L'Olympia — Paris

L'Olympia on the Boulevard des Capucines in central Paris is one of the most storied concert venues in the world — a music hall with an unbroken tradition of major performances stretching from Édith Piaf and Maurice Chevalier to the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and every significant rock, pop, and chanson artist of the past century. Opened in 1893 and substantially rebuilt in 1954 under the direction of Bruno Coquatrix, the Olympia became the pre-eminent French showcase for popular music and the venue where careers were made and consolidated. A sell-out run at the Olympia was the gold standard of achievement in French popular music.

The Beatles played the Olympia in January 1964, supporting French artist Trini Lopez and Sylvie Vartan — a billing that seemed bizarre given the scale of what was about to happen to them. Édith Piaf's final Olympia performances in 1961 are among the most celebrated concert recordings in French cultural history. Jacques Brel, Barbara, Charles Aznavour, Serge Gainsbourg, and the entire lineage of French chanson performed there. Hendrix played the Olympia; so did the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and virtually every major international artist who came through Paris.

L'Olympia continues to operate as an active concert venue with a capacity of approximately 2,000 and a programme spanning pop, rock, jazz, and chanson. It has been designated a French historic monument. The venue is on the Boulevard des Capucines near the Opéra Garnier and is accessible from the Opéra metro station. Attending a concert at the Olympia remains one of the most meaningful experiences available in Paris for music lovers.