Royal Opera of Versailles, Versailles (must see)

The Royal Opera of Versailles is well worth a visit, not only for the beauty its interior, but also for the feeling of stepping back in time. You half-expect to see nobles and their ladies settling into the seats to enjoy a long forgotten opera.

The opera house was built in 1770, designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel and the interior decorator Augustin Pajou. It seated 712 guests in the oval auditorium and the floor where the orchestra played could be raised to the level of the stage to make more space.

The wooden walls were painted to resemble marble and the decoration was heavily mythological representing the Olympian gods and goddesses. The ceiling canvas executed by Louis Jean-Jacques Durameau featured Apollo and the Muses.

The building was inaugurated on Louis 16th‘s wedding day and the King’s Lodge and Boudoir are excellent examples of what came to be called the “Louis XVI style”.

The opera was closed when the Royal family left Versailles in 1789 and remained unused until 1837, when Louis-Philippe had it renovated. In 1872 it was converted for the use of the Assemblée Nationale who convened here until 1876.

From then until 1879 it was the seat of the Senate. When they left the building it was neglected until 1952 when André Japy carried out extensive renovation work to restore it to its original beauty.