GOING FOR GOLD:
A PLANNER’S PERSPECTIVE OF THE PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS
We’re all mourning the end of the Olympic Games and the eclectic mix of sports on demand. So, what better way to reminisce than to do a deep dive on how Paris prepared for the sporting world stage.
Between 2.3 and 3.1 million unique visitors with Game tickets were expected to visit Paris during the Games, and Emily Bates, Planner at NJL Consulting was one of them. In this blog, Emily takes a look at how the City prepared to be on the global stage, hosting this sporting phenomenon. She discusses where Paris excelled, and what, from a Planner’s perspective, could have been improved about the Games.
Environmental Improvements: Seine Swimming
Public swimming in the Seine has been banned since 1923, after officials deemed the water unsafe. The Olympics ambitiously pledged to transform the River Seine into an outdoor arena for the triathletes, making it the first time in 100 years that the river would be safe for public swimming.
French authorities invested €1.4 billon over the last decade to clean up Seine, focusing on upgrading the sewage system with new wastewater treatment and storage facilities. However, heavy rains leading up to the Olympics – similar to those during the opening ceremony (something I personally experienced while at the fan park) – resulted in discharges of sewage directly into the river.
Despite concerns over the E-coli levels in the Seine, outdoor swimming proceeded as planned. However, the days following the event, reports have emerged of several swimmers falling ill.
While the efforts and ambition to improve the Seine’s cleanliness are commendable, likely making it the least polluted it has been in recent times and even in the past century, questions remain about whether the water was safe for the athletes at this time. From an urban planning perspective, these ambitious efforts are applaudable.
The public criticism surrounding these efforts is particularly striking when contrasted with the situation in the UK, where the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), a statutory body, has warned that targets for improving water quality are likely to be missed by a large margin. As of May 2024, only 16% of England’s waterways achieved ‘Good’ ecological status, with a government target of 77% by 2027. Yet, the OEP estimates that reaching just 21% is more realistic. In an attempt to achieve this target, the government published a New Plan for Cleaner and More Plentiful Water, allocating £1.6 billion in accelerated investment by water companies, including £1.1 billion for storm overflow improvements to cut 10,000 discharges.
While the New Plan for Cleaner and More Plentiful Water in the U.K. is a step in the right direction, doubts remain about its sufficiency, particularly when considering that €1.4 billion seems insufficient to fully restore a single waterway in France.
In summary, if further investments from the Games are used to continue this vision, the Seine could potentially become a permanent venue for sporting activities, rivalling its Scandinavian counterparts in this regard. But until such a time comes, a bronze medal can only be awarded.
Regeneration V.S. Gentrification
In the lead-up to the Games, there was considerable controversy and speculation about students being forced out of their homes so that landlords could dramatically increase rents during the event. From my experience, the cost of hotels and Air BnB accommodations tripled in price from before the Olympics to during the Games, making it unaffordable to stay in central Paris. When booking 12 months advance, after most ticketholders had their event confirmations, a one-night stay during the Olympic Games was priced at €1,023, whereas the same booking in April cost €436 for one night. Therefore, I chose to commute from the eastern suburb of Montreuil. Curious to understand the truth, I spoke with local business owners, often during meals, to understand the reality. It became evident that French authorities has advised Parisians to leave the City if possible during the Games due to the high costs they would incur.
When I asked a local wine bar owner in the Montmartre area about the impact of the Games on his business, he noted that, contrary to the expectations of increased tourism, his business, which typically depends on young professionals and tourism, had been very quiet and struggled due to their absence. Many local business owners in the district echoed this sentiment.
It also became clear the accusations that students had faced forceful eviction in the lead-up to the Games, either to make way for security personnel, public servants, or volunteers working at the event, or because their landlords wanted to capitalise on the opportunity to earn more money, was true.
This notion also ties into broader concerns that the French authorities used the Olympics as an opportunity to clear the Capital of populations deemed undesirable. Since 1924, cities hosting the Olympics have created vast areas of purpose-built dwellings to house the athletes, increasingly seen as a catalyst for urban regeneration.
