Reading the lines within your field of vision rather than on a screen: that is the principle behind the surtitling glasses offered at the Salle Richelieu of the Comédie-Française in Paris. For the 2026–2027 season, the institution lists a price of 10 euros, with free access for people with disabilities. The equipment can therefore be part of planning an outing, alongside choosing the performance.
Text you can position as you like
According to the Comédie-Française, the glasses display the text directly on the lens. Spectators can adjust the font size, position, colour and brightness. French and English are available for all performances at Richelieu, regardless of where you sit in the auditorium. They are also advertised as compatible with prescription glasses.
The benefit of the device lies in this adjustable reading, close to the gaze directed towards the stage. However, that alone is not enough to describe the comfort it offers every spectator: visual needs, chosen language and ease of use remain personal. The options presented by the theatre provide practical questions to ask, rather than a guarantee of an identical experience for everyone.
Reserve the equipment too
As the number of devices is limited, the Comédie-Française recommends reserving them when booking seats. After making a reservation, they can be collected from the Richelieu cloakroom; the front-of-house team will help with the settings.
To qualify for free access on the basis of disability, the accessibility page specifies that a prior reservation with the dedicated service is required. This distinguishes the listed price from confirmed availability: buying a ticket for a performance does not, on its own, confirm that a device has been reserved.
Before finalising your outing, it is therefore best to confirm the performance, the option you are looking for and equipment collection together. For someone travelling from Luxembourg, this information concerns this Paris theatre; it does not describe equipment available in Luxembourg theatres.
Different devices for different needs
The Comédie-Française accessibility page distinguishes the glasses from amplification headsets and induction loops. The latter are advertised at Richelieu, subject to availability. The page also describes audio description, offered at certain performances for people who are blind or partially sighted.
Reading text, enhancing sound and having an audio description meet different needs. Simply asking for an ‘accessible performance’ can therefore leave the main question unanswered. Naming the device you want enables the booking service to respond about the right service.
The contact details published for accessibility are accessibilite@comedie-francaise.org and 01 44 58 15 14, Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 17:00. Conditions should be checked for the performance you have chosen.
Sources
- Comédie-Française: surtitling glasses, arrangements and price for the 2026–2027 season.
- Comédie-Française: devices and booking for people with disabilities.
- English version of the presentation of the glasses, consulted for comparison. This article is limited to the Salle Richelieu.
- Photograph: Stockholm, façade of the Comédie-Française, archive 2015.
- Photo and crop licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sources consulted on 20 October 2026.
