing in it. his character was perfect and he was such a good villain in the john wick universe. and he looked so so sexy in those suits 🥵🥵

as well as that, a lot of the scenes with bill in were filmed in the palais garnier in paris. i have been on a private tour of the opera house when i was in college so seeing bill filming those scenes there had me shook.

[meret118]

Airbnb and the Opéra National de Paris have teamed up to transform one of the Palais Garnier’s chambers, the Box of Honor, into a lavish bedroom. While the box is typically reserved for visiting dignitaries, two lucky guests will get to have a sleepover there this summer for €37 (roughly $39). The fee is a nod to the Box of Honor’s number.

Booking for the one-night stay opens March 1 at 12 p.m. Eastern Time. Whoever nabs the coveted spot will get to sleep at the opera house on July 16.

The stay also includes a private ballet lesson taught by one of the Paris Opera’s ballet dancers, a private recital by Paris Opera Academy artists, dinner in the rehearsal room behind the stage, and a tour of the building’s private dance studios. The guests will also get a tour of the Palais Garnier’s hidden areas, including its underground lake and archives.

[pariseaglecabs]

The purpose of the private Van Paris Discovery Tour is to give you an overview of all the most spectacular and renowned monuments and historical sites of the city. It will help you to get your marks and make your plans for the next days. Your private, licensed driver-guide will pick you up at your hotel in a very comfortable, air-conditioned minivan (or similar).After a brief introduction to the architecture of Paris so that you may better appreciate the beauty of the city, you will start your journey at the geographical center of Paris, the Opera Garnier (that inspired the “Phantom of the Opera”,then drive to place Vendôme (a jewel of architecture from the 17thC),the Palais Royal (former Cardinal’s palace), the Louvre (outside visit),continue along the Seine River to the Ile de la Cite , passing by the Conciergerie (former seat of the Royal power),where you will make your first stop to have a visit of the cathedral Notre-Dame ,you will continue then driving by the Hotel de Ville (Town of Hall) andthe Ile St Louis before arriving to one of the most interesting areas of Paris: the Marais district , that from the 14th C on became the residence of the King, rich noble families and the Jewish community. You will stop for a small walking tour with your guide that will take you along, rue des Francs Bourgeois to the first Royal square in Paris: place des Vosges (visit of the square, hotel de Sully etc.).

[thephantomessoftheopera]

Opéra Garnier - Box Five

Since about 2010, Box Five has been labelled with a small brass badge as „Loge du Fantôme de l‘Opéra“ („The Phantom of the Opera‘s Box“) - making it one of the few official tokens of recognition of the Phantom story. Unfortunately, we could not go in on this occasion, so I tried to take a photo through the window. I do have some photos of the interior of a very similar box on the other side of the auditorium here.

The design of the box doors inspired the design of Christine‘s dressing room door in the ALW musical.

The door to Box Five is right next to the entrance to Box 1-3 (the „Emperor‘s Box“. According to our tour guide, the Phantom wanted to be on the “same side as the Emperor“. Within the context of the novel, it is more likely though that Box Five was chosen for easy access from Erik‘s house, which presumably was also located towards the Rue Scribe side.

The marble pillar next to Box Five, inside of which Erik hid according to Leroux.

The velvet doors lead to a rather simple staircase to the upper and lower levels.

The hallway outside Box Five

The interior of Box Five, as seen through the window.

[lotusunset]

Far too many pics of the Palais Garnier (Part Two!)

In October of 2022, I had the extraordinary experience of getting to complete an 15+ year old dream of mine to visit the Palais Garnier. I took a metric fuckton of pictures and now I want to share them with you all, the PotO community!

Before I start dumping, a few things:

Please reblog this post. I usually don’t post a lot, therefore I don’t have a big following. I’d really appreciate people sharing these as much as they can. When I was a dumb kid in ye olden days of the internet, finding a post like this was the sort of thing I would have been hyped up on for weeks. Help spread that kind of joy!

