Paris on heels of Olympics

Pent-up demand may be one reason why this first Post-Covid 2024 Olympics looks like it is going to be a blockbuster. And the impact of the Olympics reaches far beyond just the two weeks the games are being televised from July 26–August 11. Think about all the work to be done before the games even open and the thousands and thousands of folks just in construction, security and communications, and it’s no surprise the demand for accommodations—even for early July— is at a premium and rates have risen dramatically. A recent post on this board drew a comment that even in early July, the availability of hotel rooms outside Paris near Giverny was already strained. You’ve found another giant event that will impact transit around Paris in early September. We can add to that the travelers who are going to the games as part of a longer visit to France, either before or after the Olympics.

You will find on this link all the information about access and travel restrictions in Paris during the Olympic and Para Olympic Games.

https://www.fattiretours.com/blog/paris-2024-olympics-how-to-get-around-the-city/

This is from the official French version available here:

https://www.paris.fr/pages/perimetres-de-securite-pendant-les-jeux-de-paris-2024-les-reponses-a-vos-questions-25632

Paralympics follow Olympics: This event is set to take place over 12 magical days from 28 August to 8 September 2024This event is set to take place over 12 magical days from 28 August to 8 September 2024

This is only speculation, but there are a lot of events being held in public areas such as along the river, the Effiel Tower and Versailles, so even after the Paralympics are over its going to take time to tear down the event areas, seating etc. I think Paris may be a mess all Fall.

I've been looking at hotel prices for early October in Paris and they look better than September so I'd go as late as you can to get back home for your Oct 2/3 deadline. In fact, I'd probably start planning from your return date backward if that makes any sense, lol.

I will add that I've been to Paris many, many times and I'm just not sure that any Olympic/Paralympic "tear-down" will affect anything I want to see or do. My visits are generally museum and park-heavy which is not for everyone.

hey hey Katy
it's fun planning a trip and of course Paris is fun. even with the olympics/paralymics happening, there are other activities going on during september and october. like trade shows, conventions, fashionista week, tourists and it gets very crazy busy and it seems that it's high season then. Paris is always busy with people traveling all year long since past pandemic.
we were there sept/oct 2019 and it was so crowded everywhere. there was the death of ex-president cheraq, dignitaries/politicians from all over the world for memorial/funeral, sirens, ambulances, limousines, cops with their guns/tanks at every street corner with many roads blocked, techno music parade down the avenue next to seine river, fashionista week with paparazzi all over the city, models and their photographers everywhere you walked to get that "perfect picture", restaurants and cafes had long lines and waiting periods, traffic was a nightmare not getting far very fast.
we still had a good time but patience was our virtue, not in any hurries, hailed a taxicab further away from center/river. had a unique ride tour and he called to cancel till next day, was not moving and we were okay with that. just be prepared, have Plan B if Plan A doesn't work. enjoy and have fun
aloha

I'm with Allan the aftermath of a major event lingers for weeks if not months

My thanks to everyone for their input. You are validating my concerns. I have been to Paris several times but enjoying and talking with locals is part of the fun for me. The whole Olympics thing is changing my vision for this trip. I am thinking the aftermath will leave everyone a little stressed and I should just pass through Paris this trip and spend more time elsewhere in France. Maybe a “my way” . I can fly into Brussels, spend a couple of days in Bruges, and then head south passing thru my favorite city malheureusement :-( Back to the drawing board.

I can’t help but notice a lot of negativity on this forum about Paris and the impact the Olympics will have. I’ve been in London during the Olympics and Beijing right after the Paralympics ended and my experience was very different from what some people think will happen in Paris.
Certain events will be held in temporary venues in the city, but that doesn’t mean the city will be a mess until months after the Olympics. You can find a list of the Paris venues here; https://www.paris2024.org/en/competition-venue-concept/

May I suggest you to post this same question on the Paris forum on TripAdvisor? There are many helpful locals there who can inform you about Paris and the impact the Olympics will have.

