Opéra & Grands Boulevards
The livliest quarters of the Right Bank (2nd, 8th, 9th and 10th)
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Palais Garnier
The opera house that inspired Leroux's Phantom of the Opera
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Rex Club
Put your hands in the air at Rex's techno-mad club nights
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Madeleine's fine food shops
Go gourmet at Paris' most extravagant delicatessens
Night owls know this part of the Right Bank well: Grands Boulevards and Opéra are the quartiers where clubs, theatres and bars have reeled in pleasure-seekers for centuries. The area got its look when Baron Haussmann carved his iconic boulevards through Paris’ old centre during the Second Empire. Charles Garnier’s wedding cake (Palais Garnier) is there as a gilded centre-piece, but this is also where you’ll find the Rex Club (temple to electronica), David Lynch’s much talked about Silencio club, numerous Irish pubs and comedy theatres. History-wise the district’s got a lot going for it too - it was near today’s Hôtel Scribe that the Lumière brothers held the world’s first public film screening in 1895. Further down the boulevard towards Place de la Madeleine, the Olympia concert hall was the a legendary venue for Piaf, the Beatles and anyone in chanson. And just opposite at N° 35, pioneering portrait photographer Nadar opened a studio in the 1860s, frequented by Offenbach and Doré. In 1874 it even hosted the very first Impressionist exhibition. While you’re in the area, don’t miss the Opéra Garnier’s ceiling, painted by Chagall in 1964 and don’t forget to free your inner shopaholic in the Grands Magasins (department stores) Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, which line boulevard Haussmann just behind. At Christmas the crowds line up to admire the sparking window displays, so sharpen your elbows.
Restaurants in Opéra & Grands Boulevards
Angelina
Angelina is home to Paris's most lip-smackingly scrumptious desserts - all served in the faded grandeur of a belle époque salon just steps from the Louvre. The hot chocolate is pure decadence; try the speciality 'African', a velvety potion so thick that you need a spoon to consume it. Epicurean delights include the Mont Blanc dessert, a ball of meringue covered in whipped cream and sweet...
Bar Ourcq
This was one of the first hip joints to hit the Canal de l'Ourcq, with an embankment broad enough to accommodate pétanque games (ask at the bar) and a cluster of deckchairs. It's a completely different scene from the crowded bustle along Canal St-Martin - more discerning and less self-satisfied. The cabin-like interior is cosy, and drinks are listed in a hit parade of prices, starting with €2.50...
Breizh Café
With its modern interior of pale wood and its choice of 15 artisanal ciders, this outpost of a restaurant in Cancale, Brittany, is a world away from the average crêperie. For the complete faux-seaside experience, you might start with a plate of creuse oysters from Cancale before indulging in an inventive buckwheat galette such as the Cancalaise, made with potato, smoked herring from Brittany and...
Hotels in Opéra & Grands Boulevards
Abba Montparnasse Hotel
Hotel Abba Montparnasse is located in central Paris, a 5-minute walk from Montparnasse Train and Metro Station and 1 km from Luxembourg Gardens. This boutique hotel has a cocktail bar and offers modern, air-conditioned rooms.All rooms at Hotel Abba Montparnasse are equipped with a TV, minibar and work desk. The en suite bathrooms are bright and feature a hairdryer and welcome toiletries.A buffet...
Aberotel Montparnasse
Located in the heart of Paris, close to the Eiffel Tower, Montparnasse station and Porte de versailles convention centre,this hotel has a garden and patio where guests can relax after a day of sightseeing.Each air-conditioned and soundproofed room at the Aberotel Montparnasse offers private bathrooms and satellite TV. A buffet breakfast is served daily.Aberotel hotel has a 24-hour front desk and...
Abricotel
This quaint 2-star hotel sits in Paris’s 19th arrondissement, just 1 km from Gare de Nord Train Station and 200 metres from the Jaurés Metro stop (line 2).Abricotel features simply decorated and furnished rooms for 1 to 2 people. They are all en suite with bath or shower and have a TV.Wi-Fi internet access is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. A continental breakfast is served...
Shopping in Opéra & Grands Boulevards
Adrenaline
This dépot-vente specialises in vintage luggage and handbags. Iconic Vuitton suitcases and Kelly and Birkin bags command enormous prices, but there are some slightly more affordable pieces and a small collection of '60s couture.
Agnès b
Agnès b rarely wavers from her design vision: pure lines in fine quality cotton, merino wool and silk. Best buys are shirts, pullovers and cardigans that keep their shape for years. Her mini-empire of men's, women's, children's, travel and sportswear shops is compact; see the website for details.Other locations throughout the city.
Alain Mikli
Cult French glasses and sunglasses designer Mikli uses cellulose acetate, a blend of wood and cotton sliced from blocks. At his flagship Starck-designed boutique, frames are laid out in a glass counter like designer sweeties.Other locations 49 rue Boulard, 14th; 1 rue des Rosiers, 4th.
Music & Nightlife in Opéra & Grands Boulevards
1979
1979, between Châtelet and the Louvre, succeeds in being many things to many cool people. Part café, bar, restaurant and club, there’s something tangibly hip about the place. It helps that the hip décor and slick black, white and bright green colour scheme were designed by a big cheese at Saatchi and Saatchi Paris. At noon, it’s a top spot for a relatively quiet well-priced French/fusion brunch...
Alcazar
Sir Terence Conran's bright, buzzing, and wonderfully stylish eateries have now conquered Paris with Alcazar. Set in a 17th-century real tennis court, and once a notorious transvestite bar and nightclub, the space has been transformed with a twelve metre high glass roof, trendy decor and lighting and a changing series of photographic exhibits. The Mezzanine Bar is adored, not only for its...
Ateliers de Charonne
This spanking new jazz club is the place to see the rising stars of gypsy jazz (jazz manouche). If you want to grab a good spot near the front of the stage, reserve for dinner and the show.
Cafés & Bars in Opéra & Grands Boulevards
Andy Wahloo
Andy Whaloo, created by the people behind its neighbour 404 and London's Momo and Sketch, is Arabic for 'I have nothing'. Bijou? This place brings new meaning to the word. The formidably fashionable crowd fights for coveted 'seats' on upturned paint cans; from head to toe, it's a beautifully designed venue, crammed with Moroccan artefacts and a spice rack of colours. It's quiet early on, with a...
Astier
You just have to look at the regulars’ crimson faces to know you’re onto a good thing at Astier. Red-and-white chequered tablecloths and rustic wooden panelling make up the retro setting for chef Christophe Kestler vintage revivals like smoked herrings with warm potato salad, grilled Charolais beef in anchovy butter, and scrumptious vanilla cream (think crème brûlée without the brûlée). The...
Ateliers de Charonne
This spanking new jazz club is the place to see the rising stars of gypsy jazz (jazz manouche). If you want to grab a good spot near the front of the stage, reserve for dinner and the show.