Feel free to use these photos for any sorts of graphics, artistic reference or any other fandom related projects, as long as it’s not for profit. Please just credit me in some way. In fact, I'd love to be tagged to see whatever creations come from sharing all this!

This is part two, which will be photos of the interior. While there, I also took a tour, Mysteries of the Palais Garnier. I'll share a lot of the things I learned throughout the post and try to provide as much context as I can.

PART 1 (exterior) | PART 2 (here!) | PART 3 (foyer) | PART 4 (stage)

Upon leaving the designated tour office area, we entered this large, circular room where our tour began. Giant mirrors lined the walls and one of my companions immediately remarked that she felt as though someone was watching her from behind them.

On the ceiling there was this intricate pattern. We learned that this was Charles Garnier's "signature". He was concerned that at some point in time, his name would be forgotten and he would no longer be remembered as the architect of the Opera. If you look closely, his name is intertwined in the design, as well as the years of the building's construction.

There are salamanders hidden throughout the building as they were said to ward off devastating fires. It was very common for theaters to burn down, then. In fact, the construction of the Garnier was somewhat rushed in the last few years because the company's previous theater, Salle le Peletier burned to the ground in 1873. The Garnier opened in 1875.

We learned in our tour that these cracks on the steps were the result of a great tragedy. A group of ballerinas had been exploring the roof when the glass on the large window above cracked. One ballerina fell through the window and met her demise on the steps below.

With all these pictures of doors to the private boxes, you're probably wondering, "Hey Lotus, what about the most important one?" I got you, boo.

PART 1 (exterior) | PART 2 (here!) | PART 3 (foyer) | PART 4 (stage)

[miniatureoftheopera]

The new tour of the Brilliant original production of the Phantom of the Opera 

 Turns out to be a not the brilliant original production after all. Major changes have been made and Operafantomet’s post sums up my thoughts in great detail (mind reading magic?): 

 https://operafantomet.tumblr.com/post/190399275372/ok-i-had-a-minor-rant-about-this-in-private-but.

But all that aside, the details on the model, and the craftmanship is AMAZING!

I’m pretty sure the boxes will slide on, and the top part of the proscenium which lines up with them will fly in. The chandelier looks nice. I’m not sure if I will miss the rising of it. The shattered effect on the proscenium is cool enough. The Garnier front curtain I do not like at all. And all of that really does not matter because: It is not the promised Original!

[xodaniellevictoria]

8 Days in Paris

I’ve been wanting to visit Paris for as long as I can remember. 2 weeks ago my life long dream, CAME TRUE! My fascination with the city began with my love for ballet. For those who don't know I was a ballet dancer for 16 years, and the type of ballet I was taught, originated in Paris. I have envisioned myself walking amongst the city streets for years and to finally cross this off my bucket list was an indescribable feeling. I want to share everything we did while we were there, and any quick tips to help you out if you’re wanting to visit this amazing place for yourself! 

Alright lets start with planning. I searched for EVER to find affordable flights. Typically out of California round trip tickets to Paris are around $1200 each. By some miracle I was able to find round trip tickets for $500 each. (Because it’s off season for tourism and once the weather gets colder, the ticket prices drop) I didn't use any specific sites or cheap airlines, I was just always looking for a deal. So I definitely recommend going on off season (Fall to early spring) to avoid high ticket prices. 

While you're planning, I would also really recommend staying at an Airbnb over a hotel. We really felt like we got the true Parisian experience and most Airbnbs are cheaper then hotels is what I noticed while planning.

HERE IS A LINK to the cute private apartment we stayed at while we were there. It was PERFECT for what we wanted. The iconic Parisian windows, a great view to a little courtyard, in the city center, and 3 minute walk to the subway. (Photo below for the ideal Parisian windows I was talking about.)

