.png)
Céline Dion Paris 2026
When Céline Dion announced her highly anticipated comeback with a 16-date residency in Paris, the world went a little crazy! And I'm not exaggerating – reportedly, over 9 million people registered for the presale worldwide.
As we all know, the iconic Céline Dion has been living with Stiff-Person Syndrome, so the news of her return to the stage was HUGE. For many fans, including myself, this wasn't just another series of concerts – it was something we weren't sure would ever happen again.
And I was lucky enough to get tickets for myself and my family relatively easily (if we ignore the astronomical ticket prices). So, on October 10, 2026, for Night 13 of her 16-show residency, we finally got to see the one and only Céline Dion live in Paris!
Céline Dion Paris 2026 - quick navigation
Getting the tickets - Céline Dion Paris 2026
So, let's start with the most fun topic – getting the tickets (probably one of the most stressful ticket-buying experiences ever).
The process was that you had to register for the presale, and only a lucky number of people were selected to participate. There were also other presales, including Visa and venue presales, followed by the general sale.
I got super lucky and was selected for the artist presale, so I managed to secure our tickets on the very first day of sales! But...
Ticketmaster France deserves a separate paragraph because WHAT is that website?! The interface was an absolute horror story. The ticket selection wasn't loading properly, it wasn't even clear how to select the dates, and the whole experience felt like using Windows 95 (although this comparison might be offensive to Windows). As someone who used to work in UX/UI field, I genuinely couldn't believe that a website belonging to such a major brand could still be this bad. Okay, rant over…
I ended up getting four Platinum tickets (aka dynamically priced tickets) for my parents, my sister, and myself in Section 104, Row 19, Seats 1–4. Each ticket cost €325, making this officially the most expensive concert ticket I've ever bought!
But hey, at least the view was great! We were seated in the lower bowl, relatively close to the stage.
Paris trip: 2 hours of sleep, 30+ km of walking and 674 steps up the Eiffel Tower
Of course, Paris is always a good idea, especially when it comes with a Céline Dion concert!
I planned a short two-night trip, as accommodation prices were already skyrocketing following the residency announcement. The plan was to fly in early on Friday, spend the day exploring Paris, do some more sightseeing on Saturday, and then head to the concert in the evening. I would have loved to stay longer on Sunday, too, but since the late evening flights were ridiculously expensive, we decided to fly back on Sunday morning.
And let me tell you, it was quite an intense trip! We started Friday with a 6 am flight from Vilnius via Warsaw, which basically meant surviving on two hours of sleep. But hey, the things you do for Paris!
Once we arrived, it was pretty much nonstop sightseeing and A LOT of walking. But I think I managed to show my parents most of the main Paris attractions over Friday and Saturday, including climbing the Eiffel Tower… by stairs!
Disclaimer: My parents were NOT forced into this experience. I presented them with the options, and they chose the stairs themselves! And they actually enjoyed it, saying it felt more immersive. We're a very athletic family, as you can tell, haha.
And by Sunday morning, it was already time to head home. A short but very memorable trip, and I'm sure I'll be back in Paris again!
If anyone needs recommendations on how to explore Paris in just 1.5 days, let me know!
The venue - Plenitude Arena (previously known as Paris La Défense Arena)
Plenitude Arena (previously known as Paris La Défense Arena) is a multipurpose indoor arena in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris. Opened in October 2017, it's Europe's largest indoor arena, with a capacity of up to 45,000 spectators.
The arena is very well connected to central Paris. We stayed near Charles de Gaulle–Étoile metro station, and it was just a few stops to the arena (not surprising, though, as I strategically picked the perfect hotel location haha. Btw, I shared all my tips for booking a concert hotel here).
From the station, it's about a 10-minute walk to the arena, but the area is quite lively, with plenty of bars and restaurants along the way if you want to enjoy some pre-show (or post-show) drinks and food.
The venue itself is modern and generally well-organized, although the queues were HUGE when we arrived around 7 pm, about 1.5 hours before the concert. We waited a little while to get through the entrance gates, but once inside, the queues for drinks, snacks, and especially the ladies' bathrooms were just as crazy. So definitely keep that in mind!
