How can I get tickets?

Most people have already secured tickets, but there are still some opportunities, including the official resale platform – full details HERE.

The Olympics/Paralympics website is the only official channel for ticket sales, so you should be extremely cautious about any tickets offered for sale on any other websites or forums. 

Where to stay?

Many hotels are already full, especially during the first week of the Games, but there are still some options remaining.

When it comes to hotels, UK online newspaper The Independent reported that hotel occupancy rates are expected to be “between 60 and 70 percent during the Games.”

When choosing a where to stay be sure to plan out the transport options for getting to and from the events you have reserved. Events and matches will take place across the city, but there are also plenty of events outside the city itself such as at the Stade de France, in Saint Denis plus events at Versailles and other communes outside Paris. 

When using rental website, like Booking, some listings might be ‘Hébergement géré par un particulier’. This means that the listing is an accommodation managed by a private individual – not a hotel. 

As for picking a good hotel, you might consider the listing sites above, or you could try searching French sources, like ‘Le Fooding’ which lists ‘stylish B&Bs and hotels’, or Paris ZigZag.

The city’s official tourism site also recommends downloading the “Parisian City Guide from the deco magazine Ideat and the app of the magazine The Good Life, ‘TheGoodSpots’.”

The city also has a large Airbnb offering, and many thousands of Paris residents have put their apartments up for short-term rental this summer.

French daily Le Monde reported that there were more than 145,000 properties on offer on Airbnb during the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, compared with 65,000 in normal times.

Beware the fact that Airbnb hosts can cancel reservations, though it is “their responsibility to cancel in a timely manner to allow their guest time to adjust their plans,” according to the Airbnb site. Additionally, hosts “may not encourage the guest to cancel the reservation.”

For more information on options for accommodation in Paris, you can consult the city’s tourism website (in English) HERE. Alternatively, you could try other options like LeBonCoin (France’s equivalent to Craigslist) or Facebook Groups, but keep in mind that these are less secure and could be more open to potential scams. 

Fan zones

For those who either chose not to or were unable to secure tickets to Olympic events, there will still be plenty of opportunities to join in the festivities while visiting Paris during the Games.

The city has announced that it will set up free fan zones in most of the arrondissements across Paris. Several emblematic sites across the city will be transformed into fan zones, including the Hôtel de Ville in the 4th arrondissement and the Quartier Jeunes just beside the Louvre Museum. 

READ MORE: Where to watch the Paris Olympics opening ceremony

Two additional fan zones – one near Trocadéro in the 16th arrondissement, to be run by the Olympic and Paralympic Organising Committee, and the other at the Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement (to be hosted by Club France), will welcome larger crowds.

At Trocadero, the Champions Park will offer daily events for medallists to meet the public and the ‘Club France’ zone in the north of the city will be the centre for cheering on Team France and meeting French athletes.

What can I expect to pay?

According to Statista, spending one night one in a standard double hotel room in Paris cost on average €146 in August 2021 – but expect that to jump during the Games.

However, as of April 2024, news outlets including Euronews, Forbes and Le Monde were reporting that prices for hotels during the Olympics were falling.

For example, Forbes quoted information from the insurance firm Réassurez-moi that one night in central Paris during the Games cost €1,023 in July 2023, but in April that same booking had dropped to €436 a night.

Based on the price increases that occurred during previous Games, visitors should still expect rates to be at least at or above seasonal norms.

According to the EU Consumer Centre for France, you will also want to remember that when cancelling a booking, you will be held to the terms of cancellation already set by the hotel or rental agreement.

Can I stay outside the city? 

For a cheaper alternative, many are considering the suburbs.

Paris itself is a very compact and well-connected city, so anywhere inside the city boundary will be perfectly practical to visit the Games.

However, there are also three départements that make up the city’s inner suburbs (Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne and Hauts-de-Seine) which are also a practical travel distance from Olympic and Paralympic venues.

Take a look at the greater Paris area’s public transport map. Within the city, and along the some of the closest suburbs beside the périphérique (ringroad), you will be able to access the city Metro system. 

There are five zones that make up the Paris region public transport system. Zone 1 represents Paris proper, and Zone 2 represents the immediate suburbs, then Zones 3-5 gradually move further away from the city.

Within the city and the inner suburbs is the Metro, while the outer suburbs are connected via the RER (commuter rail) and Transilien trains, shown on the above map – these trains run at slower intervals than the city Metro system, and depending on where you are located you may need to take more than one to get into the city.

Bear in mind that some events – including athletics at Stade de France and swimming/diving at the aquatics centre – take place in Saint-Denis, which is one of the inner suburbs to the north of Paris. It is on the Metro. 

READ MORE: Paris Olympics Guide: How Metro tickets, passes and apps work

How safe is Paris? And what about the surrounding suburbs?

In general Paris is a safe city, but it is still a large city and as such has its share of crime.

The areas of France that have the highest recorded crime are – unsurprisingly – the biggest cities. The highest crime areas in order are; Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis (a Paris suburb), Bouches-du-Rhone (which contains Marseille), Rhône (which includes Lyon) and Hauts-de-Seine (another Paris suburb). 

Violent crime targeted at tourists is very uncommon – the most common problems are theft (mostly pickpocketing) and scams.

READ ALSO The 14 scams that tourists in Paris should watch out for

Paris’ suburbs often get a reputation for being poverty stricken and crime ridden. especially those within the Seine-Saint-Denis area. This generalisation is not true of all of the Paris suburbs by any means – in fact, many Parisians themselves have begun moving out to the suburbs in droves in recent years as they seek out more affordable housing.