We decided to break up our trip by spending the majority of our time in Paris at the Airbnb, and then the last 2 nights we splurged and stayed at a hotel I’ve had my eye on for awhile now. Hotel Providence is the Parisian hotel of my dreams, and it did not disappoint. The stunning lush decor and rich color palette of the entire hotel checked off all my aesthetic points. We had champagne waiting for us in our room, and they were accommodating for early check in and leaving our bags at the front desk after we checked out, since we had some time to kill before our flight. I found the hotel on Instagram and I’m so glad I did. They have an amazing bar downstairs that was great for pre and post dinner drinks. They serve food as well but we unfortunately never got to try any. The front desk and service at the bar was amazing, super friendly, spoke great English and would absolutely recommend staying here if your budget allows. See below for pictures of our beautiful room and the outside seats of the bar / restaurant! CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE HOTEL

Another thing I would highly recommend is getting the PARIS CITY PASS. This pass will get you into the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Versailles, you name a Parisian attraction, and this pass will most likely get you in, and the best part is you won't have to wait in ticket lines. At the Louvre, there was a 2 hour wait to get tickets, and we literally walked RIGHT in... Sorry everyone in line! Should have done your research! 

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SITE TO GET YOUR PARIS CITY PASS

While planning, something else to think about is transportation. Basically the entire trip, we took Paris’s subway system ‘Le Metro.’ If you have an iPhone, using apple maps is going to be your best friend. Switch your directions to transit instead of walking or driving. The apple maps directions will tell you exactly where to go for the train stations, which lines to take, and which direction you need to be heading. There are signs in English in the subway so don't worry about not being able to understand French signs. There are trains right at the airport, and everywhere you will want to go in the city. Its truly amazing and so affordable compared to trying to Uber everywhere. We honestly preferred taking the subway way more than taking Ubers, because traffic in the city is.... Intense, and most of our Uber drivers didn't speak any English. The trains were always much faster and just easier in general.

Now I want to share the things we did that were noteworthy, and that we would recommend to anyone who is coming to Paris for the first time.

1. Eiffel Tower. Just as magical as you would think it would be. Head to the Tracadero across the river Seine to get an amazing view and its a GREAT picture spot. Another amazing picture spot is on the same side of the river as the Eiffel Tower and its a little dead end street with the perfect view of the tower with some French buildings in the line of view as well. 

Heres the address: 228 Rue de l’Universite (the picture below was taken HERE)

2. Versailles. The grandest palace in all of Europe. It is breath taking. Especially if you're a history nerd like me. I got an audio guide so we didn't have to take a tour, and it was perfect. Also highly recommend renting a golf cart to get around the gardens and to see the other buildings and Marie Antoinette’s little village she created. PICTURE SPOTS: Hall of mirrors, Petite Trianon, and the Grand Trianon. Advice for getting pictures here, PATIENCE. Just wait for people to move so you can get cool shots with no one in them.

3. Crazy Horse. Ok this one won't be for everyone, but when I think of Paris I think of burlesque. Crazy Horse was one of the coolest burlesque shows we’ve seen and its a must if you're wanting a sexy night out. ( We preferred this over Moulin Rouge. )

4. MontMarte. MontMarte is the cities highest point. resting on a hill, there's a gorgeous old church, the Sacre Couer. MontMarte is also the cities historic artist district. Artists such as Van Gogh, and Renoir, found inspiration in this quaint part of town. Behind the church is the cutest little area where local artists are still paining city scapes and personal portraits. Seeing this area was a highlight for me. It felt so like what I thought Paris would be like. Good rooftop bar with the view of the city and the Eiffel Tower: Terrass Hotel, the rooftop bar is open to the public, you don't have to be staying at the hotel.

5. Le Marais. This is where you need to go if you're wanting to shop. Clothes, local pastries, apothecaries, you name it this area has it. Our favorite stores were Blue Garage, System Vintage, Luka Luna, 

6. Notre Dame. A Paris staple. Currently closed for renovations but still worth seeing from afar. The streets around the Notre Dame are covered with vintage magazine / book stands. They make for great home decor. Make sure you have euros pulled out though because they don't accept credit cards!

7. Musee d’Orsay. Paris’s second biggest and most famous museum. Is in an old train station which makes for a cool setting for a museum. (See picture below) We liked this museum more than the Louvre...Way less crowded, and more modern artists that we actually knew. Holds famous paintings from Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Van Gogh. Highly recommend grabbing a drink on the 5th floor cafe behind one of the old clocks!

