We discovered la Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (the City of Sciences and Industry) and talked a little about le Parc de la Villette (Villette Park) in the last post. Today, we’ll be focusing on one interesting attraction located just a few steps from la Cité: La Géode.
La Géode is a unique building called une sphère géodésique (geodesic sphere). Geodesics—also known as great circles—are made of interconnected triangles that form a shell structure. If you’ve been to a playground, you might have seen similar geodesic structures in the shape of a half-dome. La Géode is different in that it is immense, is enclosed and is perfectly spherical. It rests on une base de béton (a concrete base) weighing 6,000 tons. There are several examples of geodesic spheres and domes throughout the world, the most famous of which are Spaceship Earth at World Disney World and the Montréal Biosphere. The Géode is unique, however, because of its mirror-like finish that glistens in the sunlight and reflects its surroundings.
Designed by Gérard Chamayou and Adrien Fainsilber, la Géode opened its doors on May 6, 1985, a year before the opening of la Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie. The structure is made up of 6,433 triangles en acier inoxydable poli (polished stainless steel triangles) with a diameter measuring 36 meters, l’équivalent d’un immeuble de douze étages (the equivalent of a twelve-story building). Inside you will find a 400-seat IMAX theater with a giant hemispherical screen spanning 1000 square meters that immerses you fully in a 180-degree image. Movies usually last environ une heure (around an hour) and include a wide selection of documentaries, concerts, live broadcasts, 3D animation and more. This unique visual experience is augmented by the 21,000 watt twelve point surround system including quatre haut-parleurs d’infra-graves (four subwoofers) measuring 55 cm in diameter. This is what you wish your home theater sounded like!
La Géode is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm. Tickets for une séance de cinéma (a show) are 12€ and there is a tariff réduit (reduced rate) for 9€. Every movie is offered in English if you’re willing to wear un casque (headphones) which are available for 1€ à l’accueil (at the front desk), but what better way to brush up on your language skills than to watch a movie in French?
Much like la Cité, la Géode is fun for the whole family and its proximity to la Cité makes it a must-see attraction. The surrounding areas offer different activities including boat rides, concerts, theater, bike rides, un cirque (a circus) and more. If you plan to visit Le Parc de la Vilette, it’s probably best to dedicate one full-day to the experience. Even then, you probably won’t have a chance to see everything. Try to at least visit la Cité and la Géode and make sure you bring un blouson (a jacket) if you plan to walk around the park. This is Paris, not la Côte d’Azur (the French Riviera)!
