Paris, known as the “City of Light”, hosted the Olympic Games for the third time in 2024. The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics were an opportunity to highlight sporting excellence and strengthen France’s connection to the Olympic movement.
Why are Paris hosting the 2024 Olympic Games?
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Paris over original candidates Boston, Budapest, Hamburg, Rome and Los Angeles. The Paris bid emphasized using existing facilities to minimize costs and environmental impact, which was consistent with the IOC agenda of promoting sustainability and efficiency. Paris wanted to project an image of sport in urban landscapes. Paris was selected after Boston, Budapest (Hungary), Hamburg (Germany) and Rome withdrew their respective bids amid increasing public pressure. In 2017, the Los Angeles bid committee reached an agreement with the IOC to host the 2028 Summer Olympics.
France has hosted three Summer Games – 1900, 1924 and 2024, all in Paris – and three Winter Games – 1924 in Chamonix, 1968 in Grenoble and 1992 in Albertville.
What is the historical connection between France and the Olympic Games?
The French educator and historian Pierre de Coubertin is credited with reviving the Olympic Games in modern times. He put forward the idea in 1894 and originally wanted to open the Games in his hometown of Paris in 1900. But delegates from 34 countries were so enthusiastic about the concept that they convinced him to bring the Games forward to 1896 and to host them initially in Athens.
He proposed the traditional Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius (faster, higher, stronger). And the IOC awards the Coubertin Medal to athletes who show great sportsmanship.
What is France’s national sport?
Football is the most popular and widely played sport. In 2022, the French Football Federation recorded over two million registered players. France won the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and 2018. The passion for sport permeates French society and is an integral part of French culture and conversations in daily life.
Which stadiums are there in Paris?
The most notable and iconic sports and cultural venues in Paris include:
Stade de France: Located in the suburb of Saint-Denis, it is the largest stadium in France and has hosted numerous events, including the FIFA World Cup and the Rugby World Cup.
Princes Park: Located in the 16th arrondissement, this stadium is the home of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and is known for its history and atmosphere.
Accor Arena: A versatile indoor arena in Bercy that hosts basketball games, concerts, and other major events.
Why is the PSG stadium called Parc des Princes?
The stadium got its name from the historical significance of the site. The area was a popular hunting and recreational area for the French royal family in the 18th century. The royals valued the wooded area, known as the “end of the Bois de Boulogne”, for its tranquil surroundings.
Will athletes swim in the Seine at the Olympic Games?
A notable aspect of the 2024 Paris Olympics was the plan to have athletes swim in the historic Seine River. Once a place of leisure for Parisians, swimming in the river had been banned for over a century due to boat traffic and pollution.
Like many old cities, Paris has a combined sewer system – the city’s wastewater and rainwater flow through the same pipes. When there is heavy rain, the wastewater flows into the river rather than to a treatment plant. In the run-up to the Summer Games, measures were taken to bring water quality up to health and safety standards.
Olympic organizers have pledged $1.5 billion to build a rainwater retention tank under the Seine and prepare the river for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Eau de Paris, the company responsible for Paris’ public water supply and sanitation, tested the river water and found unsafe levels of E. coli in early summer. The results then showed improvement in early July. Despite the test results and concerns from athletes and citizens, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the river on July 17 to show that the river was safe.
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