8. The Catacombs. Super interesting walk through some of Paris’s old Limestone quarries that they filled with bones from the cemeteries, when the cemeteries were getting too crowded in the 1700′s. I didn't get any spooky vibes. Just felt like a museum.

9. Palais Garnier. The Opera house in Paris. Reminiscent of Versailles, this grand Opera house is soooo extravagant and gorgeous. The first real Ballets were put on here. How cool is that?

That wraps up the things to see that we loved most. Now lets move on to my favorite part... THE FOOD!

Basically everywhere you look in Paris there are little cafes. Sometimes as many as 4 on a block. Eat at as many of them as you can. They're all pretty incredible. If you're from America and have never traveled to Europe, something to note is that in Europe, slow service is good service. You have to ask for your check. dining out in Europe is an experience and they want you to relax and enjoy your time dining. There is no rush with food there. Its pretty life changing coming from a country where you are accustomed to being in and out of a restaurant within an hour and getting angry if your food hasn't shown up in 15 minutes. 

Things you need to try at any Parisian restaurant: bread, butter, wine, and cheese. They're all usually locally sourced and man let me tell you... It just tastes DIFFERENT over there. The butter is the best butter I’ve ever had. When we got home I legitimately looked up where I can buy French butter here in San Diego... The wine? INSANE. One night I had 6 glasses (which is WAY way way too much for me) and the next morning I didn't wake up with any sort of hangover... I don't know what they're doing in France but wow it is amazing. The cheeses are also wonderful. All so different depending on the restaurant, and all taste soooo much fresher then any cheese I’ve had here in the US. It’s hard to describe. 

Some of our favorite restaurants we came across while we were there:

BREAKFAST / LUNCH-

Any cafe usually has a Croque Monisuer or a Croque Madame which is basically a grilled cheese sandwich with ham and egg, they're amazing and make a great breakfast sandwich. We also ordered Cafe Au Lait’s everywhere we went for breakfast (Coffee with steamed milk.) And croissants are always a good idea.

La Terrasse Des Archives for an amazing avocado toast eggs Benedict

Hollybelly 5 for some americanized / English style breakfasts and some amazing lattes

Hardware Societie for another amazing Americanized / English breakfast

Breakfast in America is a full on American diner in the heart of Paris.

DINNER-

My favorite meals we ate in Paris were our dinners. There is endless amazing food options but here are some of our favorites.

Sacree Fleur did not disappoint. Located in MontMarte, this cozy restaurant will blow you away. We started with the cheese course, wine, and bread. Had steak and mashed potatoes as our main course, which by the way, continues to cook at your table on a hot slab of rock. SO COOL! And we finished with the creme brûlée, which actually made me CRY, it was so good.... (Terrass Hotel is walking distance away, the rooftop bar is open to the public and you get an amazing view of all of Paris including the Effie tower while enjoying some after dinner drinks, and you don't have to be staying at the hotel to enjoy the rooftop bar.)

Le Petit Italien is an amazing option if you're wanting some Italian food in Paris.

Le Sancrerre in MontMarte was another stand out. I got the beef bourguignon and it was incredible.

Chez Janou was also outstanding. Perfect French dishes, great service. Our waiter was actually living in San Diego for awhile before he moved back home to Paris so it was a super random coincidence to eat there and have him as our waiter!

[theprinceregent]

Private tour of napoleon’s apartments in the louvre tomorrow!!! First visit to the opera garnier too! Shidding myself with excitement lads.

[chryssahadjis-blog]

The Opéra Garnier, Post Tour

Wednesday, May 29th

Our second visit to the Opéra Garnier involved a private tour of the building. It also included a look backstage and what is going on down below all the glitz and glamour. Beginning in 1861, Charles Garnier started the process of creating a “new Opera house” during the Parisian era of Haussman. It is now considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful theaters. Upon entering one would be able to see just how amazing it is; decked out in shiny golds, bright lights,  masterpieces, and rich reds from top to bottom. 

