Paris - Opera Garnier

We walked to the Paris Opera, which is amazing from the moment that you see it. We were able to take a tour for 9Euro.  It was not crowded so we could move easily and take photos.

Click here for wikipedia description of Opera Garnier

This is the opera house that served as inspiration for the "Phantom of The Opera" setting.  Some interesting notes from the wikipedia page are listed below.  Remember the scenes in Phantom with the falling of the chandelier and the underground lake?

SetbacksThe construction of the opera house was plagued by numerous setbacks. One major problem which postponed the laying of the concrete foundation was the swampy ground under which flowed a subterranean lake, requiring the water to be removed by eight months of continual pumping.

Leroux's The Phantom of the OperaDuring 1896, the falling of one of the counterweights for the grand chandelier resulted in the death of one person. This incident, as well as the underground lake, cellars, along with the other elements of the Opera House even the building itself were the inspirations of Gaston Leroux for his classic 1910 Gothic novel, The Phantom of the Opera

The front of the Opera. Beautiful lamppost.

New Spring purses.  Very colorful.

Large bags in white and yellow.

This is inside the Opera.  This room is all gold.  We couldn't
go in. It looked like they were tearing down or setting up for
an event.

The main lobby.  Marble muted shade
(not gold)

Inside the auditorium.

The floor was beautiful throughout the building.

This is an air grate on the floor. I liked the design.

See the post on the Vienna Opera