Tickets, fan zones and security: Your 5-minute guide to the 2024 Paris Olympics
From tickets to events, fan zones to hotels and opportunities for residents to get involved or make a bit of cash, here's your 5-minute guide to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which France hosts this summer.
It's highly likely there will be some hiccups along the way, but as we approach the final straight of planning, organisers say they are on track to deliver a great Games that will be exciting, sustainable, inclusive and show off Paris to its best advantage.
When?
The Olympics run from Friday, July 26th, 2024, to Sunday, August 11th. There is then a break of a couple of weeks before the Paralympics, which run from Wednesday, August 28th, to Sunday, September 8th.
The Olympic torch will begin its journey on May 9th and travel through 165 towns, villages and tourist sites taking in the length and breadth of the country.
MAP Where will the Olympic torch visit on its journey through France?
Where?
Most events will be in Paris - and many will be in the heart of the city, using some of the French capital's most famous locations.
The organisers want to bring the Games into the city itself as much as possible - so beach volleyball will the played under the Eiffel Tower, urban sports will be in Place de la Concorde, fencing is in Les Invalides and the open-water swimming events will take place in the River Seine in central Paris.
The opening ceremony will also be on the Seine - a boat procession coming through the heart of the city and ending at the Eiffel Tower.
Athletics events will be in a stadium - Stade de France in the northern suburbs of Paris, while a new aquatics centre has been built opposite the stadium. Various existing stadia and sports complexes around Paris will be also used during the games.
The Games also make use of the outskirts of Paris - for example equestrian events will be held at Versailles, 15km outside the city, while canoe events will be at the Vaires-sur-Marne water park, which is roughly halfway between Paris and Disneyland.
Not everything is in Paris, though - Marseille hosts the sailing and six other French cities host football or handball games, while the surfing is a whopping 15,000km away.
MAP: Where all the Paris Olympic events will be held
Tickets
Although the first three phases of ticket sales for the Olympic Games are now complete, there are still some tickets left which will have the object of extra sales periods. Closer to the Games, the resale website will open which will allow people to sell on ticket they cannot use for their original price.
Tickets for the Paralympics are now on sale - and these are on a first-come, first-served basis, no lotteries, via the same ticketing website as the Olympics.
In total there are 2.8 million tickets for Paralympic events, including 500,000 at €15. Single event tickets will not exceed €100.
READ ALSO How to maximise your chances of getting Olympics or Paralympics tickets
The only official sale site for both Olympic and Paralympic tickets is the website tickets.paris2024.org - fans are advised to be extremely careful with offers of tickets from any other source.
Fan zones
If you didn't manage to get tickets - or you want to soak up as much Games atmosphere as possible - there will also be 23 fan zones with giant screens around Paris.
These will be free to enter, with at least one zone for each city arrondissement (apart from the 7th where the local mayor, apparently, didn't want one).
MAP Where to find Olympic fan zones in Paris
Accommodation
If you're visiting Paris for the Games, expect accommodation to be pricey - most hotels have tripled their prices. Many Paris residents are planning to rent out their apartments on Airbnb during the Games (more on that below), so these might be a - slightly - more reasonably priced option.
Paris is a well-connected city, so staying in the suburbs is also an option for visitors. Large events are unfortunately always a magnet for scams, so be careful renting any accommodation through private platforms.
READ ALSO Hotels, scams and tickets - what you need to know about visiting Paris for the Olympics
Airbnb an apartment
Many Paris residents are already rubbing their hands at the thought of making some cash out of the Games, by renting our their apartment for the duration to one of the estimated 10 million Olympic and Paralympic visitors.
You can of course come to a private arrangement, but for many people the rental platform Airbnb is the most practical option.
A few things you need to know first though - you either need to own the apartment or have written permission from the landlord to rent it out; if you're in Paris itself you will need to register with the mairie (if you're in the suburbs check with your local préfecture); you are limited to how many days per year you can rent it out - and don't forget to declare your rental income on your next tax declaration.
READ ALSO Can I Airbnb my apartment during the Paris Olympics?