Not only did the Opéra Garnier have something to show off, but so did its audience members. We learned that the opéra became a place where the rich and powerful would come to show off their fancy wardrobes and accessories, hence the mirrors found around almost every corner. They always had to be checking to make sure they looked presentable, though I would find it hard to outshine the Opéra Garnier.

This raised an intriguing question during our midterm discussion... If Parisians say they hold art to a different standard and have more of an appreciation for the arts, why is it that they would come to the opéra to show off their own beauty and belongings? Personally, even though the opéra came to be a place of ‘who wore it best’, I believe the Parisians were still able to appreciate the artistic show they came to see. Art, and most specifically the opéra, would not have lasted this long in Paris’ culture if it wasn’t for the support and admiration of the Parisians. 

[wheel-of-fish]

I guess I should fill out my own survey. And remember, there’s a #phansurvey2018 tag!

Basic info

Name (or what we should call you): fish

Age: adult

Pronouns: she/her

Location: USA, eastern time zone

Discord: wheel-of-fish

Rabb.it: wheel-of-fish

FFN: Wheel of Fish

AO3: wheel_of_fish

Deviantart: n/a

Instagram: private, sorry

Shop(s): n/a

Other: wheeloffish on ko-fi

Phan history

1. General phan since: mid ’90s

2. Part of Tumblr phandom since: May 2017

3. One-sentence summary of how you got into Phantom: my mom started playing the original London cast recording after she saw the show

4. Phantom-related performances attended: Toronto production; seeing LND in October and possibly restaged tour in early 2019

5. Adaptations you’re familiar with: original novel, ALW musical, 1925 film, 1943 film, 2004 film, 1987 animated film, 1990 Charles Dance phantom, Kay, Phantom of the Paradise, David Staller phantom, Tom Alonso phantom, Phantom of the Opera on Ice, Takarazuka Revue, Wishbone...

6. Other relevant tidbits you’d like to share (collections, costumes, celebrity encounters, etc.): as kids my brother and I would reenact the final lair with action figures and I saw Laird as Raoul but I think I’ve mentioned that about 500 times

Blog

1. Main blog: wheel-of-fish

2. Phantom sideblog, if applicable: n/a

3. Other sideblogs you’d like us to know about: n/a

4. Your blog focus/aesthetic, if you have one: hahaha I don’t think so

5. Types of fan content you produce, if any: mostly gifs these days, fanfiction historically, an occasional ridiculous video edit, nosy surveys

6. Types of content you reblog (Phantom or otherwise): photos, art, gifs, occasional fic, stream announcements, cool PotO memorabilia and trivia, pretty things, things that speak to me on a primal level

7. Do you post or reblog NSFW content? I sometimes post links to mature content offsite, but otherwise I usually don’t because I suspect there are a lot of minors following me.

8. Other general interests: reading, piano, nature, animals, stars, indie music, food/cooking 

Phan favorites

1. Favorite adaptation(s): the original novel and the ALW musical (and ok, the Persia section of Kay)

2. Favorite character(s): Christine, Erik, the Persian

3. Ship(s) you ship, if any: I can ship anyone at this point if it’s convincing enough, but I do gravitate toward E/C and pharoga. 

4. Favorite actor(s): Gina Beck, Hugh Panaro, Saulo Vasconcelos, Jeremy Stolle, Earl Carpenter, Michael Crawford, Amy Manford, Jeremy Hays, Jim Weitzer, Laird Mackintosh

5. Other Phantom-related obsessions: Phantom hands, Christine’s entire wardrobe

Fandom involvement

1. Favorite phan blogs: see this post

2. Content you’d love to see more of: characters besides E/C, as much as I love them; current cast bootlegs (ha); and really anything that brings more phans together

3. Phandom discord server(s) that you frequent: I don’t log in a whole lot, but I’ve joined Palais Garnier Hellpit, OG’s Obedient Servants, and Phantom Pals. I’m a bit more active on the Hellpit because they were the ones to draw me out of my shell. :)

4. Do you/would you attend phan-hosted streams? If so, what would you like to see streamed? I try to attend them regularly, and I host on occasion. Would love to see more of the international replica and non-replica productions.

