When visiting Paris you can immerse yourself in the magic of music. In the Parc de la Villette, not far from the Paris Conservatory, can be found the Cité de la Musique. Since its inauguration in 1995, this magnificent complex has come to represent the vitality, creativity and innovation of music in Paris. Now, with the opening of the Philharmonie de Paris, this ambitious project is now complete, and the Hotel Daunou Opéra warmly recommends that you visit and be captivated by the timeless spell of music, the universal language.
The Cité de la Musique has so much to offer
Designed by the brilliant architect Christian de Portzamparc, the Cité de la Musique is a magnificent and impressive achievement. The graceful flow of its lines charms and leads the eye through each interlinked element, giving the overall impression of a cathedral consecrated to the art of music. When you enter the Cité from the Place de la Fontaine aux Lions you are plunged directly into its world via a music gallery. There are exhibition spaces, workshop areas, a restaurant and much more. The showpiece of the complex is the 1,000 seat concert hall which has been carefully designed so that it can be reconfigured to present every conceivable musical genre while still providing exceptional acoustics.
A museum devoted to music
A major part of the Cité de la Musique consists of the Music Museum. Opened in early 1997, this superb educational space occupies 2,500 square metres on five levels. Here you can see hundreds of musical instruments dating from the early 17th century to the latter part of the 19th. A special tour allows the visitor to see the instruments, listen to the distinctive sounds made by them and understand their place in history. Each day musicians are present to give performances and talk about their instruments and the way they interpret the music. This journey through musical history should not be missed.
The Philharmonie de Paris has now been opened
Two decades in the making, the final element is now in place and the Cité de la Musique is at last complete. The Philharmonie de Paris is a 2,400 seat symphony hall that was designed by the prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel. It opened in January of this year to tremendous popular acclaim, with concertgoers hailing its bold and innovative design and the superb acoustic qualities it offers. The sight lines throughout the hall are completely unobstructed and the well-conceived layout means that there is always a feeling of connection between the performers and the audience. Although symphonic concerts will form the major thrust of the new hall’s programming, it is also intended to be a venue offering eclecticism and diversity, and will therefore also feature jazz, world music, hip-hop and electro pop.
Clearly, with so much to offer, the Cité de la Musique is an essential destination for any music fan.
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• Cité de la musique – Paris Philharmonic society
By subway : line 5, direction Bobigny – Pablo Picasso, station Porte de Pantin.
By bus : lines 75, 151 – Noctilien N13 et N41.
By car : underground car park Cité de la musique.
Tramway : T3B stop Porte de Pantin.
Stations vélib’ : opposite Café de la musique, Conservatoire and Porte de Pantin, Website.
Stations Autolib’.
Car park with access for the disabled – 5 places : 8 rue Adolphe Mille – 9 Rue des Sept Arpents – 159 Rue Manin
Hotel Daunou Opera, an elegant 3-star hotel in Paris, opera district
