Home of baroque music, symbol of culture and of perseverance, the Opéra Royal de Versailles is considered today as one of the most beautiful concert venues in France. One of the first modular theatres, inspired by the Italian renaissance, it has also functioned as a concert hall, ballroom and dining room. The acoustics are exceptional, with the ingenious vaulted ceiling inverted over the orchestra pit, an elliptical space designed purposely for the sound, and woodwork throughout that turns the venue into a sort of huge, Stradivarius-quality violin.
Re-opened in 2009 after two tears of architectural restoration, some of the greatest pieces have been put on here, particularly at the Château’s summer festival. And while you can see grand operas and rich festivals in all of France’s big cities, listening to Bach or Handel at Versailles recalls the era Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and you can follow in their footsteps in the glamorous theatre boxes.