5. Do you read fanfiction? If so, what kind(s)? I read very little of it these days due to a combination of burnout and an inability to focus, but I love me some angst to fluff. Slow burn is excellent too.

6. Anything else you’d like to add? Thanks so much to those of you who have filled this out, or plan to do so! I’ve loved reading them! 

I’m tagging @littlelonghairedoutlaw @rienerose @rosesandmusicsheets @i-am-melancholys-child@daenerysthesilverdragon @dreamer-hyun @masksonmasks @onemaskedball @beauted @aliceheart247 @pagesofangels @eriks-stale-breadstick @opera-ghost @inbetweeness @jennyfair7 @glorianafemina @sfiddy @pensez-a-erik @therosenpants @klausscrimshaw @phantomoftheoperea @your-obedient-phantom @ofbeautsandbeasts ok I’m cutting myself off GO FORTH AND TAG (but also do it if you're not tagged; I'm just being annoying)

[asp1990]

Day 4: Sunday June 26th, 2022

Breakfast: Crepe avec Nutella et cappuccino Lunch: Chicken baguette Dinner: DIY cheese platter avec vin

Steps: 21, 070

Amara woke up early this morning to go to the laundromat as our washing machine was only decorative. While she was gone, I showered and got ready for our day. Tim woke up and Amara returned 10 minutes before we headed off to brunch. My feet were absolutely killing me from the day before – I’ve never had feet this sore before! I was limping for the whole walk which made me feel like crap.

We walked for half an hour to a beautiful café that I’d seen on Instagram called La Favorite – the shop front was covered in pink flowers and leaves – trés chic! We were all a bit low energy this morning, so mostly sat in silence. We ordered 3 cappuccinos, Nutella crepes, eggs benedict and a croissant with bacon and eggs – total cost 65 euro.

After brunch, we walked along the street and visited a fromagerie with a super rude woman who seemed very put out that we wanted to buy cheese. We sampled a few and settled on buying one soft and one hard cheese to have for dinner. We went to a bakery and bought a fresh baguette then went to a shirt shop so Tim could buy some fun shirts – it was like the shop was designed for him. We were there for about 20 minutes while Tim chose and again, the woman looked a bit fed up with us despite being the only customers.

My feet were still hurting and I was planning on getting a cab home, but we ended up walking. My right toe was cramping and I was in a lot of pain, but we finally made it home after limping up the 63 steps to our apartment. Amara gave me some Panadol and ibuprofen to help relieve the pain. We spent a few hours relaxing at home before heading out again for a tour of the Opera Garnier.  

We caught the train 4 stops to Opera station and regarde! The Opera Garnier was ginormous and beautiful! Every building we visit is so ornate and intricate. It is mind-blowing. We booked an English speaking tour at 3.30pm and our tour guide’s name was Juan. We were told to arrive half an hour early to get through security, but it took 2 minutes so we sat around for 20 minutes and took some photos. Tim got stuck on his daily crossword and Amara and I just scrolled social media.

To say that the interior of the opera house is breathtaking is an understatement. My jaw dropped every time we entered a new room. The foyer was outstanding, the auditorium was absolutely gorgeous and the salon was a sight to behold. The gold, the rich colours and the sheer size of each space was unreal. It was one of the most beautiful buildings that I’ve ever visited and Amara, who had been before, said it was rare for tourists to be able to enter the auditorium without a ticket to a performance, so we were very lucky.

Things I learned from Juan: • No windows on ground floor so you can immerse yourself in the opera • The ceiling in the entrance has 16 heads - 12 zodiacs and 4 versions of architect at ages 20,40,60 and 80 • It cost 360 million euro to build over 14 years and was only 3 million over budget • Theatre boxes were built for Napoleon III and his wife • Water is stored under theatre to bring balance to building and to help the fire brigade should there be a fire • Ladies weren’t originally allowed to sit in the stalls because of their large hats • Professionals sat in the stalls and the poor sat at the top with their BYO food and dropped crumbs, so the rich called it the “hen box” • The Phantom of the Opera’s box is number 5 on the left of the stage, near Napoleon III’s private box.

