By Karen Burshtein
As Paris gears up to host the 2024 Olympic Games July 26-August 11 and the Paralympics Aug 28-Sep 8, there’s no doubt France is where you want to be this summer, even if you’re not a sports fan. The country that practically invented our ideas of culture, gastronomy, luxury and lifestyle has baked all these notions into the Games.
It’s almost a lifestyle games as much as an Olympic Games—not surprising when you learn that LVMH, the French luxury goods powerhouse behind such brands as Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy, is a premium partner of Paris 2024. The medals have been fashioned by legendary French jewelry house Chaumet, creator of Napoleon’s coronation sword and Pope Pius VII’s papal tiara, among other things.
The Paris Games are taking place exactly 100 years since the city last hosted the Olympics. Paris joins London as the only city to host the Olympics three times.
The beauty of the international capital was one of the main selling points in its bid for this year’s Summer Games. Indeed, the city is showcasing some of its most famous landmarks as event spaces; it’s even using Paris iconography in the medals. Each of the Chaumet-designed medals will be adorned with a piece of original iron from the Eiffel Tower.
Paris 2024 has made the iconic Seine River the heart of the action. For the first time, the Opening Ceremonies will be held not in a stadium, but along the banks of the Seine. The parade of athletes will be an armada, with each country’s delegation in its own boat, travelling along a six-kilometre route. The parade on the Seine will culminate in a huge spectacle at the Trocadéro, with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop. If things go according to plan, the Seine will also make its debut as an official venue for the Olympic triathlon and open-water races.
Place de la Concorde and the gardens of the Château de Versailles are among other landmarks serving as venues for sporting events ranging from BMX freestyle and 3×3 basketball to road cycling and equestrian competitions. Beach volleyball will boast the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, while fencing and taekwondo will play out beneath the glass nave of the just-restored Grand Palais. Les Invalides, Pont Alexandre III, Pont d’Iéna, the Trocadéro and the forecourt of the Hôtel de Ville are included on the route of all road races, while the marathon will start from the Hôtel de Ville and end at Les Invalides.
While Paris is the official host city, several sporting events will happen at other French locales. Sailing is taking place on the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean in Marseille, for example. The northern city of Lille will host basketball and handball games and Teahupo’o, on the island of Tahiti, will be where surfing events take place. The challenge in all this is deciding what events to attend and then securing some of the sought-after tickets.
Through its official hospitality provider, On Location, Paris 2024 is offering, exclusive travel and hospitality packages that combine the games with unique cultural, and, naturellement, gastronomic and oenophile experiences.
In addition to some of the most coveted events, such as the opening and closing ceremonies, soccer, tennis, equestrian, rowing and diving competitions, these packages include accommodations at some of the city’s best hotels, along with private museum tours and invitation-only events. There’s also access to the Salon 24 hospitality suite, where guests can enjoy complimentary food and beverages, including, of course, Moët Hennessy champagne. There are even packages that don’t include sporting events but that are designed to let you lap up the Olympics atmosphere in style.
Here are a few to whet your Olympic appetite:
-With the On the Finish Line athletics package, fans can enjoy the best Paris 2024 athletics has to offer while being as close as possible to the finish line.
-With the Sailing package, you can follow the Paris 2024 sailing action from a boat on the waters of Marseille or enjoy the outstanding views from a premium hospitality lounge overlooking the marina.
-With the Immersive experience at the Eiffel Tower, enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Paris 2024 action with lunch or dinner at the Gustave Eiffel Lounge on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. There will be live music, along with athletes and celebrities in attendance.
-With the Cultural Olympiad program (ideal if you don’t intend to buy tickets to events but still want to take in some of that Paris 2024 spirit), you’ll enjoy visits to the Musée du Quai Branly, the Théâtre National de Chaillot, the Natural History Museum and the Palais Galliera, which is a museum of fashion and fashion history. It will be running an exhibition entitled La Mode en Mouvement, exploring the close ties between fashion and sports.
On Location’s official travel packages include many accommodation options, from one to six nights at 3 to 5-star hotels. The perfect Paris itinerary can be designed just for you. All you have to do is show up and cheer on your favourite athletes, glass of Bordeaux in hand.
olympics.onlocationexp.com/paris2024
