Top Rated Attractions in Paris

Le Point-Virgule, a comedy theater in the Marais district, the historical quarter of the capital, features comics all year, and in particular during its renowned Humor Festival in late summer. One-man-shows, sketches, impressions, improvisation, musical shows, the program here is rich and varied, the setting, a pleasant and typical one. Every summer, a humorous festival is organized with more than 80 artists.

Founded in 1889, this legendary cabaret is known to the world over for being the birthplace of the famous French form of dance, can-can, forever immortalized in the paintings of French artist Toulouse-Lautrec. This landmark red windmill near Montmartre attracted the free spirits and artistic souls of Paris' Belle Epoque with its extravagant and risque performances. Although during World War I popularity dropped off, it rebounded greatly with the advent of the glitzy dancer Mistinguette, perhaps the cabaret's most iconic performer, in the 1920s. Today, the red lights of the Moulin Rouge still glow in Pigalle, where visitors can get a taste of Paris' Golden Age.

Still extremely well preserved thanks to numerous renovations, the Grand Rex (1936) is the last of the grand old movie houses in Paris. Étoiles du Rex (Stars of the Rex) guided tours are a must for all cinephiles. A definite must-visit theater. The theater is designed with art deco style of architecture with intricate detailing, leaving every visitor in awe. It is well-equipped with light and acoustic facilities making sure each show hosted here is a phenomenal one.

Palais Garnier, named after the architect who designed it in 1862, was immortalized by writer Gaston Leroux in his book Phantom of the Opera. The architecture is a mixture of baroque, classical, Greek and Napoléonic styles. Adorned with mosaics, the foyer has a cupola decorated by painter Marc Chagall and an impressive Rococo staircase, which leads to the theater's magnificent reception rooms. Outside, four stone statues represent allegories of Music, Lyric Poetry, Lyric Theater, and Dance. Since the opening of the Opéra Bastille, the Palais Garnier has concentrated on dance.

The enduring classics of European and French theater (including, always, a little Moliere), are presented here by France's most prestigious troupe of actors (founded in 1680). At the Comédie Française, established in the Palais-Royal in 1790, theatergoers needn't worry about the quality of the production or the grandeur of the setting. The theater's interiors are both intimate and bombastic, and what's more, you can see Moliere's own chair in the foyer during the intermission.

Théâtre Mogador is an important theater on the Parisian scene since World War I. Performances of extreme high quality is presented to a sophisticated public. Inaugurated in 1913, it is located in a district better known for shopping than for theater. This place is next door to the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores. An audience of arty connoisseurs attend the events in a grandiose ambiance. Visit the website for schedules and further details.