Period balls at the Hôtel de la Marine

Show, festival (concert, dance, theatre)

Once a month, step back in time at a period ball!

  • In the main courtyard: free, no booking required
    In the state rooms: subject to booking a ‘Period Ball’ ticket

  • Suitable for all ages

  • The ball is subject to favourable weather conditions. 

    Access to the Stewards’ Apartments, the Al Thani Collection and the state rooms is prohibited to anyone wearing fancy dress.

presentation

For over two centuries, the state rooms of the Hôtel de la Marine have been the setting for grand receptions that have shaped the history of the building. When it housed the Ministry of the Navy, the Hôtel de la Marine hosted prestigious balls, including the Ball of Europe in 1802, the coronation ball for Charles X in 1825 and the grand ball hosted by Napoleon III in 1866.

Today, the Carnet de Bals association brings this heritage back to life by utilising the historic spaces of the Hôtel de la Marine for exceptional evening events. Echoing the different eras the building has witnessed and the themes of its programme, these balls invite you to rediscover the Hôtel in a new light, through the music, dance and lifestyle of centuries past.

As specialists in recreating grand historical balls, the association’s members offer you a true journey back in time. Period costumes, choreography and dances combine to create an immersive experience in the heart of the ballrooms, where history is passed on and reinvented to the rhythm of the dance steps.

How to attend a ball

There are two ways to enjoy the ball:

  • In the main courtyard, watch the demonstrations free of charge and join the dancers on the dance floor for open-to-all participatory dances.
  • In the state rooms, enjoy the dance demonstrations, accessible upon booking a ‘Period Ball’ ticket.

An event not to be missed, open to visitors and passers-by alike!

No participatory dances are permitted inside the monument. 

THE BALS RETURN EVERY MONTH AT THE HÔTEL DE LA MARINE

On the programme: 

  • Friday 30 October from 5.30 pm to 9 pm: Ball of the Revenants (a mix of eras) 
  • Friday 27 November from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm: 1900s Ball with animal-themed dances 
  • Friday 18 December from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm:Dickens Christmas Ball 
  • Friday 29 January, 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm: July Monarchy Ball 
  • Friday 26 February, 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm: First Empire Ball 
  • Friday 26 March, 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm : Roaring Twenties Ball 
  • Friday 23 April from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm: Marie-Antoinette Ball 
  • Friday 25 June from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm: Belle Époque Ball