Janice R. Andrews
PARIS — Rayssa Leal, a 16-year-old Brazilian street skateboarder, was positioned on top of a temporary competition arena on Sunday. She pulled her phone from her pocket and placed it on the top step of the ramp. After that, she descended effortlessly before leaping onto a stairway rail and flipping her board in the air to rest gently on it. The soon-to-be bronze medalist slid up a ramp on the opposite side with her arms outstretched—Christ the Redeemer style, given her home country—as a raucous crowd of spectators cheered and waved flags.
This was on the vast Place de la Concorde grounds, right by the Seine River and just a short stroll from the Louvre, with the Eiffel Tower looming large in the background. Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were previously beheaded there; the location is so rich in history.
The Paris Olympics have combined achievement and location, action and art, in their opening few days. It’s been about athletes doing incredible performances, leaving spectators in awe of the far-off sights both here and on television throughout the globe.
The goal of the local organizers was to have the Olympics in Paris, not only in the city. As a result, they primarily built makeshift stadiums that make use of the renowned buildings, open spaces, and picturesque settings that make this city the most popular travel destination worldwide.
The focus on the participants as well as the locations where they are competing has been amazing.
So let us to present our list of the ten most breathtaking Olympic sites in Paris. But first, let’s begin with:
Final: The Seine – Swimming Marathon and Triathlon
While the Seine itself is excellent for drone photography, real competition is finding it challenging. This is Paris’s one and only failure—a result of striving too hard. The government has outlawed swimming in the river for a century due to pollution. They made an effort to tidy things up, sending the mayor for a swim, but problems like rainwater runoff still exist.
Toxicological concerns forced the postponement of the triathlon on Tuesday. On Wednesday, organizers eventually decided that it was swimmable, but was it really?
10. Hockey – Stade Yves-du-Manoir
A stadium is seldom utilized for more than one Olympiad, much less for distinct games held a century apart. This one hosted the opening ceremony and the athletics contests at the 1924 Olympics, making it the original primary arena. This features races involving Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, two British men, which served as the basis for the 1981 Oscar-winning movie “Chariots of Fire.”
9. Surfing in Teahupo’o, Tahiti
The organizers didn’t play around because there was nowhere in Paris where surfing was allowed. The competition was dispatched to the South Pacific. Tahiti is, well, Tahiti, and the waves at Teahupo’o are among the sport’s most difficult.
8. Roland-Garros Tennis Stadium
You don’t overthink things if your city is home to one of the most renowned tennis facilities in the world, which hosts the prestigious French Open every year. It provides the heritage of sport to the Games in addition to being a historically significant arena (opened in 1928). Tennis at the Olympics is a major affair, but it’s not the apex of the sport as in many other Olympic events. This is because so many memorable matches have been played there.
7. Road Cycling at Place du Trocadéro
The start and finish lines will be located just across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, providing a stunning and unforgettable sight. But that’s only the start and finish. The course passes through Vincennes Woods, the Chevreuse Valley, thirteen designated peaks, and urban locations, all of which are probably surrounded by yelling spectators, such as those around the Place de la Bastille, the Louvre, and Château de Versailles. A one-day, scaled-down version of the Tour de France. It’s not even necessary to glance at the riders.
6. Marathon’s Hôtel de Ville
Of course, the 26.2-mile marathon will pass by many famous Parisian locations, but it is especially notable for beginning at the Hôtel de Ville. Do you want something vintage? How about acting as the City Hall of Paris since… 1357? That is precisely 667 years. Good luck to Los Angeles 2028 in their competition.
5. Place de la Concorde: 3×3 basketball, BMX, breaking, and skateboarding
As previously said, the hallowed ground (19 acres) is the biggest plaza in the center of Paris. It was a key location for the storage of cannons that were used in the storming of the Bastille, among other things during the French Revolution. On the Concorde, some 1,119 people were publicly executed. One of the monarchs who passed away here was Louis XVI, the final king of England. Even though it might not be the most visually stunning event on the list, the history of hosting some of the Olympics’ most contemporary sports makes it unbeatable.
4. Archery at Esplanade des Invalides
In the center of the city, an impressive Pont Alexandre III bridge connects two banks of the Seine and features an archery range surrounded by trees. It is one among the most well-liked locations in the city for leisurely strolling by people. The Hôtel des Invalides, with its imposing and elaborate dome, provides an ideal backdrop for the tournament. After been finished in 1676 as a military hospital, it is currently a museum with Napoleon Bonaparte’s grave within.
3. Taekwondo and fencing at Grand Palais
Traditionally utilized for art exhibitions at several art fairs, the Grand Palais is now a stunning Taekwondo and fencing center. The Grand Palais is a longtime favorite among travelers and photographers because of its glass dome, nave, and stone façade, which make every event a must-see. Built in 1900, the Olympics gave rise to the need for a thorough renovation. It’s odd in and of itself that there would be a fighting sport in its hallowed halls.
2. The Equestrian Château de Versailles
We’ve arrived to the list’s ludicrous portion. Paris is currently showcasing itself. The equestrian competition is essentially held in one of the most well-known palaces on Earth’s backyards, which may be the most beautifully planted in the whole globe. Built by Louis XIII in 1623 as a hunting lodge, it was gradually extended into one of the most extravagantly elaborate palaces under the monarchy.
From its opening as a museum in 1883, it has grown to become one of the most popular destinations worldwide, drawing visitors with its Hall of Mirrors, Royal Chapel, Royal Opera, and apparently infinite chambers filled with relics. That just covers the interior. It’s difficult to adequately describe the 2,000 acres of gardens, fountains, and flora that there are. Simply marvel at some dressage.
1. Beach volleyball at Eiffel Tower Stadium
This is quite likely the most aesthetically pleasing sports arena ever built. It’s possible that the most well-known man-made building on the planet is the 1,083-foot steel tower. For decades, it has motivated poets, dreamers, and lovers. Not only does its silhouette represent Paris, but according to scholar Roland Barthes, it is also “the universal language of travel.”
A temporary 13,000-seat stadium for beach volleyball is located just behind it and provides views of the Eiffel, including beautiful sunsets and twinkling lights at night. It is unlike anything that has ever existed.
