As excited as we all are for the Olmpics to come to the City of Light next month, and much as I love Paris, this summer is not a time I’d recommend for coming to visit (unless you’re coming for the Games, of course)…
If Paris is on your radar for retirement, this certainly is not the time to come scout out what life would be like in the City of Light. From July to September, the city will not resemble itself in anyway… it’ll be completely given over to the Olympics and transformed for the duration.
Keep in mind that even though the Olympics are a mere three weeks, the preparation and “renormalization” will extend for several weeks on either end, meaning the temporary construction, detours and blocked streets, and the higher volume of tourists will impact day-to-day life here from mid-July to the end of August. The city is counting on the increase in tourism throughout the summer, going so far as to raise transport tickets a week in advance and four weeks past the end of the games in order to capitalize.
That said, if you’re coming to Paris to enjoy the Games, I have a few tips for how best to navigate this chaotic period…
• If you’re coming to spectate, check which metro/bus lines your venue(s) are on, and pick a hotel that’s a direct line or only has one switch, if possible. Leave extra time to arrive anywhere, as public transport is sure to be overloaded on a regular basis (you might have to let a full train or bus go by before you’re able to get on).
• Transport tickets in the city will be doubled from July 20 to Sept. 8, so if you plan to arrive for the start of this period, it might make sense to come on July 18 or 19 and buy tickets or a weekly pass at the regular price to last you through the time you’re here.
Buying a carnet of preloaded tickets (10 or 20) has no specific usage period, so can be bought in advance without fear of them expiring. A weekly ticket, however, can only be bought the Friday before the week in question, so you’d have to buy it on the 19th and it would only last you to the 21st. Carnets of tickets can also be bought online ahead of time. Buy one (or a few) online before July 20 and pay today’s price instead of that of the inflation period. When purchasing, you’ll set the pick-up date for when you’re in the city—there’s only one pick-up location, though, which might be inconvenient to where you’re staying. They can also be delivered to a hotel for 12 euros. (Do the math on whether this would offset the savings of buying in advance or not.)
• Bring good walking shoes and try to locate yourself within walking distance of any city-center venues you have tickets to.
• Bikes are another good alternative for this period, with a 60+km biking route that connects all venues created especially for this purpose. Dedicated signage will be posted to help tourists use these routes to navigate between Olympic sites without having to use metro or bus. Three-thousand new Vélib bikes have been added to the city’s fleet and 1,300 new bike parking spaces installed near the sites to handle the extra volume to these newly bikeable areas.
A three-day Vélib pass is 20 euros and includes unlimited hour-long rides on mechanical bikes, plus five 45-minute rides on electric bikes, before there’s an additional charge per half hour. Most importantly, this pass can be used to rent five bikes at the same time, so is a great option for families or groups.
• Avoid hotels near the city-center venues (Trocadéro, Tour Eiffel, Champ-de-Mars, les Invalides, Pont Alexandre III, Place de la Concorde, and Hôtel de Ville). Not only will they command the highest prices, street restrictions and detours will make it harder to get in and out of them freely.
• Keep ID and proof of your temporary residence address (whether hotel, Airbnb, etc.) on you at all times, as you may need to show it to get past specific restricted streets if they block your route home.
If you made plans to come to this part of the world but don’t have Olympic tickets and aren’t interested in joining the fray in the city, no worries. In this case, my advice is to avoid Paris entirely. There’s plenty to see outside the city and this could be the best time to go to these sites, as most tourists will be here for the Olympics and won’t be venturing beyond its venues.
Top Picks That Avoid The City
• Reims: This is my favorite “wine town” in France. Located in the Champagne region, the entire city is dedicated to champagne, with countless champagne houses offering tours of their wineries and vineyards.
Among them, my favorite is the Vranken Pommery, which offers much more than most. In addition to the typical tastings, you can tour the chateaux on its property, which are worth the visit in themselves. As well, though, the entire estate doubles as an art venue, with temporary exhibitions featured on its lawns as well as throughout its vast cave.
• Chateau d’Auvers: Auvers-sur-Oise is the town where Van Gogh spent his last months of life. You can see where he lived, many of the subjects of his last paintings, his (and his brother’s) grave, and enjoy a dedication to his art and impressionism in general throughout the area. The local chateau is currently hosting an exhibit on his final months which is on through September, so this is the perfect time to visit.
• Vaux le Vicomte, Fontainebleau, Chantilly, Malmaison, and Saint-Germain-en-Laye: All great options for chateaux visits, with impressive gardens and picturesque surrounding villages. You could easily spend a couple of weeks touring a few of these and making the most of a Paris trip sans Paris.
• Avoid Versailles: It’ll also be an Olympic venue, hosting the equestrian events.
Bonne route,
Kat Kalashian
Editor, In Focus: Europe
