Since 1985, La Géode has lit up the Parc de la Villette with its 36-metre shimmering sphere and giant hemispherical screen. Now, after six years spent upgrading the cinematic experience, this architectural marvel has just reopened its doors.
Adrien Fainsilber’s mirrored globe (which is 36m in diameter, the equivalent of a 12-storey building, and made up of 6,433 polished stainless steel triangles) looks unchanged from the outside. Inside, however, its hemispherical screen (which spans 1,000 m² and was once among the world’s largest) now boasts a brand-new IMAX Laser 4K projector, offering significantly better image quality than its predecessor. The sound quality has also been upgraded to IMAX 6.0.
It took the Pathé team (the cinema’s new owner) six years to complete the project. While it might not rival Las Vegas in extravagance, it was worth the wait, as the experience is unique in France. This has earned it a spot in the premium category of Pathé’s theatres, with tickets priced at €25 for feature films and €13 for documentaries at standard rates. Best of all? To mark the reopening, Pathé is running a buy one get one free deal on tickets.
What’s on?
So, what can you watch in 4K? There are three nature documentaries currently playing (Blue Whales, T.REX, Super Human Body) – which makes sense, considering the geode is part of the City of Science and Industry. Also showing is the highly-anticipated animated film Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel to Disney’s iconic animated classic. The documentaries have multiple daytime screenings, while the feature film is shown in a single evening slot.
Where? La Géode, 26 avenue Corentin-Cariou, Paris 19th arrondissement
How much? Feature films are €25 and documentaries are €13 (standard rates). There’s currently a buy one ticket, get one free offer on tickets, for a limited time only.
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