We eventually managed to get some drinks from one of those mobile beer sellers carrying a big beer backpack (is that what it's called, lol?), as we also wanted to get the custom Céline Dion souvenir cups. There's a €4 deposit per cup, which you can either keep as a souvenir or return to get your deposit back. But every time one of these sellers appeared with a full backpack, people would surround them within seconds!
One thing I didn't expect was how incredibly warm it was inside the arena, especially considering it was already getting quite chilly outside. I honestly don't want to imagine what it would feel like during a summer concert in the middle of a heatwave.
Getting back to the city was surprisingly easy, though! We left after the final song without rushing, I even managed to grab some merch, and then we walked back to the station. There was a queue to enter, but we only waited around 10 minutes, which is nothing for an event of this size. The metro gates were also open, so people were being let through without having to scan their tickets. And once we got on the train, we even found empty seats! Such a luxury after a concert, haha.
Overall, I had a pretty positive experience with the venue, apart from the queue nightmare!
Our Céline Dion Night 13 timeline
7:05 pm – Arrived at Nanterre-Préfecture train station
7:13 pm – Arrived at Plenitude Arena
7:30 pm – Entered the arena
8:30 pm – Céline Dion started her performance
10:45 pm – Concert ended
Why was Céline Dion's comeback so anticipated?
I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say this was one of the most talked-about concert comebacks of the decade!
These Paris shows marked Céline Dion's first major series of performances since 2020. Her last tour, announced back in 2019, was interrupted by the pandemic and eventually cancelled in 2023 as she focused on her health and recovery.
Her 2024 documentary, I Am: Céline Dion, also showed just how much the disease had affected her voice and the struggles she was going through. It definitely wasn't an easy watch, but it showed her incredible determination and passion for singing.
She promised she would return to the stage. And in 2026, she did!
Céline Dion in Paris: Finally, we're all here!
We went to Céline Dion's concert on October 10, which was Night 13 out of 16. By that time, I'd already heard some reviews and seen a few videos, but I still tried to keep as much of the show a mystery as possible because I wanted to experience it all myself.
And from the moment we entered the arena, you could already feel the excitement in the air. Almost 30,000 people waiting to witness this iconic comeback!
Then, the moment finally arrived. Céline Dion appeared on stage, and the arena erupted in cheers and applause. The excitement, happiness, and pure emotion were overwhelming! She opened the evening with “On ne change pas”, and honestly, the fact that I've now heard Céline Dion's voice live is something I should probably add to my CV. This is the voice that generations grew up listening to, and hearing it live, knowing everything she's been through, was simply breathtaking.
While the audience was still recovering from the emotions of seeing her on stage, Céline gave a speech about her comeback, first in French and then in English. She thanked her international fans who had travelled to Paris and said:
“I made a promise to be back on stage, and here I am singing for you. For me. Singing life [...] And if I may say so, I'm everything I am because you loved me.”
And of course, this was followed by “Because You Loved Me”, which made the whole moment even more emotional. Needless to say, there were plenty of tears that evening, including from Céline herself, who visibly got emotional several times throughout the show.
Now, one small thing I have to mention about the concert experience is the language. Apart from this speech and a few English sentences towards the end, Céline spoke almost entirely in French throughout the evening. A bit of a Shakira 2.0 situation (I already wrote about my language struggles in Madrid, so I won't go into it again hihi). And while I completely understand that we were in Paris, it did sometimes feel like being left out of the party. You'd hear the audience laughing at her jokes or reacting to something she said, and you'd just wish you understood it too!
Would I have loved a little more English? Absolutely. But did it affect my overall experience? Not really!
Let's talk about the voice
We all know that Céline's illness has taken a toll on her powerhouse vocals. And while, understandably, her voice isn't quite what it used to be, you can still hear that signature Céline Dion sound, including the incredible emotion she puts into performing her songs.
And yes, some adjustments were made. Songs like “The Power of Love” and “My Heart Will Go On” were performed in a lower register, but to be honest, it didn't make much of a difference to me. In fact, I thought they sounded even more mature and raw.
Now, there have also been discussions online about whether some vocals were prerecorded, including THAT famous high note during “All by Myself”. But I'm no vocal expert, and being there in the arena, everything felt real to me. So I chose not to overthink it and just enjoy the music and get lost in the moment!