For the Paris Games, three Olympic villages were located across the northern suburbs of Saint- Denis, Saint Ouen and L'Île-Saint-Denis, all within the Saint-Seine-Denis department. These villages accommodated 4,250 athletes during the Olympics and 8,000 during the Paralympics. While significant efforts have been made to ensure these developments are sustainable, such as through repurposing former industrial buildings as amenities and accommodation, and the infamous cardboard beds(!), the development has also involved the forcing out of existing, established residents, including immigrants. Many of these displaced individuals have been forced to find temporary shelter in abandoned warehouses or offices often in an uninhabitable condition.
This raises the question: has Paris achieved rapid urban regeneration through the Olympics, successfully integrating social housing policies into the planning, design, and economic model of development of the Olympic villages? Or has this rapid urban regeneration come at the cost of gentrification, resulting in the forced eviction of the most vulnerable residents?
From my experience of the Games, there are clear signs of forced evictions linked to gentrification. At this point, it seems well-planned urban regeneration has not yet been realised. However, the true legacy of the Games will become evident over the coming decades. While there is potential for much-needed policies to be embedded, for now, it seems Paris has only earned a bronze medal in this regard.
Connectivity and Transport
Prior to the Games, I was apprehensive about what to expect upon arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport, knowing that Paris, at the best of times, is crowded with tourists, even without the Olympics! However, I was pleasantly surprised! After landing, I sailed through security and baggage claim, with the added treat of free croissants along with free maps for the Olympics (bonus points from a planner).
Travelling from the airport to the centre of Pais was equally smooth, with clear directions to the train station and ticket office. At the ticket office, volunteers were available to help ensure you purchased the correct ticket for your stay. I opted for the Ile de France Mobilités – Paris 2024 Pass, which cost €70 for 7 days (€10 per day) and allowed unlimited travel across all metro lines. Although the price seemed slightly inflated, I found no need for a car during my time at the Games.
The metros themselves were well-prepared, with clear markings indicating which stops were closed for security reasons and where to get off for each arena. The signage was simple and accessible to all languages, owing to the use of images. At each stop, volunteers were available 24/7 to ensure everyone knew where to go. Paris couldn’t have done much more, aside from reducing prices, to improve public transport accessibility around the City.
What may not be known, was that the heats for the Basketball were held in Lille, not Paris. Fortunately, the train to Lille was simple and easy to navigate, albeit overpriced at approximately €80, even bought several months in advance. This cost hadn’t been anticipated when planning to attend the PARIS 2024 Games. The locations of the arenas are not released prior to the selection of events – had these been known, this might have influenced my choice of events to ensure I stayed in Paris with cheaper transport options. Despite the high train fare, the French authorities provided free buses to and frrom the station to the arena, making the experience straightforward and convenient for a tourist.
As stated earlier, for part of my trip, I stayed in the outer suburbs of Paris. A new metro line connecting Montreuil to the City and Paris-Orly Airport was constructed for the Games. Given that I departed from Paris-Orly, which is closer to Montreuil than Charles de Gaulle, I couldn’t have asked for better transport options.
Overall, the only downside to the improved connectivity and accessibility during the Games was the cost. While the Games have undoubtedly enhanced transport links between the city centre and the airports, benefiting Parisians for decades to come, I’d award a silver medal due to the inflated prices.
Event Planning
As above, the clear signage for transport and directions to the arenas deserves high praise. The French authorities also developed the Paris 2024 app, which allowed easy access to all tickets and included an online map showing not only closed metro stops but also locations of arenas and free fan parks, for residents, tickets holders, and non-ticker holders alike.
While I won’t delve into the controversy surrounding the opening ceremony, I must acknowledge that the preparation (from my perspective) for the event was exceptional. The fan parks, which were free and distributed across Paris and its suburbs, provided a fantastic way for everyone to engage in the Olympic spirit. I watched the Olympic opening ceremony from a fan park in Montreuil, and the experience – perhaps improved by nicer weather – could not have been better planned in terms of logistics and security.
