The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics is less than 160 days away. Are you excited? I definitely am, dreaming about going there to experience this grand Olympic celebration. I hope I can make it; I plan to go to Paris this year, and it would be fantastic if I could catch the Olympics too.
This will be the third time Paris has hosted the Olympics; the last time was in 1924, exactly 100 years ago. There are three aspects of the Paris Olympics that particularly attract me.
First, the opening ceremony will take place along the banks of the Seine River, making it an open, all-weather event. On the day of the ceremony, about 160 boats will set sail from the Austerlitz Bridge, journeying six kilometers to finally arrive at the Trocadéro Square, where hundreds of thousands of spectators can watch the ceremony outdoors along the route. The conceptual design is stunning—what a magnificent scene!
This will mark the first time in Olympic history that the opening ceremony is held outdoors in a city rather than inside a stadium. It is said that the best viewing point for this opening ceremony will be the Alma Bridge over the Seine.
Secondly, Paris will utilize 15 historical sites as competition venues. For example, the Grand Palais in Paris will host the fencing events, as shown in the picture of the Grand Palais below.
The gardens of the Palace of Versailles will be the site for the equestrian events—this truly is Versailles.
The venue design illustration looks like this.
Additionally, volleyball matches are set to take place under the Eiffel Tower, situated in the Place de la Concorde between the Champs-Élysées and the Tuileries Garden. The French certainly know how to have fun; they are not only promoting the city but also saving a significant amount of money on building Olympic venues.
Playing volleyball under the Eiffel Tower is quite a sight!
The third appealing point is the design of the gold medals. I have seen some very creative medal design proposals from the Paris 2024 organizing committee. Ultimately, the medal design was chosen from Chaumet. The concept combines a powerful symbol of the Olympics—the medal—with one of France’s most iconic national symbols—the Eiffel Tower. Whether it’s gold, silver, or bronze, the medals will be adorned with a unique and symbolically significant piece of priceless metal—original iron used to construct the Eiffel Tower.
As I wrote this article, I found myself increasingly enchanted by the idea of attending the Paris Olympics. It’s no exaggeration to say that I truly want to go to Paris for the Olympics. I am indeed preparing for it and hope to make the journey successfully.
In today’s article, I will share some tips for attending the Olympics in Paris.
The Paris Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024. The slogan is “OUVRONS GRAND LES JEUX” (Open the Games). The mascot is Phryge, inspired by the Phrygian cap—a common symbol for the French, representing freedom in the arts. The Phrygian cap is also known as the “cap of liberty” and has become a symbol of the French Republic.
Source: Official Paris Olympics website
Official Paris Olympics website: https://www.paris2024.org/en/
Venue introduction: https://www.paris2024.org/en/competition-venue-concept/
You can see many Olympic venues located around Parisian landmarks.
If you feel the image is unclear, you can request the full version from the travel assistant.
The opening ceremony venue is the Olympic Stadium along the Seine River, while the main stadium is the Stade de France, which can accommodate 80,000 spectators.
Regarding tickets, there are mainly two types for the Paris Olympics. One way is through the official Paris Olympics ticket website, where you can register and complete your information, allowing you to choose your desired events and purchase tickets. Don’t assume that Olympic tickets are particularly hard to get; as of now, I see many events still available. If you avoid the most popular competitions, buying tickets to enjoy the atmosphere is quite feasible.
The official ticket purchasing address is: https://tickets.paris2024.org/en/
You can rest assured that the ticket website isn’t difficult to navigate; using a browser translator makes it easy to handle. This time, the ticket prices for the Paris Olympics are reasonable. President Macron mentioned that one-third of the tickets will be sold for no more than 50 euros, while nearly two-thirds will not exceed 100 euros. I checked the prices for the finals of soccer and basketball; category A tickets (the best tickets) are generally around 240-260 euros. Interestingly, the cheapest final tickets tend to sell out quickly.
Here’s a screenshot of ticket prices for the Olympic basketball matches; the value of categories C and D is still quite high.
Tickets for the opening ceremony are also available, although now you can only get the most expensive ticket at 2,700 euros.
The other option is travel packages (including hotels) or hospitality packages (including lounges, meals, and entertainment). You can access these through the banner on the official website.
The hospitality packages are akin to VIP packages, offering the best locations and the most comfortable experiences—but, of course, at a higher price, suitable for those looking to spend more.
The travel packages (including hotels) are beneficial because they secure your accommodation during the Olympics. The official organizers will reserve rooms, ensuring a certain level of quality in terms of brand and location. I have pulled together some ticket + hotel packages that seem reasonably priced. Trying to find a hotel on your own during the Olympics can be more trouble and potentially more expensive.
There are also options that include tickets for the opening ceremony along with hotel accommodations.
I must emphasize that you should definitely purchase tickets through official channels or qualified third-party channels. Each Olympics sees a proliferation of counterfeit ticket vendors, and buying a fake ticket would be a disaster.
Regarding visas, being prepared with proof of accommodation, flights, and tickets can increase your chances of obtaining a visa. Additionally, with recent changes to French visa policies, you might even get a two-year multi-entry visa, enabling you to travel back and forth to Europe more easily. Thus, even if you don’t plan to watch the Paris Olympics, I recommend obtaining a French visa this year.
So, how much budget do you need to watch the Paris Olympics? The budget mainly includes tickets, transportation, accommodation, visas, and meals. The flight and hotel costs will take up the largest portion. I estimate that round-trip flights directly to Paris may rise to around 10,000 yuan during the Olympic period, while indirect flights might be secured for 5,000 to 6,000 yuan without too much difficulty. Of course, keeping an eye on airfare promotions can help in finding cheaper flights.
Speaking of hotels, budgeting about 2,000 yuan per night (for a relatively basic hotel) might be necessary, as prices in Paris significantly rise during the Olympics. Ticket prices can vary widely. Purchasing a hospitality package is boundless in budget.
I suggest securing Olympic tickets first, then booking hotels. It is essential to book hotels early; most decent hotels in Paris during the Olympics are likely already fully booked.
Additionally, Fliggy is the official Chinese sales partner for Onlocation, the organizing committee for the Paris Olympics. The official Paris Olympics store on Fliggy will exclusively sell travel and hospitality packages tailored for Chinese visitors, featuring events such as table tennis, badminton, diving, and swimming, among others. They claim prices will align with the official website, but there might be some discrepancies due to system factors (such as real-time vs fixed exchange rates), so it’s best to compare.
I’ve noticed plenty of options in the official store. If you are not accustomed to using the Olympic website, try their Fliggy store, where everything is in Chinese, and there are dedicated customer service representatives.
You can also spend one cent to get a 750 yuan coupon for watching the Paris Olympics. Discounts of 50 yuan for purchases over 5,000, 200 yuan for purchases over 10,000, and 500 yuan for purchases over 20,000 are available, creating significant savings, much like obtaining an instant discount on LV items—who would say no to free savings?
As for travel tips specific to Paris, I’ll save those until later and share them after I visit this year. I am definitely planning a trip to Paris.
