Give the Gift of Knowledge this Holiday Season 🌎 Gift Cards for the Curious Traveler

Paris Architecture Tour: Haussmann's Transformation

Discover how the City of Lights transformed into a contemporary metropolis
From US$535 privately
Book a Tour
Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
  • Palais Royal
  • Opera Garnier
  • Grands Boulevards
  • Galerie Vivienne
Photos & Highlights
  • Paris city planning tour led by an architectural or cultural historian
  • Discover how Haussmann transformed Paris and his impact on the modern city
Tour Description
On this three-hour tour, we'll explore how the face of Paris was completely changed by 19th-century city prefect Baron Haussmann and explain why the city looks the way it does. Guided by an expert in architecture, we’ll discuss the urban planning revolution Haussmann engineered by restructuring entire neighborhoods and creating many wide avenues in place of narrow, twisting streets.

Disclaimer: The Opéra Garnier is currently undergoing exterior renovations and a large part of the façade is covered with scaffolding. This tour does not visit the interior of the opera.

We’ll begin our discussion at the Palais-Royal, which was constructed in 1781 by Louis-Phillipe d'Orléans, Duc de Chartres, as the city's first purpose-built shopping and leisure complex. Today a charming oasis of calm, Palais-Royal caused quite the kerfuffle when it opened, revolutionizing shopping in a city whose narrow, congested, medieval streets were a danger to any pedestrian foolish enough to set foot in them. Palais-Royal was also the site of the city's first covered passage, or shopping arcade, which we’ll discuss as we wander through some of those still in existence.

From here, we'll enter modern Paris, stepping out onto one of the wide, straight-as-an-arrow Grands Boulevards created during the Second Empire by Napoleon III and Haussmann. We'll discuss how Haussmann's boulevards were modeled on those created by Louis XIV in the 17th century, and how the rise of the bourgeoisie in the 19th century led to Napoleon III's radical rebuilding of Paris. Moving on, we'll find ourselves in front of what is perhaps the most iconic example of Second Empire urbanism, the Opéra Garnier. Completed in 1875, the Opéra is the jewel in the crown of Parisian Beaux Arts architecture. We will explore the exterior of the building in detail, placing it in the context of the architectural movements of the day. Depending on time and interest, we may also visit one of the late 19th-century department stores, Printemps or Galeries Lafayette, or even the Société Generale bank building to explore art-nouveau glass domes.


For those interested in modern Parisian architecture, we suggest our Modernist Paris Architecture Tour.

FAQ
Is this seminar walking-intensive, and/or wheelchair accessible?
We do cover extensive territory on this seminar. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Will we visit the interior of the Opera Garnier on this walk?
We will not visit the interior of the Opera, though we will certainly spend concerted time outside discussing the importance of the site.

Where do we meet? Where does it end?
The walk begins near the Palais Royal in the first arrondissement. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point details along with a map. The walk typically ends near the Opéra Garnier, Grands Boulevards, or Saint Lazare.

What if it’s raining?
Tours operate rain or shine, but in the case of inclement weather, your guide will modify the tour so more time is spent indoors. It never hurts to have an umbrella on hand.
Experts
Aymeric Aymeric
Local Guide
Barbara Barbara
Art Historian
Ulrike Ulrike
Architectural Historian
Sarah Sarah
Art Historian
Irene Irene
Architectural Historian
Asli Asli
Researcher/Lecturer
Michael Michael
Local Guide
Marine Marine
Art Historian
Tricia Tricia
Architectural Historian
Sean Sean
Tour guide/Historian
Marie Marie
Art Historian
Thibaud Thibaud
Art Historian
Jacob Jacob
Architectural Historian
Caroline Caroline
Art Historian
Babis Babis
Art Historian
Kotryna Kotryna
Art Historian
Stéphanie Stéphanie
Local Guide
Nicole Nicole
Architectural Historian
François François
Local Guide
Anthony Anthony
Art Historian
Rémy Rémy
Local Guide
Lindsey Lindsey
Art Historian
Where You'll Start
(4.65) 286 Reviews

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

Provided a strong sense of context for further (independent) study.
Marie is a delight!!! She was super-knowledgeable about the subject. We had great conversation and she really filled in a lot of blanks I had in the historical and cultural record. We walked a ton, but it didn't feel like it. I would do this tour again with her in a heartbeat!
What a wonderful tour! Caroline gamely met us even in the rain, and guided us through an insightful but accessible tour of Hausmann's Paris. Her expertise is obvious, but she is also engaging and responsive: extremely well-prepared, but also open to our questions and particular areas of interest. We are grateful for a delightful and informative morning that has framed a new perspective on Paris!