Did the Phantom of the Opera Really Haunt Palais Garnier in Paris? What’s Fact and What’s Fiction?

Is the Phantom of the Opera a work of pure fiction, or is there some truth hiding in the depths of Paris’ grandest opera house? Palais Garnier is steeped in history, intrigue, and many legends and stories. There are plenty of interesting facts about Palais Garnier; the question is, which are actual facts and which are fiction?

From the sweeping marble staircase to the supposed lake hidden beneath its foundations, every inch of the opera house is brimming with secrets. Its shimmering chandeliers and gilded details might steal the show, but what lies beyond the surface is equally compelling. It’s no surprise that this opera house inspired Gaston Leroux’s famous tale of the Phantom of the Opera.

But did the chandelier really come crashing down during a performance, and did a ballerina meet her death on the thirteenth step of the marble staircase? Was there a masked man who insisted Box Five was kept empty for him in the 19th century? As we peel back the layers of this Parisian masterpiece, we’ll uncover the enticing mix of reality and mystery that makes the Palais Garnier truly unforgettable.

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I’ve always been fascinated by the story of the Phantom of the Opera. I was still at school when Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical version came to London’s West End. We were lucky enough to go on a school trip and see the originals, Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, in the stage show. 

Add to this that, as a classical violinist, I once played in the pit orchestra of the London show; it’s safe to say I couldn’t wait to see the iconic building that had inspired the story.

I had so many questions flying around in my head, having played in so many of the performances in the pit orchestra. I got all my answers and way more as part of my ‘after-hours tour,’ so let’s dive in and find out the true story behind Palais Garnier.

What’s Fact and What’s Fiction? What I learned From my Palais Garnier Tour

TOP TOUR TIP

None of the tours can guarantee access to the main auditorium because there are often rehearsals or performances scheduled. 

We were lucky. Because we did an after-hours tour before the evening performance, it was empty, and we saw it in its full glory.

So the time of your tour is something to consider when you book.

The Concept and Design of Palais Garnier

No 1 – There have been a total of 13 Opera Houses in Paris

As we go through these facts, you’ll see that Palais Garnier has reason to be wary of the number 13. Our tour guide told us that there have, in fact, been thirteen opera houses in Paris.

Many were destroyed by fire or simply demolished. However, three opera houses remain in Paris: Opéra Comique, Opéra Garnier, and Opéra Bastille.

No 2 – Palais Garnier was commissioned after an assassination attempt

Following an assassination attempt on Napoleon III in 1858, the need for a new, more secure theatre for the Opera became a public interest. 

The existing opera house on rue Le Peletier was deemed inadequate. It was a temporary structure, too narrow, and situated in a congested area of Paris. 

The assassination attempt highlighted the security risks of the old opera house and motivated Napoleon III to commission a new building as part of his extensive urban renewal project under Baron Haussmann​​​​.

But security wasn’t the only reason behind the oppulent new opera house. Napoleon III’s desire to leave a lasting architectural mark on Paris and to build a magnificent theatre in his honor also played a significant role.

No 3 – The architect for Palais Garnier was chosen through a competition

In December 1860, a competition was launched to find the architect for the project. The competition was high, attracting 171 entries. It was open to all architects, providing a unique opportunity for both established and emerging talents to showcase their designs. The challenge was to create an opera house that would serve as a cultural hub and symbolize the grandeur and modernity of Napoleon III’s reign.

Charles Garnier, a then relatively unknown 35-year-old architect, won the competition with his exuberant design. His proposal stood out for its boldness and opulence, fitting the vision of a theatre befitting an emperor. 

Garnier’s design was characterized by its eclectic mix of styles, incorporating elements from Baroque, classicism, and Renaissance architecture. This blend resulted in a unique architectural style that later became known as the “Napoleon III style.”

No 4 – Napoleon III commissioned the Opera House but never saw it

Although Emperor Napoleon III commissioned Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra Garnier, in 1860, he never actually stepped foot inside. 

He was exiled during the Franco-Prussian War, which lasted from 1870 to 1871 and was between France and the Kingdom of Prussia. 

The war led to significant political and territorial changes in Europe. During this war, Napoleon III was captured at the Battle of Sedan, an event that eventually led to his exile in England, where he died in 1873 without ever seeing the completed Palais Garnier​​.

No 5 – A special private entrance was designed for the Emperor

Despite having never used it, there was a private entrance for Napoleon, known as the “Emperor’s Pavilion,” located on the western side of the building.

