Paris is host to the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics which is set to be the biggest event ever staged in France. Paris is full of iconic landmarks that are known the world over and Paris is certainly leaning into this fact.
Many of these iconic landmarks will be transformed into sporting arenas to create some of the best backdrops for sport you are likely to see. Amongst the venues you will find Chateau de Versailles, Eiffel Tower, Invalides and the Grand Palais.
There are 35 venues involved in the hosting of this year's Olympic games which take place between 26 July and 11 August 2024. Paris expects there to be over 15 million visitors to the city during the games.
Visitors to Paris will often stay in what is known as zone 1 or the central zone. You will find most of the hotels are located here, as are most of the major attractions.
If you are unsure of which zone you are staying in or indeed which zone relates to which venue or the airport, take a look at the fare zones information below, which has a map and details of various popular locations outside the central zone.
One of the good things about Paris is that one company run the buses, RER, metro and trams. They are called RATP. This means that a single ticket can be used on any of these four modes of transport. You do need to stay on the same type of transport you start with, for example you cannot get on a tram and get off and get on a bus and finish the journey on one ticket.
There are a couple of options for tickets, the most popular being Contactless T+ tickets and a Navigo Easy Pass.
It would be remiss not to mention that Paris will be very busy during the Olympics, so although you can use public transport, where possible, you may just find walking to be less stressful, more enjoyable and potentially quicker.
If you are looking to see where the various travel zones are, the Metro & RER map on the left indicates where the various zones start and finish.
Destinations that visitors will often go to outside the central zone include:
Paris is broken up into multiple hotel areas. We have dedicated pages all about the hotel areas in Paris that include The Louvre Museum (Arrondissement 1), Opera Garnier, Champs-Elysees, Grands Boulevard, Latin Quarter, Eiffel Tower, Gare du Nord, Gare de L'est, Gare de Lyon, La Defense, Montparnasse and Republique/Bastille.
You can find hotels of all price points in Paris, but the hotels and accommodation closer to the centre will be at a premium. The Olympics will undoubtedly add to these premiums during this peak season.
Paris has most of the well known hotel chains and a few specialist chains. You will find Best Western, Citadines, Ibis, Marriott, Mercure, Novotel and Holiday Inn in Paris.
If you are organised, have your tickets and accommodation booked, then the Paris Olympics is set to be a very memorable occasion. If on the other hand, you are thinking of just visiting Paris to see the sights whilst the Olympics are running, we would suggest you think again. There are set to be around 15 million visitors in Paris, so you can expect it to be a very busy city indeed.
Hotel accommodation, if you can find any will be very expensive and as the focus of this games has been on highlighting iconic landmarks of Paris, you may find the places you wanted to see are just not that accessible. Far better to go before or after the games, if you just want to see the sights.
However, as with London, the Olympics can bring a very special atmosphere with it and sometimes just being part of a big occasion can be something memorable. There are events outside the city centre which you may consider visiting as an alternative option for instance.
If you are in Paris when the Olympics is on, the city will still be functioning as normal. You just need to prepare for things like traffic or very busy public transport. Access to museums may be more limited and tickets will sell out well in advance. You may find it much less stressful to explore Paris on foot too, which might just give you a different view of Paris anyway.
When a big event that has been years in the planning arrives in a city, you need to be prepared and plan ahead. Use our site to help you get any tickets or tours you are interested in, well in advance of arrival. Below we have listed a few of the most popular things to do in Paris, so you can check if tickets are still available and the attraction is open during the Olympics.
You can use our links to buy your tickets in advance. Pick your date and select your entry time.
These are the fast-track e-tickets that are sent directly to your email and can be used to show on your smart phone for entry.
Reserved and hosted access to Mona Lisa. This is not a guided visit but reserved entrance with a host who takes you directly to Mona Lisa painting. Can save time for the most popular part of the museum and then you can explore the rest of the iconic museum at your leisure.
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Eiffel Tower priority access ticket with host
• Skip the line • Small-group tour • Instant confirmation • Likely to sell out • Multiple times offered throughout the day
Half day tour from Paris by coach in either morning or afternoon
• Audio-guides available in the Palace • Luxury air-conditioned coach • Entrance to Versailles Palace
Seine River Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise in Paris
• Multiple departure times and locations • Perfect introduction for first-time visitors • Flexibility to customize your itinerary to your own preferences
Tootbus Paris tickets
• Hop-On Hop-Off Tour • Audio commentary • Free Wi-Fi • Various tours available • 1, 2 or 3-day tickets
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If visiting the Louvre is a main reason to visit Paris then do check out getting a Paris Museum Pass.
Assuming you will want to visit other Paris art galleries and museums like the Orsay Museum or make multiple visits to the Louvre the Paris Museum Pass will save money and you can skip the ticket queues of the main venues.
It is now compulsory that Paris Museum Pass holders book their entry time slots in advance. You must present your pass along with your document confirming the time slot reservation.