Five Paris Theaters for Big-Name Musicals

Here are some of Paris's best theaters for large-scale musicals. If a big, glossy production appeals to you, check each venue's website for its current program.

The Théâtre du Châtelet is one of the most famous theaters in Paris. Les Misérables, West Side Story and 42nd Street have all played here. It sits in the heart of the city, close to Notre-Dame and the Seine, which makes it a perfect stop between sightseeing and a show. On the fifth floor there's an open-air terrace, well worth visiting before the performance or during the intermission: the view of Notre-Dame and the Seine from up there is gorgeous.

About a 20-minute walk from the Champs-Élysées, often called one of the most beautiful avenues in the world, stands the Palais des Congrès de Paris, a convention center that regularly hosts large-scale shows. A Hyatt hotel and a shopping mall are right next door, so it's a convenient place for visitors. Several musicals premiered here, including Starmania in 1979, Notre-Dame de Paris in 1998 and Roméo et Juliette in 2001, and the venue also hosts ballet, concerts and esports tournaments. I've seen a Harry Potter film-in-concert and Notre-Dame de Paris here. The hall itself, though, isn't anything special: it's a big, gym-like space rather than a pretty theater.

In the middle of the Champs-Élysées, Lido2 Paris is a legendary cabaret that opened in 1946. In 2022 it reopened with a fresh vision: to offer "a unique, immersive experience in the traditional cabaret style, bringing the audience closer to the stage." With so many tourists on the avenue, shows are often performed in English. Cabaret, The Rocky Horror Show and Hello, Dolly! have all played here. The first show I saw after moving to France to study was Cabaret at the Lido, and what struck me was that the seating wasn't the usual rows facing the stage; every two to four chairs shared a little table for drinks. I had booked the cheapest seat, tucked in a corner as far from the stage as possible and without a table, but just before the show a staff member moved me to a great seat right beside the stage.

The Dôme de Paris - Palais des Sports is a 4,600-seat venue that frequently hosts big concerts and musicals. It was here, in 1980, that Les Misérables first appeared, before it was adapted in London. Starmania, West Side Story, Le Roi Soleil, Dirty Dancing and Molière have also played here. Like the convention center, the interior feels like a huge gymnasium, but the dome-shaped exterior stands out from far away.

The Théâtre Mogador was built in 1919 by a British producer, modeled on the English music hall. Thanks to its architectural value and its place in French cultural and musical history, it is listed as a French historic monument. Musicals continue to play here year-round, including The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, La Cage aux Folles, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and Chicago.