Designed to allow the Emperor and his entourage to enter the opera house discreetly and securely, it broke the symmetry of the otherwise balanced facade of the Palais Garnier.

No expense was spared, and it included a ramp for the Emperor’s carriages, providing direct and secure access to the opera house.

This ramp led to a private, enclosed space where the Emperor could disembark from his carriage safely and enter the building without exposure to the public or any potential threats.

Inside, the Pavilion was designed to offer a direct route to the Emperor’s private box in the auditorium.

This arrangement ensured that the Emperor could move from his carriage to his seat with utmost privacy and security, a feature of paramount importance given the political climate of the time. Shame he never actually got to use it.

No 6 – They blew the budget for the design of Palais Garnier

Financially, the construction of the Palais Garnier proved to be a costly affair. The initial budget was 29 million francs, but the disruptions caused by the Franco-Prussian War and other setbacks increased the overall expenditure, and the final figure was more like 36 million francs.

In fact, it was running up so many bills the government ended up borrowing nearly five million francs from François Blanc, the entrepreneur responsible for managing Monaco’s Monte Carlo Casino.

After the fall of the Second Empire and Napoleon III’s exile to England, the new French Republic took over the completion of the project.

This change in government meant reevaluation and reapproval of the funds necessary to finish the opera house, which they did. Still, certain areas, such as the Rotunde de la Glacière and the Galerie du Fumoir, were never actually finished.

No 7 – It was used as a military camp during construction

During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71, construction of the Palais Garnier was interrupted. The unfinished opera house was then repurposed as a military camp. 

It served as a storage facility for food and straw, catering to the military’s needs during this turbulent period.

No 8 – Charles Garnier left his signature in the building twice

Napoleon III wouldn’t let Charles Garnier have his name anywhere on the building. No plaque, no signature, nothing. 

It’s not unusual for architects to have their name somewhere to showcase the fact it was their work, but Napoleon was adamant that this would not happen.

However, Charles may have been young, but he wasn’t stupid. He found a couple of creative ways to thwart this rule.

The first was in the Rotonde des Abonnées, originally the cloakroom. High up on the ceiling, hidden away from view, are the letters that spell out the full name of Jean-Louis Charles Garnier

The second place where Charles left his calling card was in the Grand Foyer. But this time, his signature took the form of two busts. The first is unmistakably the head of Charles himself and the second of his wife, Felicia.

They are still there and were never taken down because, as we know, Napoleon never set foot in the building. He died before it was completed. And as he objected to Charles having any type of plaque with his name on it, the busts were never removed.

No 9 La Danse de Carpeaux

Charles was nothing if not creative, and he didn’t want his work to be seen whilst under construction, so everything was hidden from public view. 

But like any good theatrical event, he wanted to keep the public’s interest, so he revealed the facade of the building piece by piece. 

Sculptures form a massive part of the design, and when he revealed Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux’s sculpture of La Danse de Carpeaux, it was met with outright horror and shock.

How could he display such scenes of naked women cavorting around on the outside of the building? It caused such a scandal that on opening night, a bottle of ink was thrown over it. It’s no longer part of the building, but you’ll find it on display at the Orsay Museum.

The Palais Garnier Grand Staircase

The opera is the staircase.

Charles Garnier

No 10 – The Staircase uses 30 Different Types of Marble

The staircase is a work of art made entirely of marble. The inspiration for the staircase came from the Opera House in Bordeaux.

It was Garnier’s masterpiece, and he wanted it to mark the start of their opera experience, so he designed the entire thing in marble, ensuring all iron elements were hidden.

He used 30 different types of marble from eight countries to achieve this. The white marble of the stairs was from Seravezza in Italy, green marble from Sweden for the balustrade, and antique red marble for the balusters.

And it did its job because it completely takes your breath away as you stand and look at it. 

No 11 The cave of Pythia was designed by a woman, not a man

At the foot of the grand staircase is the cave of Pythia, the priestess of Apollo, the god of the arts. It was created by an artist known as Marcello, who turned out to be a woman, Adèle d’Affry. 

Adèle had married well, but unfortunately, her husband died of typhoid just a month after her marriage, leaving her in a dangerous position. She needed money to maintain her rank of Duchess, so she indulged in her passion for art and began to sell her artwork under the pseudonym of Marcello.

She couldn’t use her real name because women in the 19th century weren’t allowed to have a career.

No 12 – A prima ballerina died on the 13th step of the staircase

It might be stunning, but the staircase is not without its stories. And this is where the number thirteen comes into play once again.

