Source: Al Jazeera
Wednesday 17 July 2024 14:28:17
The Paris Olympics 2024 will see the Games return to the French capital after 100 years, making it the second city after London to host the Summer Olympics for the third time.
Most of the 329 events will be held across Paris and its metropolitan area, but some will be hosted hundreds of kilometres away from the city, and the surfing competition will be hosted over 15,000 kilometres (9,300 miles) away in French Polynesia.
Here’s what you need to know about the 35 Olympic venues:
Location: Paris
Events: Artistic swimming, diving, water polo
Located 2km (1.24 miles) away from the Olympic Village, the centre is one of the two purpose-built venues and will host a number of aquatic competitions during the Games.
Location: Paris
Events: Artistic gymnastics, basketball, trampoline
Built in 1984 by the river Seine, the indoor arena has played host to international sports events through the years and will be a major Games venue in 2024.
Location: Bordeaux
Events: Football
The home ground of the French League 1 club Bordeaux will host both men’s and women’s football matches.
Location: Paris
Events: Judo, wrestling
The multicultural and multisport arena in the capital will host several events during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Location: Versailles
Events: Equestrian, modern pentathlon
The grounds of the historic Palace of Versailles will turn into a temporary outdoor arena to host equestrian and modern pentathlon events.
Location: Chateauroux
Events: Shooting
The centre is one of the largest shooting venues in Europe and will host hundreds of athletes at its multiple shooting ranges during the Games.
Location: Paris
Events: Beach volleyball
France’s most famous landmark will host the beach volleyball events in its iconic public gardens.
Location: Paris
Events: Cycling – mountain bike
The hill is the highest point in the Paris region and will offer mountain bike cycling athletes breathtaking views of the city as they traverse the trail.
Location: Saint-Etienne
Events: Football
An icon in France’s football history, the venue also known as Saint-Etienne Stadium is one of the five football venues for the Games.
Location: Paris
Events: Fencing, taekwondo
Located in the heart of Paris and built in 1900, the famous glass-roofed venue will act as a Games host for fencing and taekwondo events before going back to hosting cultural events.
Location: Paris
Events: Athletics
The Paris city hall and its surroundings will be the venue where the Olympics 2024 marathon gets under way.
Location: Paris
Events: Archery, athletics and road cycling
The gardens of the Hotel des Invalides will host archery events during the Games, while it will also be part of road cycling and athletics tracks.
Location: Nantes
Events: Football
The home of Nantes football club in western France will host men’s and women’s football.
Location: Paris
Events: Basketball 3×3, breaking, cycling BMX freestyle, skateboarding
The newest addition to the Olympics – breaking – will be showcased at the multisport arena in the heart of Paris.
Location: Le Bourget
Events: Sport climbing
Le Bourget is one of the few purpose-built venues for the Games and includes indoor facilities as well.
Location: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
Events: Golf
The Ryder Cup golf venue in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines will host 120 athletes over its 18-hole course during the Games.
Location: Lyon
Events: Football
The home of seven-time French football champions Olympique Lyonnaise is among the stadiums hosting the sport during the Games.
Location: Marseille
Events: Sailing
The city of Marseille will host multiple sports, with sailing being held on the Mediterranean.
Location: Marseille
Events: Football
Marseille football club’s home ground will be one of the football venues during the Games.
Location: Nice
Events: Football
Home to French League 1’s Nice football club, this stadium is by the Mediterranean.
Location: Paris
Events: Boxing, modern pentathlon
The modular arena at the Villepinte Exhibition Centre will come to life for the Games to host the preliminary round of boxing and the fencing ranking round of the modern pentathlon.
Location: Paris
Events: Football
The iconic home of the Paris Saint-Germain football club has hosted several international sports events since its opening in 1972 and will host both men’s and women’s gold medal football matches.
Location: Paris
Events: Swimming and water polo
The modular multipurpose venue in Nanterre, a northern suburb of Paris, has hosted various sports and cultural events since its opening in 2017 and will be the home of swimming and water polo competitions during the Games.
Location: Lille
Events: Basketball and handball
Home to the famous French football club Lille, the stadium is located over 200km (124 miles) north of the host city, Paris.
Basketball stars from around the world will light up the 50,000-capacity venue during the Games.
Location: Paris
Events: Road cycling, marathon swimming and triathlon
The famous bridge on the river Seine will turn into an Olympic venue come July. It will act as a viewing point for open water marathon swimming and the triathlon, as well as a part of the road cycling competition.
Location: Paris
Events: Badminton and rhythmic gymnastics
Located a short distance away from the Olympic Village, the arena will host a number of cultural events during the Games while also acting as the badminton and rhythmic gymnastics venue.
Location: Paris
Events: Boxing and tennis
The world-famous clay court tennis venue will be back in the spotlight less than two months after the French Open championship when it hosts the boxing and tennis events for the Games.
Location: Montigny-le-Bretonneux
Events: Track cycling and BMX racing
The velodrome in northern France serves the country’s cycling needs and will be the main track cycling venue for the Games.
The adjoining BMX Stadium will host cycling’s BMX racing competitions on its newly laid tracks.
Location: Paris
Events: Handball, table tennis, volleyball, weightlifting
The venue was built as part of the Paris Expo and has undergone several redevelopments since its opening in 1923. It will act as one of the core Olympic events and logistics venues.
Location: Paris
Events:
Built for France’s triumphant home FIFA World Cup in 1998, the Stade de France will act as the main Olympic stadium for the 2024 Games.
The country’s national stadium will host rugby sevens and a wide array of athletics events.
Location: Tahiti, French Polynesia
Events: Surfing
The venue hosting the return of surfing to the Olympics has been amongst the most hotly debated topics in the lead-up to the Games.
Located 15,000km (approximately 9,320 miles) away from the host city, the small village on the southwestern coast of Tahiti in French Polynesia is touted to offer an “Olympic-class” challenge to the athletes vying for medals in surfing events.
Location: Paris
Events: Athletics, road cycling
The famous venue in the heart of the French capital and across from its most iconic landmark, the Eiffel Tower, will host a number of athletics events and road cycling competitions.
In addition, it will continue to host fans and visitors with activities, performances and viewing platforms for the Games.
Location: Vaires-sur-Marne
Events: Canoe slalom, canoe sprint, rowing
The nautical stadium in the north of France was the first newly developed Olympic venue to be delivered for the Games in 2019.
Its lake and white-water stadium will host rowing and canoe-kayaking events for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Location: Colombes
Events: Hockey
This historic venue in Colombes, a northwestern suburb of Paris, will become one of the few sports arenas in the world to host two Olympic Games come July 2024.
Built in 1907, the stadium was the main venue for the 1924 Games and hosted the opening ceremony as well as the main athletics events.
This time around, it will host all hockey matches and will later become home to the French Hockey Federation.