Paris with Iceland stopover in November?

There are performances at the Garnier - Marriage of Figaro appears to be sold out.

Die Walkure is at the Bastille.

https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/useful-information/booking-information#agenda

For opera/ballet tickets, if you register an account you can set an alarm for when seats become available. Resales happen often, I have never been unable to find 2 seats at a sold-out performance.

There seem to be no shows at Garnier for the first half of November, and the performances of the latter half are sold-out for now.

A suitable alternative to Garnier is the Opéra-Comique: a smaller venue from the same era, less lavish but still very atmospheric IMO. There are good seats left for Iphigénie en Tauride between 2-12 Nov.

Paris XMas markets are pretty terrible, you're not missing anything.

Thanks, Mark and Balso,

I appreciate your ideas, and the help with searching for performances. I am not too worried if we can't see any Christmas markets - it would have been a nice bonus, but not a must see.

I've been to Paris in February - the temps were just above freezing then. I wonder if it will be similar in November?

I'm looking for other ideas as well - we've been fortunate to see so many wonderful sights over the years, and would like to return to the Musée d'Orsay, the Louvre, and the Cluny...and I'm not really sure how the reservations work nowadays...so that will take some research. Are there any tours to recommend to go through the Louvre in a purposeful way?

Thanks,
Laurie

Laurie,
I haven't been to the Louvre my last two visits, but I suggest focusing on one wing, (two at most), as they are so big. Try to find a schematic/map of the Louvre's wings and list your must sees. Map out your route. You will get tired. For me (and for many others, I think) half a day is enough. Louvre overload is a real thing, IMO. Reserved times are required. I would try for the earliest times, when I have more energy. Reserve on the official website. Then spend a leisurely time at lunch to decompress from all the art.

I went to the Cluny for the first time in 2023. Finally! It was marvelous, especially after its recent rehab. We walked up and got right in. It wasn't crowded. This was the end of May midweek. I spent 3 hours there, stopping at the little cafe within for a coffee and pastry. There seem to be more places for the public to sit in the various rooms, than in most other museums. Can't wait to go back!

My favorite is the Rodin Museum. I goi every time I am in Paris. We didn't need reservations last time I was there. The house has lots inside, but the best part is the garden with his magnificent sculptures. Read up on the story of the Burghers of Calais to fully appreciate the sculpture. And the Gates of Hell doors have a lot to contemplate. Of course, the Thinker is there. Nice little cafe there if you are there at lunch.

If you haven't been to the Cathedral of St.Denis, go! Many French kings' and queens' tombs are there, and it is a beautiful church too.
I like to bookend St. Denis with a trip to Reims for the cathedral there, where nearly every king of France was crowned over the centuries. Quick train trip but you could stay overnight visiting a champagne house for tasting and going to the Musee de la Rendition (Where the WWII surrender was signed by the Germans). Reims can be a full day. I believe trains from Paris are frequent, and you can make this a day trip.

One more recommendation, though I don't expect them to be there in November, but I love to stroll along the left bank across from Notre Dame and check out the bouquinistes to find some little memento of Paris, plus some gifts. I can spend up to two hours doing this, which of course requires a stop at a cafe for an aperitif or coffee, and to take some repose from the hard work of shopping and strolling!

Amusez-vous bien!

February is usually significantly colder than November.