The story tells of a prima ballerina who had performed on stage one night to rapturous applause. Wanting the applause to continue, she ran out into the grand foyer and down the staircase. She slipped and fell hard onto the marble and died. 

And if you look today, you can see there is a dark mark on step number thirteen, where she died.

Some say the mark wasn’t there originally but only appeared the next day. It is rumored that the Phantom of the Opera put the mark there.

No 13 – The Opera House was designed for People Watching

The Palais Garnier, especially in the late 19th century, was more than just a venue for opera and ballet; it was a significant social arena for Paris’s elite. 

In those days, people didn’t just come to the opera for their love of music. They came to be seen and admired.

The opera house was a place where the wealthy displayed their status and power. In short, it’s where they came to show off their dresses and be looked at. 

The opera house’s Grand Staircase, Grand Foyer, and Auditorium were designed to allow people to socialize and be seen. 

The boxes in the Auditorium were more about being seen than having a great view of the stage, as often these boxes gave a fairly restricted view.

The Grand Foyer

Designed as a lavish gathering space, emulating the grandeur of the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, it was where patrons would stroll, converse, and display their wealth and fashion. 

The décor is stunning, and when I visited, it was Christmas time, so there was a huge Christmas Tree at the end.

No 14 – The two fireplaces in the Grand Foyer have never been lit

This was an area built for the elite of Paris not only to be seen but to come and keep warm. 

No food or drink was served, and it was simply a place to invite the elite to come and warm themselves.

At either end are two huge fireplaces, but they are for decoration only, as Charles and his team were superstitious. A fire had destroyed so many opera houses that fire, controlled or otherwise, was not allowed in the Palais Garnier.

No 15 – The first opera house in the world to have electric light

Not only was it the first opera house to have electricity, it was one of the first buildings in Paris to have it.

Installed in the basement in 1883 was a small generator that provided enough electricity to power the light bulbs,

Before electricity arrived at Palais Garnier, it was normal for the auditorium to be lit during performances, which played nicely to the people-watching element.

However, when electricity arrived, it introduced a new concept: a darkened auditorium during performances.

The Phantom of the Opera and Palais Garnier

The Phantom of the Opera is a novel written by Gaston Leroux set in Palais Garnier during the late 19th century.

The story revolves around a mysterious, disfigured musical genius known as the Phantom, who haunts the opera house, creating fear and intrigue among its staff and patrons.  

He becomes obsessed with a young soprano, Christine Daaé, whom he starts tutoring. She is in love with Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny, whom she later gets engaged to, which infuriates and upsets the Phantom, as he is also in love with her. 

So, in retaliation, he kidnaps Christine and takes her by boat to his lair under the theatre. 

The novel blends romance, horror, and mystery and was also turned into a musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber. The Phantom of the Opera became the longest-running musical on the West End in London, with its first performance in 1986.

The question is, what is fact, and what is fiction?

No 16 – The chandelier did fall from the ceiling during a performance

In Gaston Leroux’s novel, the chandelier falling is orchestrated by the Phantom as an act of revenge and spectacle. In real life, although it did fall during a performance in 1896, it was the fault of one of the counterweights.

The chandelier weighed approximately 7 tonnes, and when one of the counterweights broke free, it came crashing down, killing one person.

But here’s the mysterious bit: our tour guide told us that the unfortunate person who lost their life was sitting in seat number thirteen. Coincidence? You be the judge.

No 17 – The underground lake actually exists, but not as you think

The “underground lake” beneath the Palais Garnier is not actually a lake but a large water tank. During the opera house’s construction, they found an unexpectedly high groundwater level.

To manage this, architect Charles Garnier designed a double foundation with a concrete cistern (cuve) to counteract groundwater pressure and act as a fire reservoir. 

This feature inspired Gaston Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” in which he fictionalised it as a mysterious subterranean lake, the lair of the Phantom, adding a fantastical element to the story. So although the water does exist, the lake itself doesn’t.

No 18 – Box Number 5, the Phantom of the Opera’s box, exists

This one held a fascination for me as Box No. 5 in the novel is the box left open for the Phantom. Under no circumstances was anyone allowed to sit in this box.

Well, I’m excited to say that I’ve been in Box No. 5, and there is even a gold plaque on the door saying, “Loge du Fantôme de l’Opéra.”

It is no longer left empty for each performance and gives a great view of the stage if you’re brave enough to sit there.

It’s on the left-hand side of the auditorium on the first floor, just in case you want to find it and want to see the Opera Ghost for yourself.

