France
Paris 2024 Olympics
The world’s largest sporting event will take place against the backdrop of iconic sights in the City of Light
by Randy Mink
Anyone thinking about a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paris should sprint, not jog, if they want to lock in tickets and hotel accommodations for the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Dates for Olympic Games Paris 2024 are July 26 to August 11, while the Paralympic Games will run from August 23 to September 8.
Starting with Paris 2024, the sale of hospitality packages for the Games is being centralized via a single provider. For the first time, individuals can go to one source to secure hotel rooms and guaranteed event tickets.
In this new, groundbreaking model, On Location, a global e-commerce platform that creates customized experiences at major events worldwide, partners with the International Olympic Committee as the official and exclusive hospitality provider for Paris 2024 (and Milano Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028).
On Location and authorized sub-distributors (including ATPI Canada) are the only safe sources through which ticket-inclusive packages can be purchased. For tickets only, the official Paris 2024 Ticketing Program (reporting record sales) is the only other risk-free way to secure attendance to the Games.
On Location offers both Travel Packages (event tickets, hotel, sightseeing and various amenities bundled) and Hospitality Packages (event tickets but no hotel).
For example, the July 27 beach volleyball Hospitality Package at the Eiffel Tower Stadium, priced at 350 euros, includes pre-event access to an Olympic-themed hospitality lounge with TV screens broadcasting coverage throughout the space. Plans for some sports are priced at under 100 euros.
As for Travel Packages, they come in two categories—Discover packages (for shorter stays) and Explore packages (longer stays, sightseeing, other amenities). A two-night Discover package using a 3-star hotel (August 4-6) includes two tickets to volleyball or track and field, plus transportation to and from the event, and costs 2,820 euros per person. (Obviously, these hotel packages are not cheap.)
Competition Sites
Olympic venues will be spread across metro Paris at both well-established and temporary arenas, with many sports being played against the backdrop of iconic landmarks.
In Champ de Mars, a greenspace at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the temporary Champ de Mars Arena will host judo, wrestling and wheelchair rugby. The park’s Eiffel Tower Stadium is also temporary. Beneath the glass roof of the Grand Palais in Champ de Mars, fencing and taekwondo competitions will take place.
The world’s best archers will take over the esplanades of Hotel des Invalides, the complex of buildings containing monuments and museums related to France’s military history, including the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Seine riverbanks, along with surrounding streets, will welcome marathon and cycling events.
The Games’ opening ceremony, with the Eiffel Tower looming in the background, will unfold on and around the Seine. At least 600,000 spectators will be able to greet the athletes as they parade by in boats, and most onlookers will not have to pay admission. It will be the first time the Summer Games’ ceremony has not been staged in a stadium.
Outside of the city, the Palace of Versailles’ grounds will host equestrian events. Olympic tennis and boxing matches will be held at Stade Rolande Garros, the site of the French Open tennis tournament. Stade de France, used by France’s national soccer team, will host track and field events, plus the closing ceremony.