Do you have questions about being in Paris during the Games? Feel free to email us at [email protected] and we'll do our best to answer them
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It's highly likely there will be some hiccups along the way, but as we approach the final straight of planning, organisers say they are on track to deliver a great Games that will be exciting, sustainable, inclusive and show off Paris to its best advantage.
When?
The Olympics run from Friday, July 26th, 2024, to Sunday, August 11th. There is then a break of a couple of weeks before the Paralympics, which run from Wednesday, August 28th, to Sunday, September 8th.
The Olympic torch will begin its journey on May 9th and travel through 165 towns, villages and tourist sites taking in the length and breadth of the country.
MAP Where will the Olympic torch visit on its journey through France?
Where?
Most events will be in Paris - and many will be in the heart of the city, using some of the French capital's most famous locations.
The organisers want to bring the Games into the city itself as much as possible - so beach volleyball will the played under the Eiffel Tower, urban sports will be in Place de la Concorde, fencing is in Les Invalides and the open-water swimming events will take place in the River Seine in central Paris.
The opening ceremony will also be on the Seine - a boat procession coming through the heart of the city and ending at the Eiffel Tower.
Athletics events will be in a stadium - Stade de France in the northern suburbs of Paris, while a new aquatics centre has been built opposite the stadium. Various existing stadia and sports complexes around Paris will be also used during the games.
The Games also make use of the outskirts of Paris - for example equestrian events will be held at Versailles, 15km outside the city, while canoe events will be at the Vaires-sur-Marne water park, which is roughly halfway between Paris and Disneyland.
Not everything is in Paris, though - Marseille hosts the sailing and six other French cities host football or handball games, while the surfing is a whopping 15,000km away.
MAP: Where all the Paris Olympic events will be held
Tickets
Although the first three phases of ticket sales for the Olympic Games are now complete, there are still some tickets left which will have the object of extra sales periods. Closer to the Games, the resale website will open which will allow people to sell on ticket they cannot use for their original price.
Tickets for the Paralympics are now on sale - and these are on a first-come, first-served basis, no lotteries, via the same ticketing website as the Olympics.
In total there are 2.8 million tickets for Paralympic events, including 500,000 at €15. Single event tickets will not exceed €100.
READ ALSO How to maximise your chances of getting Olympics or Paralympics tickets
The only official sale site for both Olympic and Paralympic tickets is the website tickets.paris2024.org - fans are advised to be extremely careful with offers of tickets from any other source.
Fan zones
If you didn't manage to get tickets - or you want to soak up as much Games atmosphere as possible - there will also be 23 fan zones with giant screens around Paris.
These will be free to enter, with at least one zone for each city arrondissement (apart from the 7th where the local mayor, apparently, didn't want one).
MAP Where to find Olympic fan zones in Paris
Accommodation
If you're visiting Paris for the Games, expect accommodation to be pricey - most hotels have tripled their prices. Many Paris residents are planning to rent out their apartments on Airbnb during the Games (more on that below), so these might be a - slightly - more reasonably priced option.
Paris is a well-connected city, so staying in the suburbs is also an option for visitors. Large events are unfortunately always a magnet for scams, so be careful renting any accommodation through private platforms.
READ ALSO Hotels, scams and tickets - what you need to know about visiting Paris for the Olympics
Airbnb an apartment
Many Paris residents are already rubbing their hands at the thought of making some cash out of the Games, by renting our their apartment for the duration to one of the estimated 10 million Olympic and Paralympic visitors.
You can of course come to a private arrangement, but for many people the rental platform Airbnb is the most practical option.
A few things you need to know first though - you either need to own the apartment or have written permission from the landlord to rent it out; if you're in Paris itself you will need to register with the mairie (if you're in the suburbs check with your local préfecture); you are limited to how many days per year you can rent it out - and don't forget to declare your rental income on your next tax declaration.
READ ALSO Can I Airbnb my apartment during the Paris Olympics?
Do you have questions about being in Paris during the Games? Feel free to email us at [email protected] and we'll do our best to answer them
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