There are countless events, gigs and performances all over the city every night, so the best way to find out what’s going on is to pick up a listings guide such as Pariscope or l’Officiel des Spectacles.
Theatre and Opera
The two main opera houses in Paris are the traditional Opéra Garnier and the contemporary Opéra de Paris Bastille, both of which put on classical and modern performances. If you want to go to the theatre, the choice of performances on offer is vast. You won’t have trouble finding classic drama, avant-garde plays, foreign productions and slapstick farce somewhere in the city. Some of the main theatres are the Comédie Française, the Odéon Théâtre de l’Europe, the Palais Royal, the Théâtre National de Chaillot and the Théâtre National de la Colline.
Cabaret
Paris has some of the oldest and best known music halls in the world, most of which can be found around Montmartre and Pigalle. The Folies-Bergère, the Moulin Rouge (where the can-can was invented), the Paradis Latin and the Lido all host variety acts, dance, music and cabaret.
Live Music
The live jazz on offer in Paris is second to none. One of the best small venues is Caveau de la Huchette, a smoky basement club with great live acts and dancing. New Morning features traditional and modern jazz as well as Latin and African music. The biggest arenas for large rock gigs are the Zénith and the Palais Omnisports Paris-Bercy, whereas House of Live and La Cigale are more intimate venues for smaller gigs.
Sport
Some of the biggest sporting events in the world take place in Paris – the final leg of the Tour de France cycling competition, the prestigious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe horse race at the Hippodrome de Longchamp, and the French Open Tennis Championship at Roland Garros.
