The biggest event in the world in 2024 is the Summer Olympics arranged in Paris between July 26 and August 11. The competition with roots back in ancient Greece is something athletes and fans look forward to, and the fact that it will be arranged in the most beautiful city on earth only makes it more attractive and interesting.
It was on 13 September 2017 in Peru that Paris was awarded the Summer Olympics in 2024. It was either Los Angeles or Paris, but in the end it was decided that France would arrange the Summer Olympics for the third time. The country has earlier arranged the Winter Olympics three times as well, making this the sixth Olympic Games ever arranged in France. Since Paris arranged the Summer Olympics in 1924, this is a perfect chance to celebrate the 100-year anniversary since the city previously arranged the Summer Olympics.
Some interesting numbers regarding the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Based on the estimations from earlier Summer Olympics and similar events, these are some of the numbers we can expect from the Paris 2024 Olympics Games.
- There will be about 9,7 million spectators watching the events at the different venues in Paris during the 19 days of competitions.
- There are 41 different locations in which the competitions will take place.
- More than 10,500 athletes will come to Paris for the event.
- A total of 31,500 volunteers will help everything go smoothly during the Olympics.
- There are more than 300 different competitions during the Summer Olympics.
- Breakdancing will be a part of the Olympic Games for the first time in Paris.
What venues will be in use for the Summer Olympics in Paris?
The Summer Olympics in Paris will be a fantastic event. The participants in the Beach Volleyball tournament will compete at Champ-de-Mars, just in front of the Eiffel Tower. The athletes will focus on the competition, but the rest of us will surely enjoy the beautiful view of the tower in the background as well!
The Judo and Wrestling competitions will take place only a few meters away in the Champ-de-Mars Arena. Opposite the River Seine you find the beautiful Trocadero (also with a view towards the Eiffel Tower). Here several competitions connected to athletics will take part, including road cycling, race walking, swimming, and marathons.
The football competition starts a few days before the actual Olympics. Parc des Princes is the home field of PSG, but during the Summer Olympics, it will host several matches from the football competition. The other matches will be spread throughout the country and played in cities such as Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon, Nantes, and others.
The matches of the handball and the basketball competitions are also spread out throught the country, and the sailing competitions will take place in Marseille. One very interesting fact is that the Olympic surfing competition will take place far, far away from France… in Tahiti. In other words, if you want to watch the Olympic surfing competition, don’t order a plane ticket to France!
The main arena for the different athletics competitions is Stade de France, the biggest arena in all of France. This is very close to the Aquatics Centre which will host the swimming, diving, and water polo competitions.
Another beautiful area in use during the Summer Olympics in Paris is the castle of Versailles. They will host the equestrian competitions there, and also the modern pentathlon competition.
Let us not forget about Roland Garros either, the famous arena in the heart of Paris… the perfect place to host the tennis competitions of the Summer Olympics. Maybe you didn’t know it, but the boxing competitions during the Olympics will also be arranged at the Roland-Garros Stadium.
Schedule for the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Would you like to know what happens when during the Summer Olympics in Paris? Below you can see a schedule presenting what activities will take place on the different days of the Olympics. The competitions in the Aquatics Centre will take place during the first part of the Olympics, while the Athletics competitions will take place in the second part of the Olympics.
Now that you know when the different competitions will happen, it is time to think about buying tickets for your favorite events.
Tickets for the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Would you like to buy a ticket for a football match during the Summer Olympics, or maybe a ticket for an evening event at Stade de France during the Athletics competitions? The cheapest tickets for football matches start at 24 euros, but you shouldn’t be surprised if the cheapest tickets for other matches cost about 50 euros.
To witness the competitions at Stade de France during the Summer Olympics (athletics), you must pay nearly 400 euros for the cheapest tickets to the evening events. That is quite expensive considering that during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in 2023 the cheapest tickets for an event started at 25 euros. But, if you want to be there at Stade de France to watch the finals in 1500 meter competitions, or maybe for the finals in Pole Jump, that is the price you must pay.
You can buy tickets and take a closer look at the price for the Summer Olympics in Paris at https://tickets.paris2024.org/en/
An official platform for re-selling tickets you have bought for the Summer Olympics in Paris will open during the spring of 2024. More information about this platform will be shared later.
There are special tickets available for people with disabilities, so if you use a wheel-chair, there are special tickets available for you at the official ticket site.
Practical questions about the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Transportation during the Summer Olympics
What is the best way to travel to France for the event?
Are you flying to Paris to watch one or more events during the Summer Olympics? Or maybe you are traveling to Marseille, Lyon, or Bordeaux? If you come by plane, the easiest option is probably to fly with Air France. The main airports in Paris are Orly and Charles de Gaulle, and those are easily connected to the city center of Paris using public transportation, taxis, or buses. With Air France, it is possible to fly between Paris and Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, and Nice, making it very easy to visit other important cities in France for different events during the Olympics.
Another good option is to travel to Paris by train. There are fast trains connecting London to Paris, and there are lots of direct trains between Paris and other big cities in France, and also in countries such as Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. You can check prices and book train tickets for France at https://www.sncf.com/en.
If you want cheaper plane tickets, you might be lucky if you are early and book plane tickets with low-cost airlines such as WizzAir, EasyJet, RyanAir, Eurowings, and a few other companies. Some of these airlines fly to Charles de Gaulle and Orly, while most of them also operate with flights to Paris Beauvais. That is a low-cost airport about 100km from the city center of Paris, meaning that you can expect a travel time of about 90 minutes between the airport and the center of Paris (or more if there is a lot of traffic).
What is the best way to travel in Paris during the Summer Olympics and between the different venues?
Can I park my camel in front of Stade de France during the Athletic competitions?
No, that was a valid question during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, but it is not one frequently asked regarding the Summer Olympics in Paris.
How can I buy tickets for public transportation in Paris? Which is the best ticket for me?
What hotel/apartment should I choose if I come to Paris for the Summer Olympics?
Where you should stay in Paris during the Summer Olympics depends greatly on your requirements and how much money you want to spend on accommodation. Paris is a very expensive city when it comes to hotels and apartments, and during the Summer Olympics, everything will be even more expensive. Below you can see a map showing you the city center of Paris with different accommodation options and price examples. Look around and you might find something suitable for you. Be aware, the hotels and apartments will get fully booked extremely fast, meaning that it will be hard to find suitable options if you wait until the last minute.
Booking.comIf you don’t do any scrolling, then you by default see Champ de Mars on the left side of the map above. This is where the Eiffel Tower is located, Grand Palais, Trocadero, and other locations that will be frequently in use during the Summer Olympics. This is also close to Les Invalides, the location for the archery competitions. In the center-top of the map, you can see Place de la Concorde, the location for the competitions in BMX freestyle, breaking, skateboarding, and 3×3 basketball. This area is not only ideal for the Summer Olympics, but also for discovering the famous attractions and buildings of Paris such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Arc d’Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Notre-Dame, and other famous locations in the French capital.
