Paris, often hailed as the epitome of romance and sophistication, is a dream European destination for many Singaporean travellers. With its iconic landmarks, rich history, world-renowned cuisine, and vibrant cultural scene, the City of Light beckons with promises of enchanting experiences. Plus, Paris is hosting the 2024 Olympics from July 26 to August 11, further elevating its status on the global stage. However, for many, the reality of visiting Paris can diverge significantly from the idyllic fantasy.
Beyond the charming boulevards and picturesque cafes, the reality of being in the city can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not prepared. This is especially true these days, since the city is preparing for the Summer Olympics. You can find out more about all the diversions on this website.
Barred from the Concorde-Tuileries area
Paris officials have barred any access to the Concorde-Tuileries area, with different levels of security implemented as part of an “anti-terrorist” no-go zone. Since April, all areas within 100m of the area are now completely off-limits. It’s only accessible to those who live or work there, even by foot, and even then they’d need to get a special permit in advance.
Interestingly, there’s also a hospital within that off-limit perimeter, with some patients requiring vital care there. Patients must also apply for a permit. What’s more, access to the hospital will be completely forbidden to anyone during the ceremony itself.
Around this zone is a much larger “red” zone which is “only” closed to all road traffic. While the area is accessible on foot, businesses that need their regular deliveries may be in a bit of a pickle (think restaurants, supermarkets, etc).
Travelling around Paris will be tricky
Beyond the red zone is the “blue” one which is closed to most, but not all, road traffic. In addition, most of the highways connecting Paris to the surrounding suburbs have special “Paris 2024” lanes, reserved for Olympics officials. This includes the iconic ring road around Paris, the périphérique, which is known for its bad traffic.
Even if you’re not in a car, getting around Paris is tricky because lots of metro stations are closed as well. So the Paris Metro is now a maze of disconnected lines and randomly closed stations, with Line 1 being the most affected. For example, Concorde, Tuileries, and Champs-Elysées-Clémenceau will not be served for the entire duration of the games.
What’s more, Paris metro ticket prices will almost double for tourists; a single metro journey will cost 4 euros per trip (up from 2.10 euros).
Cyclists and pedestrians aren’t faring much better. From May 17 until the end of the Olympic Games on August 11, several areas will be closed to cyclists and pedestrians, including Place de la Concorde, Cours la Reine, and the cycle path between the Alexandre-III bridge and the Concorde bridge.
Even if you’re in Paris on foot, chances are your views of the city will be compromised, as barriers of all kinds have begun sprouting all over the city. These will also impact those travelling in a wheelchair or those with the elderly.
While the Paris region airspace is closed for security reasons during the Opening ceremony, trains will be running outside the security perimeter.
The heavy security presence
And of course, with an event of this scale, security is top priority. There are policemen everywhere in Paris – around 35,000 police and gendarmes will be mobilised each day during the games, with 45,000 expected for the opening ceremony. And since all the French police are mobilised in Paris, all other large-scale events (like music festivals) around Paris and France have been cancelled.
Plus, there will also be some 2,000 foreign troops from various nations sent to Paris to bolster security.
In addition, authorities have deployed security cameras on a massive scale. It’s also using an experimental AI-based surveillance system that goes beyond video cameras. According to news reports, the prime minister’s office has negotiated a classified decree to ramp up traditional surveillance tools, including wiretapping, geolocation, communication data collection, and capturing more visual and audio data during the Games.
Mass eviction of students, homeless, and the desolate
Last year, students living in Île-de-France have been told to vacate their student residence (in exchange for 100 euros and 2 tickets to the competition) for the summer, because they would be used as lodging for the games. Many students now won’t even know if they’ll have accommodation by the time the new academic year starts this September.
Students aren’t the only affected ones. Authorities have been dismantling tent camps in and around the city since April last year, and almost 13,000 people had been removed from Paris in the last 13 months. Police were also cracking down on sex workers and drug addicts, removing them from their usual networks in the Île-de-France region. While this sounds like a boon to those visiting the city, some of these people include asylum seekers, as well as families and children.
While all of these measures would make it feel safe and uncrowded, tourists aren’t really pouring in. Some tour guides in Paris have seen steep drops in their clientele – as much as half – as Paris has become too expensive during the games this year. It’s a pity, since a significant amount of effort – and money – have been poured into the Games (specifically into cleaning up the River Seine).
