Opera Area Apartments in Paris

9th Arrondissement – Opera
Located on the right bank of the Seine, the 9th arrondissement has a uniquely vibrant energy with a broad range of entertainment venues attracting thousands of visitors to the area daily. The beautifully ornate theatres and cabaret halls in the neighbourhood are a treat for anyone in search of a truly energetic Parisian experience. Meanwhile the elegant 19th century shopping arcades in the district are also no less theatrical. If you are a keen shopaholic then you are likely to need to set aside almost a whole day to really do the neighbourhood’s Grands Boulevards full justice. The enchanting hilly streets will give you a great workout as you make your way around some of the city’s most fantastically ornate department stores and charmingly unique one-off boutiques.

9th Arrondissement Highlights
The district of Opéra is named after the fantastically beautiful Opéra Garnier, the city’s oldest opera house. Even if you don’t actually have time to see a performance here it is highly recommended that you take a closer look at the building and take a peek inside. A perfect example of neo-Baroque architecture, its exterior is no less dramatic than some of the events portrayed on the stage inside. Adorned with statues of winged figures, columns and friezes, the interior is resplendent with opulent gold leaf and frolicking cherubs and nymphs. The chandelier that famously hangs above the auditorium weighs an incredible six tonnes and the ceiling itself was painted by none other than Chagall in 1964.

The 9t arrondissement is extremely famous for its shopping possibilities. Be sure to visit the astonishing Galeries Lafayette. Located close to the Opera Garnier, this popular shopping centre has the most incredible architecture including a sumptuous glass dome and an extremely stylish Art Nouveau staircase. The department store is now recognised as an official heritage sight of the city of Paris. If you are visiting the city in the early winter then be sure to take a look at the holiday season store window displays which rival those of any New York department store. The Printemps, another of Paris’s authentic premier shopping halls is located nearby on Boulevard Haussmann. It’s certainly also worth a look just to check out its ‘couple’ or glass ceiling that was constructed for the World Exhibition in the 1930s.

The district’s fascinating Musée du Parfum is one of the city’s few free visitor attractions. Created in 1983 by the Fragonard perfume company inside a beautiful townhouse dating back to 1680 it provides a gloriously smelly insight into how perfumes are created today. It also exhibits lots of delightful antique perfume bottles, takes a look at the importance of stylish packaging and promotion throughout history and presents a wealth of other fragrance paraphernalia.

The district’s Musée Grévin is the Parisian answer to Madame Toussauds with its 500 plus wax figures of international stars of stage, screen, politics, music, sport and history. The entrance fee is fairly steep but it’s certainly an entertaining few hours inside.

The stuff of legends, a visit to Les Folies Bergère on the Rue Richer provides one of the most intrinsically Parisian experiences you can have in the city. Originally opened as Les Folies Trevise in 1869, international icons such as Josephine Baker and Charlie Chaplin have famously performed to its atmospheric auditorium. With its famously bawdy sense of humour it became known as the ‘theatre for the people’ remaining anything but highbrow entertainment. The tradition continues today and you too can experience the spice and energy of Paris’ cheeky side at one of the venue’s nightly shows.

Our 9th Arrondissement Apartments.
We have an outstanding selection of self catering rental properties of varying sizes and budgets to meet every pocket within and around the 9th arrondissement. Simply state the date of your visit and click the search button for availability information. If you need further assistance or have any questions then please contact our helpful and friendly support team.

This page was researched and written by James Fisher. The information was accurate at time of posting. We suggest that you confirm details directly with the locations before making plans. Copyright 2012.

by James Fisher