WHAT'S UP IN PARIS IN 2026?

 

 

 

Each season, Paris changes its pace: new highlights, new exhibitions, new stages. The capital is constantly reinventing itself, and this is what makes it so irresistible for those who keep returning. This new year promises a rich cultural program of exhibitions, operas, ballets, musicals and major artistic events. Discover our selection of not-to-miss happenings.

 

 

 

 

MUST-SEE
exhibitions

LEONORA CARRINGTON - MUSÉE DU LUXEMBOURG

February 18 to July 19, 2026

The exhibition dedicated to Leonora Carrington is among the major events at the start of the year. A pivotal figure of Surrealism, the artist created a singular universe nourished by personal myths, symbolic animals and hybrid creatures. The display gathers paintings, sculptures and graphic works, revealing a luxuriant imagination where strangeness meets great formal precision. At the Musée du Luxembourg, the scenography lends itself beautifully to immersion: the pace is calm, almost introspective. One moves from one painting to the next as though turning the pages of a secret tale.
 

PASSION 18TH CENTURY - PALAIS GALLIERA

December 13, 2025 to October 18, 2026

The Palais Galliera devotes an exhibition to the 18th century, a period when sartorial refinement reached its peak. Gown panniers, delicate embroidery, precious silks and ceremonial accessories evoke a world where clothing expressed both identity and status. The silhouettes unfold in all their breadth, and the pieces have been restored with remarkable care. One understands how bodies adapted to such imposing forms, how style became a way of being, and how fashion reflected the art of living of an era. An exhibition as enlightening as it is delightful, ideal for lovers of style, history and craftsmanship.
 

RENOIR AND LOVE - MUSÉE D'ORSAY

March 17 to July 19, 2026

The Musée d’Orsay dedicates its spring exhibition to Renoir, exploring the essential presence of love in his work. The painter of light and emotion is rediscovered here, with canvases that blend sensuality, tenderness and the joy of living. The museum’s great nave plays a decisive role: natural light reveals textures, nuances flesh tones and brings volumes to life. A delicate and sensitive exhibition that offers a renewed perspective on a painter we thought we knew.
 

MATISSE : COLOURS WITHOUT LIMITS - GRAND PALAIS

March 24 to August 2, 2026

The years 1941 to 1954, dominated by colour and cut-out gouache papers, form the core of this exhibition. Matisse developed a deliberately pared-down visual language, where form is simplified and colour takes centre stage. The exhibition at the Grand Palais offers a direct approach to modern art, through works that are among the most striking of Matisse’s late period.
 

HENRI ROUSSEAU - MUSÉE DE L'ORANGERIE

April 1 to July 3, 2026

Henri Rousseau, known as Le Douanier, painted his jungles from Paris, inspired by images, stories and indirect observations. His paintings, naïve at first glance, reveal careful construction: motionless animals, dense vegetation, bold colours. The Musée de l’Orangerie highlights the singularity of Rousseau, a self-taught painter whose apparent simplicity continues to charm with its inventiveness and unique perspective.
 

LEE MILLER - MUSÉE D'ART MODERNE DE PARIS

April 3 to July 26, 2026

Lee Miller occupies a singular place in 20th-century art. Model, muse of Man Ray, surrealist artist, war photographer and portraitist, she crossed multiple worlds with remarkable freedom. The exhibition at the Musée d’Art Moderne retraces this journey through photographs, documents and archives. The diversity of the works reveals an independent, curious personality, often ahead of her time. An exhibition that reveals a rich body of work and a deeply modern vision of the world.
 

ART PARIS - GRAND PALAIS

April 9 to April 12, 2026

Art Paris is one of the key events for modern and contemporary art in the capital. Beneath the glass roof of the Grand Palais, the fair gathers around 170 French and international galleries. This 28th edition is structured around two main themes: Babel – Art and Language in France, and Repair. These curatorial paths stimulate reflection and diversity, bringing together works that explore language, history, time, memory and resilience.

