The Paris 2024 Olympic Games – The 10 Top Venues

When Paris hosts the Olympic Games it does it the French way, with the city's historic sites and landmarks taking center stage. Instead of building gigantic new stadiums and speciality venues, Paris is keeping it close to home and celebrating its heritage by harnessing the iconic buildings and sites of the historic city. A handful of other cities in France are hosting a few sports — football/soccer in Marseilles, for instance — but the focus in on these Paris venues. If you're planning to be in Paris during the Olympic summer games we urge you to secure your hotel, like tout suite !

Enjoy Paris As Usual During the Games

Even though it will be active with sports fans during the Olympic games, Paris will still be Paris during summer 2024, with all the iconic sights and activities open as usual. So, if you're coming to Paris for the Louvre Museum or for a romantic river cruise you won't be disappointed. Just be sure to book you activities early!

Paris 2024 – The 10 Top Olympic Venues

1. Place de la Concorde

BMX Freestyle, Skateboarding, Breaking, Basketball

Place de la Concorde transformed for the Olympics, photo Paris2024

Place de la Concorde, one of the biggest squares in Paris, was known Place de La Revolution during the infamous France Revolution of 1889, when the guillotine was erected here and thousands lost their heads — including Louis XVI, Robespierre and Marie Antoinette.

In 1795, the square was dedicated to peace, hence Place de la Concorde. Located between the Tuileries Gardens and the Champs-Elysées, the Place will be transformed into a multi-function Olympic venue where basketball, skateboarding, and the newest sport of breaking (AKA break dancing) will take place.

2. Hôtel de Ville

The Marathon

The Hôtel de Ville at night

The Paris city hall, in the heart of the city, is the starting point of the Olympic Games' most prestigious long-distance race, the Marathon.

The Hôtel de Ville's massive façade stretches 143 metres and reaches 19 metres high. It's been the site of the Paris city hall since 1357. Sure, angry mobs may have destroyed it by fire during the Paris Commune of 1871, but it was rebuilt shortly after on the same location. Since then the ô de Ville has become a beloved center of the city where Parisians gather for special events year round.

3. The Grand Palais

Fencing, Taekwondo

The Grand Palais will host fencing and other events, photo by Mark Craft

The Grand Palais is an architectural masterpiece that was inaugurated for the Paris Exposition of 1900. Famous for its magnificent glass roof, it has undergone a massive, multi-year renovation to prepare it for Paris 2024 Olympic competitions.

4. Champ de Mars & The Eiffel Tower

Beach Volleyball, Judo, Wrestling

The Champ de Mars Arena, illustration from Paris2024

The Champ de Mars Arena — a temporary 10,000 square-metre stadium — is located directly across from the École Militaire and will stage judo and wrestling competitions. Beach volleyball, a new Olympic sport will also take place in the open-air stadium, just next door to the Eiffel Tower.

5. Trocadero

Road cycling, Triathlon, Marathon

Unveiling the Olympic rings at Trocadero plaza, photo Ville de Paris

Trocadero plaza and the Eiffel Tower, facing each other across the Seine, are two of the most iconic Paris landmarks. This is the heart of Paris Games for 2024. Trocadero, one of city's most popular lookout points, is being transformed into the world's most beautiful outdoor stage. In 2024, Trocadero will offer exceptional views for a live audience as well as millions of world-wide viewers for the triathlon, road cycling, and part of the marathon.

6. Pont Alexandre III

Marathon Swimming, Triathlon, Road Cycling

Also inaugurated for the 1900 Universale Exposition, the magnificently ornate Pont Alexandre III connects the Right Bank with the Left Bank at the Grand Palais. It's a stone’s throw away from other Olympic venues including Les Invalides, Champs-Elysées, and Place de la Concorde. A majestic setting for cycling and triathlon events. For the first time in a century, swimming events will be staged in the Seine River.

7. Esplanade des Invalides

Archery, Marathon

Esplanade des Invalides, photo Michelin by B. Gardel Hemis

Across Pont Alexandre III, on the opposite bank of The Grand Palais, is a large open park-like space that leads up to Les Invalides. On this open space — known as the Esplanade des Invalides — archery events will be staged; the Olympic Marathon will end here.

Les Invalides (more properly Hôtel des Invalides) is a cluster of historic military buildings dating back to the reign of Lous XIV. Built in 1687 as a hospital and retirement home for war veterans, it's now a complex of military museums, monuments, and the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, (located in the Dôme des Invalides). In 2024, this historic venue will host archery and is the finish line of the marathon.

8. Versailles

Equestrian events, Modern Pentathlon

Olympic equestrian competitions take place at Versailles, photo Paris2024

The Château de Versailles, an hour west of Paris, was the royal home of Louis XIV, the Sun King, until the French Revolution changed all that! Falling into neglect, it was finally restored and turned into a national museum in 1883. A century later, Versailles was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. During the Olympics, a temporary outdoor arena on the Etoile Royale Esplanade (adjacent to the Grand Canal) will stage horse dressage, jumping competitions, and the modern pentathlon.

9. Roland-Garros Stadium

Tennis, Boxing

Roland-Garros hosts the Olympic tennis events (naturally!), photo Paris2024

Located on the very edge of Paris in the Bois de Boulogne, Roland-Garros is most famous for hosting the annual Grand Slam tennis tournament, the French Open. Known for its red clay courts, Roland-Garros is named not for a tennis player, but for a French aviator. The tennis grounds now have eighteen clay courts; he Olympic tennis events will be held at the two covered courts that are named after French tennis greats — Philippe-Chatrier and Suzanne-Lenglen.

10. Bercy Arena (AKA Accor Arena)

Basketball, Gymnastics

Bercy Arena, photo from Paris2024

In among all the glorious historic architecture, Paris also has some strange buildings. Bercy is one of them. Built it 1984, the pyramid structure is recognized by its sloping walls covered in grass, leaving the impression that the space is underground. Despite its unique appearance, the Bercy Arena (under its paid-for name of Accor Arena) has been a popular venue for many cultural and sporting events, concerts and exhibitions. (We saw Vanessa Paradis perform here.) In 2024, Bercy hosts gymnastics and the basketball finals.