No 19 – There was a masked and disfigured man who demanded money from the opera directors

Whether you believe it or not, I have it on good authority that a mysterious man sat in box five in the 19th century. He wore a mask to cover part of his face and demanded 20,000 francs each year from the opera directors.

This is almost exactly how it is portrayed in the book, so you be the judge.

The Auditorium and Stage

No 20 – The stage at Opera Garnier is the largest in Europe

At 52 meters wide by 62 meters high, the stage at the Palais Garnier is the biggest in Europe. It also has an incline of 5%, meaning it goes up slightly at the back of the stage, giving the audience a better view.

For visiting ballet dancers, this takes some getting used to, as even a slight incline makes a big difference.

As a side note, you’re not allowed to take photos of the stage. I’m not sure why, but that was the rule of entry to the auditorium.

No 21 – A skeleton was discovered underneath the opera house.

During the excavation and the original construction, a skeleton was found underneath the rubble and subsequently placed in a nearby graveyard.

Then, according to legend, it mysteriously appeared at the back of the stage during a performance, and nobody knows how it got there.

No 22 – The official colors of the auditorium are red and gold

Walking into the auditorium, your eyes are hit with a sea of red and gold.

Plush, red velvet chairs that are insanely comfortable with gold trim and accessories and gilded gold balustrades and columns everywhere you look.

However, you can’t talk about the auditorium’s interior without mentioning the stunning Marc Chagall ceiling.

But it isn’t the original ceiling because Jules-Eugène Lenepveu painted that.

This ceiling, installed in 1964 on a removable frame over the original, features scenes from famous operas by 14 composers. 

It wasn’t popular with everyone, though. Many saw it as too modern and colorful for a building of this standing.

No 23 – Not allowed to say the word ROPE

As our guide explained the rope system used at the back of the stage, she mentioned that staff are forbidden from saying the word ‘rope’ aloud. They must spell it instead.

This superstition is derived from the fact that you’d often find sailors working as stagehands due to the amount of ropes found backstage. When they were on a ship, each rope was referred to by its name, so they didn’t use the word rope.

But more importantly, the word rope was used to refer to the hanging of criminals. Sailors are a superstitious lot, so they won’t say the word, which is why it’s not said in the theater either.

No 24 There is always a doctor at every performance

Another fun fact we learned from our guide was that there is always a fireman and doctor at every performance. The reason for the doctor came about when a pregnant woman gave birth during a performance. 

To mark the occasion and turn it into a publicity opportunity, the powers that be gave lifetime tickets to the family, including the new baby. 

Unfortunately, it turned out not to be such a smart move because suddenly, they saw an influx of pregnant women attending, all looking for free lifetime tickets. It was costing them a fortune.

Instead, they gave one seat at every performance to a doctor who would be on call for any medical requirements.

No 25 – Charles Garnier bought his own ticket for opening night

I think it’s really rather sad that Charles had to buy his own ticket to be at the opening show. But that’s what happened. 

The new government wanted to eliminate any trace of the old one, and Charles Garnier was very much part of the old regime.

So, without an invitation, he had to purchase a ticket to attend the event.

The BEST Palais Garnier Tours

A great way to see Palais Garnier is to go to a performance, however, it’s not particularly practical if you’re short on time, or if you’re not an opera or ballet fan. 

I highly recommend taking a tour. It’s a great way to maximize your time and learn the facts, stories, and legends that make the experience more fun.

There are a few different options. The most cost-effective way is to do a self-guided tour with audio and take things at your own speed. Unfortunately, you don’t get all the little unknown stories you get from a guide.

I did the Phantom of the Opera tour, which gave me all the facts about Palais Garnier and focused on the legend of the Phantom, which was perfect for me. But a friend of mine did the Opera Garnier and Galeries Lafayette tour and loved it. This tour gives you two for the price of one, as just across the road from Palais Garnier is Galerie Lafayette, the iconic Paris store.

FAQS On Charles Garnier’s Opera House in Paris

Final thoughts on visiting Palais Garnier in Paris

Taking a guided tour of Palais Garnier was a dream come true for me and has been on my bucket list for a long time. And I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed.

My biggest piece of advice would be to take a guided tour so you get to hear all those little stories you won’t hear otherwise, especially if you only have a few days in Paris. And even if you’re staying in Paris a bit longer, I’d still recommend it.

These little gems are what make the trip, and they’re the things you’ll remember well after the event.

If you love the story about the Phantom of the Opera, I highly recommend this tour, as it dives into the details of the legend, which I found fascinating.

And for more facts about France, you might enjoy this article.

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