© Palais Galliera | © Musée d'Orsay

 

SHOWS AND MUSICALS
not to be missed

THE LEGEND OF MONTE CRISTO - DÔME DE PARIS

January 27 to February 5, 2026

Dumas’ famous novel becomes a musical adaptation, faithfully following its narrative arcs: vengeance, justice and destiny. The staging relies on detailed sets, period costumes and a strong vocal cast. The Legend of Monte Cristo highlights the rhythm of the original story, offering a loyal reading, carried by constant dramatic energy.
 

LE ROI SOLEIL - DÔME DE PARIS

Until January 18, 2026

Le Roi Soleil returns to the stage in an updated version. Choreographies, harmonies and a scenography inspired by the court of Versailles are all present, not nostalgic but precise and immediately effective. If you enjoy lively productions where music and dance converse naturally, this revival will surely appeal. The sharp, dynamic cast gives the whole a fluid, festive tone, perfect for an evening of pure entertainment.
 

BLACK LEGENDS

March 20 to March 22, 2026

Black Legends pays tribute to African-American music, from soul to funk, from gospel to hip-hop. On stage, voices, dance, orchestra and staging respond to one another with constant energy. The show retraces key moments in this musical history while remaining highly accessible. An evening where rhythm, interpretation and pure stage pleasure come together beautifully.

© La Seine Musicale

OPERA
and ballets

UN BAL MASQUÉ - GIUSEPPE VERDI AT OPERA BASTILLE

January 27 to February 26, 2026

The year opens with one of Verdi’s most refined operas. Beneath political intrigue, thwarted passions and fate closing in, the work unfolds a musical theatre of striking intensity. Orchestral tension, precision of ensembles and vocal writing, among the composer’s finest, offer one of the season’s strongest moments. If you love great tales where music underscores every twist, this Verdi is not to be missed.


CARMEN - GEORGES BIZET AT OPERA BASTILLE

February 7 to March 19, 2026

Adapted from Pushkin’s novel, Eugene Onegin stands among the jewels of the Russian repertoire. Orchestral lyricism, ballroom scenes, duets and confidences compose an opera where restraint, melancholy and destiny intertwine. The musical writing, of great poetic continuity, supports an interior drama of remarkable finesse.
 

EUGÈNE ONÉGUINE - PIOTR ILITCH TCHAÏKOVSKI AT PALAIS GARNIER

January 26 to February 27

Adapted from Pushkin’s novel, Eugene Onegin is a pillar of the Russian repertoire. Orchestral lyricism, ballroom scenes, duets and confidences create an opera where restraint and melancholy are expressed with clarity. The music advances without emphasis, carried by lines of uninterrupted beauty, giving the whole a singular depth. A discreet classic, always true, where dramaturgy unfolds with elegance.
 

ROMEO AND JULIET - RUDOLF NOUREEV AT OPERA BASTILLE

April 2 to May 12, 2026

Rudolf Nureyev’s choreography, imagined for the Paris Opera, has become one of the house’s signatures. Faithful to Shakespeare’s story, it combines virtuosity, ensemble precision and dramatic instinct. Prokofiev’s score carries the narrative with strong contrasts and instantly recognizable motifs. Beneath the vast stage of Bastille, the result is remarkable: sets, costumes and collective movement compose a choreographic fresco one returns to with pleasure, season after season.
 

LA TRAVIATA - GIUSEPPE VERDI AT OPERA BASTILLE

June 4 to July 13, 2026

Verdi’s masterpiece closes the first part of the season. The encounter between Violetta and Alfredo, the contrast between dazzling festivities and solitude, silent agony: the work advances with striking dramatic effectiveness. The music, of great melodic clarity, is among the most beloved of the repertoire. One is swiftly captivated, as the score finds a perfect balance between emotion and elegance.
 

LA DAME AUX CAMÉLIAS - JOHN NEUMEIER AT PALAIS GARNIER

May 5 to May 23, 2026

A landmark ballet inspired by Alexandre Dumas fils, La Dame aux Camélias returns to the stage in a deeply sensitive interpretation. Choreography, costumes and dramaturgy come together to tell the story of Marguerite Gautier with fluidity. Chopin’s music gives the whole a particular intensity. If you love ballets where the narrative is clear and the emotion immediate, this revival will surely move you.

© Opéra Bastille
 

With such a promising cultural season, every outing becomes a chance to rediscover Paris anew. The only question that remains: which event will you pencil into your agenda first?