I am planning to attend the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and have been doing lots of research and keeping up on the things that will make this trip to Paris different. I have been to Paris many times before so here is what I can tell you to expect if you try to go during the ParaOlympics. Several metro stops will be closed along line #1, specifically the Concorde stop and the one before and after it. Security zones or bubbles will be in place around the venues, many of which are popular tourist sites so if you wanted to go see those things in those areas, you should expect to encounter airport type security just to get into the area of the thing you want to see. Traffic will be heavily regulated and only locals will be allowed to drive so taxi/uber services will be very limited. I would suspect most timed entry sites will be potentially sold out if you wanted to see those. Also expect the Navigo pass and/or metro tickets to be double normal price. All things I have listed above have been released in the French press and/or posted on the official Paris 2024 website. In my opinion, if you are not going to plan to attend the ParaOlympic games, I would seriously reconsider not being in Paris at this time. I am going because being at an Olympic Games is on my bucket list but I know that it will be crazy crowded and I will have to work around all the things I listed above.

No one will deny that Paris during the Olympics will be a different experience. This topic however is about visiting Paris after the Olympics and Paralympics have ended. Yes after the Olympics have ended, the temporary venues near the Eiffel Tower near Hotel des Invalides and on Place de la Concorde will need to be removed. However the Eiffel Tower and the Hotel des Invalides will remain open and accessible both during and after the Olympics.

Not an end of the Olympics situation but before. I just spent a month in Paris. It appeared to me (maybe a big exaggerated, so I will say it before you do} that every street, every building and most monuments were under construction/refurbishment/repair. So detours in getting to where I wanted to be, pics ruined due to scaffolding/sheeting/screening and tourists galore--seems like most of Japan was in Paris along with quite a few "ugly" Americans. So I would say--stay away. Games end in Sept, spectators will linger, then into Oct and back to the November hoards. Fortunately not my first trip to Paris and this was just a wander where it takes me visit, so avoided crowds for the most part. Come next year, ND will be complete and that will be an extra bonus.

We should ask some locals from Las Vegas what it's been like after the F1 circus left town

Fashion Week is Sept 23-Oct 1, 2024

https://www.fhcm.paris/en/upcoming-seasons-and-previous-editions

I'm working on an outline that includes travel between Brussels and Lausanne, Switzerland. Best option is via Paris, transferring between Gard du Nord and Gare de Lyon. This would be in mid-September. Should I be reconsidering? Thanks.

In mid September the Olympics and Paralympics will be over. I don’t understand why you feel you may need to reconsider a simple transfer from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon after the Olympics.

Should be easy enough to take the RER “D” Line from the downstairs RER platforms at Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon. You want to take the D trains going south so buy your ticket for “ D Ligne SUD.”
Have a great trip!

We'll be in Paris the first week of May, with the expectation that many sites and exhibits will be closed or undergoing facelifts before the city hosts Olympics approximately 2-1/2 months forward. With this in mind, we've set up several day-trips/tours to venues outside of the city (Versailles, Giverny, Mont Saint-Michel), figuring this trip we minimize the 'hub' and enjoy the 'spokes'. Sounds a bit counterintuitive to return to a city as beautiful as Paris and spend the majority of our time elsewhere, but the times we've been in Paris previously there had always been more to see in town (still the case). Going with the assumption we will return at a future date to revisit city favorites.

“ We'll be in Paris the first week of May, with the expectation that many sites and exhibits will be closed or undergoing facelifts before the city hosts Olympics approximately 2-1/2 months forward.”
Matt, can you please explain as to why you expect this? Or provide a list of the many sites and exhibits that will be closed or undergoing facelifts?

I travel much lighter now than I did pre-pandemic.

If you need to go from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, esp. with luggage in tow, or even without it, the Metro is not your only option. There is also the bus option, a lot few people.

If I were doing that route, I would take Bus # 91, which you can catch in front of the Chinese restaurant, "Le Jumbo." (have done exactly a few times) on Rue de St. Quentin...a direct shot to Gare de Lyon.

I'll be back in Paris in May, can't miss it.

@Dutch - past experience with Los Angeles ('84) and to a lesser extent London [2012], albeit with the latter it was the Eastside mostly affected, where the majority of events were to take place. Lots of street detours and exhibits with reduced hours while preparation was underway. Would love to be wrong about Paris in May, and find everything status quo accessible... but level-setting expectations and have contingencies at the ready if not.

@Matt; I still don’t understand what you meant when you wrote that you expect that many sites and exhibits will be closed or undergoing facelifts. What do you mean by “sites and exhibits”? Museums? If so, which ones? Or something else?

@Dutch - my original contribution to this thread stated "expectation", not some tenants carved in stone. If you disagree and have a different opinion of how normal Paris is going to be leading up to hosting the Olympics, good on ya'. Enjoy the Holidays!