In April 2024, I visited the Palais Garnier in Paris, France. This was my second visit to the Opera Garnier, but my first time going backstage. I was fortunate enough to have two wonderful friends join me on this trip, and together, we were able to afford a private tour. It was a Phan dream come true.
Click below to read all about it.
The tour began in the subscribers' rotunda (Rotonde des Abonnés), where we met our tour guide, William. Over the next 90 minutes, we traveled to places normally out of reach to patrons and visitors.
We walked past the guided and self guided tours and entered the infamous Box 5 as confused tourists looked on with some curiosity (and maybe a bit of envy. We sat in Box 5 and took in the view of the auditorium from that legendary spot. We sat in the auditorium while other tourists were confined to the boxes. Seeing the entire auditorium was a bit of a thrill. William, through all of this, offered nonstop facts about bother the historic building, and the legend of the Phantom of the Opera. Having a POTO-themed tour led by a fellow Phan made it that much more interesting and special.
We stood on that famous stage and absorbed the view out into the auditorium. We then wandered back into the Foyer de la Danse. This space historically was a place where wealthy patrons would meet dancers (who would often get exploited and used)...today, it is off limit to the public and is strictly a space for dancers.
We took the lift down to the cellars, where we saw the famous wooden capstans from the late 1800s are still in place. These capstans were used as many of the Opera's stage hands came from Navy and merchant marine backgrounds. Lying against one wall was an old set of counterweights...I recalled how one of those fell through the ceiling and injured several patrons, one fatally, in 1896.
Lastly, we wandered through some of the cellar spaces and ventured down to the Phan holy grail...the famous "lake" beneath the Opera. As most know, the lake is just a giant water tank or cistern, implemented to control the high water table in the area. We were not allowed to climb down the ladder, but our guide turned the lights on, and the water below glowed an almost inviting green. The cistern was mostly full, but was about to be drained for routine maintenance and the fish that apparently reside down there were temporarily relocated. 😂
The tank serves multiple purposes beyond managing the ground water. It also serves as a built-in water supply in cade of fire. It's also the training ground for Parisian firefighter dive teams, who need to be able to maneuver safely in dark spaces. The tour concluded once we returned from the cellars. We thanked William profusely for an exceptionally fun, informative, and phan-friendly experience.
Interested in booking your own exclusive backstage tour of the world's most famous opera house? Good news is that anyone can book in at the link below:
Prepare yourself; the cost is €840 including taxes, and requires a minimum of three people in the group (max five). Get that group of phan friends together and split the cost...I promise, it's the experience of a lifetime. ❤️🇫🇷
(Top photo is from my 2016 visit; the Palais Garnier was undergoing restoration in 2024 in preparation for its 150th anniversary in 2025)