Céline Dion's setlist: The highlights and what I missed
The show included 23 songs, lasted well over two hours, and was divided into four acts plus an encore, with an outfit change for each act.
The setlist was a mix of Céline's English and French hits (with a stronger focus on the French ones), including “The Power of Love” (pure goosebumps), “My Heart Will Go On” (still not over Jack dying, there was DEFINITELY enough space on that door for him), “Beauty and the Beast” (my favorite childhood Disney movie), and the French classic “Pour que tu m'aimes encore”.
And then there was “It's All Coming Back to Me Now”, a song that will forever remind me of lockdown and those TikTok trends. Of course, we also got the iconic “All by Myself”!
However, some of my favorites, like “I'm Alive” and “That's the Way It Is”, were shortened and included in an upbeat mashup together with “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”, which, to be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of.
And since the setlist focused a little more on French songs, I did miss a few iconic tracks (at least iconic to me!), like “A New Day Has Come” and “Immortality”.
Want to see every song Céline performed on Night 13? Check out the full setlist on setlist.fm.
Céline Dion's iconic stage looks
I mean, the outfits deserve a separate shoutout!
Céline wore stunning high-fashion designer gowns, including creations by Chanel, Schiaparelli, and Dior, and each of them was breathtaking. Her impeccable fashion taste was definitely on display!
My personal favorites were the opening white gown by Dior and the sculptural custom gown by Alaïa, featuring a hand-molded bustier. Just stunning!
The stage and production
The stage itself was relatively simple, consisting of just one main stage without any runways. You might know by now that I'm a big fan of runways, as they give more fans a chance to see their favorite artists up close. But I also understand the decision to stick to a traditional stage setup for this show.
Céline seemed very comfortable with the space, and she was accompanied by her full band, a string quartet, and a 16-voice choir.
The main focus of the stage design was a massive, brutalist-inspired stone structure. It also created a dramatic entrance when part of the structure moved to reveal Céline. Simple but genius!
As the structure rotated throughout the show, it revealed different musicians, including a pianist, string players, and eventually the choir. So even though the set looked massive, it was actually quite dynamic, creating different setups for each act.
There were also two large screens on either side of the stage, giving everyone a closer look at Céline's performance.
And during “Ebben? Ne andrò lontana”, snow-like confetti fell from above, creating such a magical atmosphere!
And that was basically it! I think it was the perfect high-quality production for Céline's performance. It was elegant and impressive without being overcomplicated, allowing her voice and presence to shine without being overshadowed by the staging.
“Pour que tu m’aimes encore”
After more than two hours, the show was coming to an end. But of course, the audience wasn't ready to let Céline go just yet!
Following loud applause and the crowd chanting “Céline! Céline!”, she returned to the stage for the encore with “All by Myself”. And what a performance! The kind that sends shivers down your spine, especially when she delivers THAT famous high note. And seeing Céline's reaction afterwards, the pure happiness on her face, was just as special.
And then came the final song, “Pour que tu m’aimes encore”. Hearing the entire arena singing along to every word was the perfect ending to such an emotional night.
Final thoughts
Having the opportunity to witness Céline's incredible voice, emotional delivery, and historic comeback is something I'll never take for granted. She showed us just how much you can overcome with determination, passion, and love.
And I couldn't be happier for her! Because as much as the audience loved seeing Céline on stage, it was obvious how much being back meant to her, too. You could see how much she loves her fans and performing, and how she was trying to take in every single moment.
And I have to tell you, being there in Paris, listening to Céline Dion while the French audience sang along, is something that stays with you for a lifetime. This one is definitely going into my concert history book (which I think I should actually start writing soon, with all the stories I've collected hihi).
For everyone going to see her during her May 2027 Paris residency, just know that you're in for a magical night! Because this really is music for the soul. ❤️
A little note about tickets: All tickets for the May 2027 dates also sold out almost immediately, so please be careful with resale tickets and potential scams. At the time of writing (October 2026), official resale on AXS and Ticketmaster France hasn't opened yet, but once it does, there might still be a chance to get tickets!
For the full story, videos, and more concert adventures:
Instagram – @concerts.enthusiast
TikTok – @concerts.enthusiast
