The Grand Boulevards district is bounded on one side by the Place de l'Opéra and on the other by the Place de la République. Built under the reign of Louis XIV on the site of the old ramparts which surrounded the right bank of Paris, the Avenue des Grands Boulevards is the first great promenade of the capital which extends on more than 4 km. There are many bars, and brasseries, it is a district filled with Entertainment with its many theaters its clubs for night owl.
Admire the sumptuous Palais Garnier, with its facade decorated with arcades, columns, marble, and golden statues gives a glimpse of the grandiloquence of the interior of this theater dedicated to opera and dance. A festival of frescoes, gilding, sculptures, and mosaics decorate the Rotunda, the Grand Staircase with double revolution, the Great Hall, all in red velvet and moldings, and its ceiling painted by Marc Chagall in 1964. All creating a breathtaking view.
Also visit the Opéra-Comique, built in 1714, under the reign of Louis XIV and of the oldest theatrical and musical institutions, it is here that were created internationally known works like La Damnation de Faust by Berlioz, Lakmé by Delibes, Les Contes d'Hoffmann by Offenbach, Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy.
There is also the Olympia, this mythical concert hall, which has hosted the greatest French and international artists, was created in 1888 by Joseph Oller, the founder of another mythical cabaret : the Moulin Rouge. He first installed a roller coaster that was forbidden by the prefect of Paris, and was replaced in 1893 by a 2,000-seat concert hall;.
Enjoy a relaxing break at the Grand Rex with a good movie. This cinema will conquer you with its Art Deco style, its 35 meters height, its big tower with floors, it is even more beautiful at night.
You will find many museums like the Grévin museum or the chocolate museum. Grands Boulevards is the place to be for "afterworks".
This quarter is known for its covered passages in the famous boulevard des italiens (like the passage of Panorama, the Passage Verdeau, the passage Jouffroy...), these superb galleries which date from the XIXth century, are true Parisian heritage. Art and antique lovers come for the famous auctions of the Drouot room which is the biggest auction room in Paris.
The Grands Boulevards area is well served by public transportation. It has 6 metro stations: Richelieu Drouot, Grands Boulevards, Strasbourg Saint-Denis Bonne Nouvelle, Château d'eau and Cadet.