After our tour ended, we walked around the ‘expensive’ shopping district, had a small lunch, and then caught the train back towards our apartment. We bought some deli meat and wine to make a platter for dinner and then came home to relax before heading to see the Eiffel tower at night. Our only issue being that it doesn’t get dark until 10pm. Amara and I watched Drag Race while Tim played on his phone.

We left for the Eiffel Tower at 8.30pm and got the train. We were 6 stops in and the train stopped and the lights went off – what the? We asked some other passengers what was happening and they said “it is done” so we got off and walked for half an hour to Port Debilly to eat a DIY platter, drink wine and watch the Eiffel Tower light up.

We set up shop on the grass, poured 3 glasses of wine, knocked over 2 of them and then it started to rain! We packed everything up while everyone cleared out and then the rain stopped as quickly as it started, so we moved to a better location and started again. The tower lit up at 10pm and the first proper light show was at 11pm – we heard hundreds of people cheer as she started to sparkle and we cheers’d and took some photos. When the light show was done 5 minutes later, someone said “happy new year” which was adorable. We packed up our stuff after that and walked back towards the main road to catch an Uber home. On the way, we saw a cartoonist who was doing ‘half price’, so we sat down and spoke to him for 10 minutes while he drew us. We saw the finished product… it was hideous. Tim looked adorable and Amara and I looked like Roald Dahl witches. What a ripoff! 35 euro wasted. We visited 2 souvenir shops while waiting for our Uber and bought some kitsch before Ludovic drove us home and we promptly got into bed. Our last proper day in Paris tomorrow before we head to Paris Disneyland for the day and then move on to London! 

Bonne nuit x

[private-tour-paris]

Sainte Chapelle Tour

Our private guided Paris Discovery Tour & Cruise will provide you with an overview of the most spectacular and renowned historical sites of the city from the perspective the road and the river. It will help you to get your marks and make your plans for the following days. Your private, licensed driver-guide will pick you up at your hotel in a luxurious, air-conditioned Mercedes minivan, and will tailor your tour to your specific wishes and needs.

After a brief introduction to the architecture of Paris to better appreciate the beauty of the city, you will start your journey at the geographical center of the city, the Opera Garnier (that inspired the “Phantom of the Opera”),drive to place Vendôme ( a jewel of architecture from the 17th century), the Palais Royal, and the Louvre (for an outside visit). You will then continue along the Seine River, passing by the Conciergerie (former seat of the Royal power), the Notre-Dame Cathedral (outside visit), the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) and the Ile St Louis before arriving to one of the most interesting areas of Paris: the lively Marais district , historical home of the LGBT and jewish communities of Paris. Your guide will take you for a small walking tour along the rue des Francs Bourgeois with its spectacular 16th and 17th century mansions to the place des Vosges (first Royal square).

Following your exploration of the Marais district, your party will then cross the Seine River to continue your journey on the Left Bank, delving into the Old Paris, the scholastic Paris with the Latin Quarter, that houses the Sorbonne University, as well as the Pantheon (resting place of the great men and women of France). Furthermore, you will see the Luxembourg Garden (a most spectacular park in Paris with the Original Statue of Liberty), the Church of St Sulpice, the Saint Germain district (home of many jazz musicians, writers and painters since the roaring twenties). It’s now time for lunch in a typical French restaurant or bistro (not included in the price - your guide will choose a place that will suit your expectations).

Your guide will take you for a guided visit of the Sainte Chapelle, one of Europe’s finest examples of high gothic architecture,

Built between 1242 and 1248 under order of King Louis IX, the Sainte-Chapelle was constructed as a royal chapel to house the Holy Relics of the Passion of the Christ.