Locations such as Les Lilas, Bagnolet, Montreuil, Pantin and Montrouge have become popular spots that people are choosing to move to. 

The suburb of Saint-Denis is often stereotyped in this way, while crime levels are higher than French averages, the city also has several parts worth visiting, including its famous basilica. 

During the Olympics, it will also be home to one of two aquatic centres for the Olympics, the athletes’ village and of course the athletics will be at the Stade de France – the national stadium.

READ MORE: What you should know about the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis

Scams

Big events like the Olympics unfortunately attract scammers, so you should be careful to book accommodation only through regulated platforms and only buy tickets through official sites – there are no licensed third-party sellers for Olympic or Paralympic Games, you should get your tickets only from the official ticketing platform.

Once in the city, be wary of scammers seeking to target tourists with some of these common techniques.

Tourists are also often the target of unlicensed taxi operators.

Visitors are advised to always use a licensed Paris taxi (or an Uber or other VTC) and never accept a lift from drivers who approach you at the airport or train station – licensed taxi drivers are banned from soliciting for trade, so only illegal drivers approach passengers.

Certain destinations, like Paris’ airports, also have set rates: if you’re travelling from the Charles de Gaulle airport to the city centre by an official taxi (not Uber), you’ll pay €65 for a trip heading anywhere on the Left Bank and €56 for anywhere on the Right Bank.

If you’re coming in from Orly airport, it will be €36 for the Left Bank and €44 for the Right Bank.

Strikes

The French have gained themselves an international reputation in this area, but many unions have already reached deals with management to get bonuses and pay raises ahead of the Games. That being said, there is always a possibility of strikes in France.

In September last year a deal was reached with the largest union representing French air traffic controllers, who agreed not to strike until Games are over (although smaller unions have continued to insist on their right to strike). However, this does not guarantee that strike action will be avoided throughout the aviation industry, or in other transport sectors.

READ MORE: ANALYSIS: Will there be strikes during the Paris Olympics?

While you probably do not need to worry about whether you will be caught up in any violence, if there is strike action during the Olympic or Paralympic Games, then you should be aware of the possibility that your plane, train, bus or ferry might be delayed or cancelled. 

But just because there is a strike, don’t assume that everything will be cancelled – strikes vary hugely in how much disruption they cause. You can keep up to date about all strike action in France at The Local’s strike tag HERE.

READ MORE: Should you cancel a trip to France when there is a strike on?

Activities outside Paris

You should also keep in mind that not all events will occur in Paris – some events will be held close to Paris such as the equestrian events at Versailles (roughly 20km from Paris and accessible on the RER) while the Vélodrome nationale in the town of Saint-Quentin, about 25km outside Paris, will host the track cycling events.

Further away, handball and basketball will take place in the northern city of Lille, while sailing will be held in Marseille down on the Mediterranean coast.

The surfing competition will not even take place in the same timezone – it will be held in French Polynesia.

READ MORE: Reader Question: Why is the Paris Olympic surfing in Tahiti?

What else should I beware of?

New EU travel rules – you might have heard of new EU travel rules – EES and ETIAS – that require extra border security and online visa waivers for some arrivals in France. It has now been confirmed that these will not be introduced until after the Olympics, reportedly at the request of the French government.

READ MORE: How the EU’s EES and ETIAS border systems will affect foreigners in France

Air conditioning – If air-conditioning is important to you, bear in mind that it is not standard in Paris hotels, and is rare in apartments – if the details of your accommodation don’t state that it is air conditioned (la climatisation), assume that it isn’t.

In recent years, Paris has faced hot temperatures in July and August, sometimes going up to 39-40C during heatwave episodes.

Elevators – Although most hotels have them, elevators are not guaranteed in all French apartment buildings. If you book an Airbnb and there is no mention of an un ascenseur (elevator) then assume there isn’t one.

Tourist tax – Also referred to as the holidaymaker tax was first introduced in 2018, and it is proportional to the number of nights spent in a property.

The specific rate of the tax depends on the nature of accommodation, which includes its classification (star rating), as well as the rate voted on by the municipality. For furnished accommodation, municipalities typically set a rate of between one percent to five percent of the nightly price per person, which usually corresponds to just a few euros per trip. 

In Paris, the tax ranges from €0.65 (per night per adult) for the most basic campsites to €14.95 for the highest end hotels (palaces).

For those staying with or hosting friends – If you are a non-EU national, when you enter France, border guards may ask you for proof of accommodation during your stay (booking for hotel, gîte, Airbnb or B&B for tourists, second-home owners may need to provide proof of address such as a utility bill). If you’re staying with friends or family you may need an attestation d’accueil, which is issued by the local town hall if you are staying in a private accommodation. You can learn more about this requirement and if it might apply to you here.

Booking in advance – If you hope to enjoy any cultural activities while in France, you will want to check if advanced booking is available. Several attractions are located directly next to match venues, such as the Eiffel Tower which will close on the day of the opening ceremony (July 26) and remain open for advanced reservations during the rest of the Games. There may also be minor changes, including certain entrances being closed off for the Louvre.

Security zones and QR codes – Tight security during the Paris Olympics and Paralympics means that some areas of the city will only be accessible to people who have a special QR code. More info here.

READ MORE: How to check for Paris Olympics disruption in your area

Keep up with the latest information and developments with our Paris Olympics Guide section HERE.

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