Grand Rex Behind-the-Scenes Cinema Studio Tour Tickets Paris

Le Grand Rex, an Art Deco Cinema on the Grands Boulevards

Le Grand Rex opened on 8 December 1932 and quickly became the largest cinema in Europe, with a huge auditorium that seats thousands. Its Art Deco facade with a tall tower stands at 1 Boulevard Poissonnière, in the 2nd arrondissement, near Bonne Nouvelle. The building is a listed monument, and inside, the decor is a reminder of the golden age of cinema. Many visitors ask whether the Grand Rex is worth visiting: for film fans and families, it is one of the most original activities in Paris.

Your ticket gives you entry to the Rex Studios tour on the date and time you choose. Grand Rex tour tickets are for an audio-guided visit, not a live guide. To get there, take metro line 8 or 9 to Bonne Nouvelle or Grands Boulevards, or line 4 to Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, and walk a few minutes. The tour lasts 50 minutes.

The Rex Studios: Sets, Special Effects and Film Magic

The tour takes you off the public side of the cinema and into the world behind the screen, a part of the building that was once reserved for professionals. You pass through a series of sets that explain how a film is created, from the first idea to the final projection. Along the way you see archive images, props and demonstrations of the tricks used to make scenes believable.

The visit is interactive, so guests take part rather than just watch. You experience what it is like to be a director, a projectionist or an actor, and discover how sound and visual effects create emotion. For anyone who wonders what the Grand Rex studio tour is like, expect an entertaining, educational visit that suits all ages from five years old.

The Audio Guide and the Tour Experience

The tour is led by an audio guide rather than a live guide, so you follow the story at your own rhythm through your headset. It is available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian. Tours begin every five minutes, which means little waiting and a flexible arrival time within your chosen slot.

The route passes through dark and enclosed spaces to create special effects, so the visit is not recommended for pregnant women, people with a pacemaker or those who suffer from claustrophobia. The facility is also not accessible for wheelchair users. Please read these notes carefully before you book. Children enjoy the sets and tricks, and the pace keeps everyone engaged.

Combining the Grand Rex with the Grands Boulevards

The Grand Rex sits in a lively part of Paris, with theatres, restaurants and old covered arcades close by. The Grévin Museum, the Chocolate Museum and the passages of the 2nd arrondissement are all within a short walk, which makes it easy to build an indoor day around the tour, especially in bad weather.

The best time to visit the Grand Rex is on a weekday morning or early afternoon, when the queue is shortest. Personal purchases are not included, and the ticket does not cover a cinema screening. Give yourself around an hour in total, and take a look at the exterior of the building and the illuminated tower before you leave.