Editing Palais Garnier (section)

===1870–1871===
All work on the building came to a halt during the Franco-Prussian War due to the [[Siege of Paris (1870–1871)|siege of Paris]] (September 1870 – January 1871). Construction had so advanced that parts of the building could be used as a food warehouse and a hospital. After France's defeat Garnier became seriously ill from the deprivations of the siege and left Paris from March to June to recover on the [[Liguria]]n coast of Italy, while his assistant Louis Louvet remained behind during the turmoil of the [[Paris Commune]] which followed. Louvet wrote several letters to Garnier, which document events relating to the building. Because of the theatre's proximity to the fighting at the [[Place Vendôme]], troops of the [[National Guard (France)|National Guard]] bivouacked there and were in charge of its defence and distributing food to soldiers and civilians. The Commune authorities planned to replace Garnier with another architect, but this unnamed man had not yet appeared when Republican troops ousted the National Guard and gained control over the building on 23 May. By the end of the month the Commune had been severely defeated. The Third Republic had become sufficiently well established by the fall, that on 30 September construction work recommenced, and by late October a small amount of funds were voted by the new legislature for further construction.<ref>Mead 1991, pp. 142–143, 168–170.</ref>