Surfing in Tahiti, football in Marseille – how to see 2024 Olympics without going to Paris
- There have been gloomy forecasts about the Games host city’s transport and the availability and cost of accommodation
- But football will be held all over France, while sports such as equestrian, sailing and the later stages of handball will be staged entirely outside the capital
This year, millions of sports enthusiasts will make their way to Paris as the city hosts its most monumental event in recent history: the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Preparations are well under way, from infrastructural projects such as road and rail improvements within the centre of Paris to constructing a new arena at Porte de la Chapelle as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Village.
Yet French Transport Minister Clément Beaune has been issuing warnings that transport conditions during the Games will be “hardcore”, while Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced that the city will fail to meet its deadline to upgrade and boost service to the metro before the competitions.
Adding to that is the challenge of finding available and reasonably priced accommodation in the capital. Even renting a flat via Airbnb, an official Olympic partner, is likely to come at a steep cost, as prices in the Greater Paris region have already grown by 300 per cent.
There is some good news, however: it is entirely possible to take in the Olympics without setting foot in Paris. Outside the host city, 11 venues in other French destinations and overseas territories will host full tournaments, qualifiers and finals. Below are some of the events to catch and where to stay along the way.
Versailles
