Métro to Chaussée d’Antin–La Fayette on lines 7 and 9, which has a direct entrance into the store, or Opéra on lines 3, 7 and 8. The store is on Boulevard Haussmann, behind the Palais Garnier. For the rooftop, take the escalators or lifts in the main (Coupole) building to the top floor and follow the signs for La Terrasse; access is free. The dome is best seen from the ground level or balconies on the upper floors of the same building.
Store hours are 10:00 to 20:30 Monday to Saturday and 11:00 to 20:00 on Sunday, so the rooftop is daytime only outside midsummer. Go early, right at opening, for the dome without shoppers in the balconies and for the terrace before the tour groups. In summer the terrace stays open into the start of golden hour; check closing time for the day.
A wide lens is essential for the dome; 16 mm on APS-C just fits it, shot straight up from dead centre with the camera levelled so the ribs stay symmetrical. The glass is bright, so stop down (f/16 to f/22) and watch the histogram, or bracket for the balconies. On the rooftop, 16 mm takes in the Palais Garnier and the skyline together, and a longer focal length pulls the Eiffel Tower out of the haze. No tripod needed for either.
It is a working department store, so expect to be moved along if you block an aisle or a balcony rail. Tripods are not practical inside. The terrace can close in bad weather. Keep bags closed; it is one of the busiest spots in the city for pickpockets.
