All the essential information: dates, opening times, price of entrance, map…



After three years of renovation, the Grande Halle at La Villette is about to reopen. For those who don’t know La Villette, it’s a huge modern park – the largest park within the Paris city limits – created in the early eighties on the site of an old meat market, and contains a science museum (La Cité des sciences et de l’industrie), music museum (La Cité de la musique), at least four concert spaces for all type of music, a submarine (I’m not kidding)… You name it, they got it.

La Grande Halle, originally used for storing cattle destined to be sold, is 245 metres long and 85 metres wide, and has previously hosted concerts, exhibitions and festivals. However, since its initial conversion in 1985 time has made its mark on the building, especially the strong storms of 1999. The new renovation (at a cost of 38.4M euros / $53M) makes sure that the Halle is ready for a variety of diverse uses, including more modern stage machinery and a large entrance hall.

After such huge restoration, it is only fitting that the first exhibition be a grand event. And so it is with Bêtes et Hommes.

The exhibition compares and contrasts animals and man, exploring how they are different, or similar, how they inter-react and depend on one another… Over 3,500 m2, the exhibition will be huge, and includes real live animals such as iguanas, vultures and otters!

Here is all the essential information about the exhibition (the official site is entirely in French).

Exhibition dates

12th September – 20th January
Closed Mondays
Open 10am – 6pm weekdays, 11am – 7pm weekends

Where is it?

View Larger Map

How to get there

Metro line 5, station Porte de Pantin
Bus 75, PC, 171
Car parking: follow signs to “Parc de la Villette Sud”

Entrance fee

Adult entry: 10 euros
Reduced rate (unemployed, under 26, handicapped people): 8 euros
Children under 16: 5 euros
Free for those accompanying a handicapped person.

Special rate from 12th – 23rd September: 7 euros
Special rate for tickets bought online: 8 euros

More information (in French) on the official site.

Photo crédit (Grande Halle) : paulogyensfan