Travellers who plan to reach Paris for leisure activities have been advised not to go there during the time that the 2024 Olympics is taking place.
Behar Sadiku, a Global Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Expert, has said that unless you will be attending Olympic events, it is best that you avoid travelling to Paris between early June and mid August, SchengenNews reports.
According to Sadiku, some iconic landmarks of Paris are being transformed into sporting arenas in order to offer spectators of the Olympics an unforgettable and outstanding experience.
While the transformation of the landmarks is in favour of spectators, the case is not the same for tourists who are planning to visit Paris for other leisure activities and not the Olympics.
Since visitors will not be able to visit some of the landmarks and have a full Parisian experience, Sadiku suggested that it is better to postpone travel plans to Paris for a later date.
June, July, and the first two weeks of August might not be the best time for tourists who do not plan to attend the Olympics to visit Paris. The city will be more crowded than usual, full of sports enthusiasts, and Paris’ iconic landmarks will be transformed into sporting arenas. It might be more convenient and enjoyable to visit the city during another time of the year.
Even though the authorities have said that tourist activities in Paris will continue and many popular tourist areas will not be affected by the setting up of the temporary venues for the Olympics, tourists should still be prepared for large and unusual crowding, Sadiku noted.
He further stressed that the travel costs to Paris during the three months of summer will be higher. Due to the high demand, it is expected that those planning to travel to Paris between June and August will have to pay higher rates for plane tickets and accommodation.
Paris is expected to be extremely crowded during the 2024 Olympics. The city, in general, registers around 90 million visitors per year. However, during the Olympics alone, data show that around 15 million visitors will reach Paris.
Some Closures Travellers Should Be Aware of if Travelling to Paris During the Olympics
The 2024 Paris Olympics will take place between July 26 and August 11, 2024. During this time, as well as in the preceding and following weeks, several closures will happen.
The traffic in the Place de la Concorde, which is one of the major public squares in Paris, will be completely disrupted from June 2024. Concorde will house a temporary installation for skateboarding, BMX, 3×3 basketball and breaking events.
Champs de Mars will also be almost fully closed from June 3. Its gradual reopening will begin on September 19.
Trocadéro Square and Trocadéro Gardens, with the latter offering one of the best points for admiring the Eiffel Tower, will also be fully closed from July 16 and July 1, respectively.
Trocadéro Square will gradually reopen from July 27 whereas Trocadéro Gardens will gradually reopen from September 19.
Pont d’Iéna and Pont Alexandre III will be closed for a period of time, too. Pont d’Iéna will be closed to motor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles from July 16, and Pont Alexandre III will be closed from May 17.
Several other closures will also take place, and all travellers are advised to check with official French websites before travelling to Paris.
According to French authorities, tourist activities in the capital will operate as usual, and tourists will be able to get around the city without much trouble. Moreover, they noted that attractions, museums, and monuments would be open and accessible as usual.