Almost the entire church is made of stained-glass, the stone walls doing little more than serving as framework. 15 stained glass windows , each 15m high that illustrate 1113 scenes of the Bible from Genesis to Christ’s resurrection will mesmerize you.

[teenkidsnews]

Rome wasn’t built in one day, and neither was the Opéra Garnier. The city’s ornate Palais Garnier, Paris’ opera house, now also known for its resident phantom, represents the height of Second Empire style, architecture and of France itself. Tap the link in our bio to join TKN for a private tour inside the Palais Garnier, the majestic Paris Opera House. #palaisgarnier #opera #iloveopera #operosa #palaisgarnier #phantomoftheopera #Paris #France #architecture https://www.instagram.com/p/B_55HoNFGRg/?igshid=175u40st1gjzc

[pariseaglecabs]

Starting at the geographical center of Paris, the Opera Garnier (that inspired the “Phantom of the Opera”,you will drive to place Vendôme ( a jewel of architecture from the 17thC),the Palais Royal (former Cardinal’s palace),the Louvre (outside visit), then along the Seine River,passing by the Conciergerie (former seat of the Royal power),the cathedral Notre-Dame and the Ile St Louis before crossing the Seine River to continue your journey on the Left Bank ,the old Paris , the scholastic Paris with the Latin Quarter (student quarter),the Sorbonne (university), the Pantheon (rest place of the great men of France),the Luxembourg Garden (most spectacular park in Paris with the Statue of Liberty),the Concorde square ( the largest square in Europe where the French Revolution took the life of the King and the Queen),the Champs Elysées (most famous avenue in the world),the Arc de Triomphe (Napoleon’s Triumph Arc),the Grand Palais, the Invalides (with Napoleon’s tomb, outside visit),the Eiffel Tower where you will make a stop for photos.Driving you back again to your hotel.

[thephantomessoftheopera]

Opéra Garnier - In the cellars of the Opera

Being able to go down into the cellars of the Opera and seeing the entrance to the lake was probably the most exciting part of our backstage tour. Many of the features mentioned in Phantom - the stables, the heating furnaces, the „pipe organ“ - no longer exist, but great parts of the cellars are still in their original state. They look a little more modern than you‘d perhaps expect - but keep in mind that the building is actually only about 150 years old, so pretty modern by European standards.

This way to….E?

The cellars are still used as a storage for props - this cart is used in the ballet „Giselle“.

The cellars of the Opera still seem to be the go-to place for dramatic declarations of love!

[luxurytravelcurator]

Behind-the-Scenes the #Couture Ateliers. 70,000 #Tutus. #PalaisGarnier. Private Tour of the #OperaGarnier and behind-the-scenes to the #couture ateliers. . In #Paris hosting a #VIP Corporate Group for the Gentlemen & Female Finals of #RolandGarros #FrenchOpen2019 and the #FIFAWomensWorldCup. Host hotel @rwcrillon by @rosewoodhotels. @RolandGarros #FrenchOpen 2019. I will be staying at the recently reopened @hotelgrandpowers. . . . . . . . . . . #GPSCarlosMeliaPARIS #France #Europe. My mission is to transform Tourists into Travelers experiencing unique travel experiences. Luxury #TravelCurator, global bespoke #TravelAgent, #TravelBlogger, #Concierge, Hospitality Consultant and #WeddingPlanner has earned, after over 25 years of experience, the mote of “Little Marco Polo”. Founder of @LGTNetwork Luxury #GayTravel Network. Member of @VirtuosoLTD Luxury #TravelAdvisor @FirstinService @TzellTravel @TravelLeaders #Jetsetter #Globetrotter #BonVivant curates the world of #Luxury #Travel & #Lifestyle by experience, one destination at the time. #Travel #Hotel #Restaurant & Airline reviews. Follow, read and share my travel experiences worldwide at CarlosMeliaBlog #TravelBlog #LuxuryTravel ... #opera www.carlosmelia.com (at Palais Garnier) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByaFKSpn3zx/?igshid=4si4ppsl262b