The Olympics will take place this summer in Paris, exactly 100 years after the city last hosted them. People who want to experience them have a unique opportunity this year. That’s not only because the French capital is one of the favorite spots for tourists worldwide anyway but also because of how the games have been planned. Multiple events are going to be taking place outside of the main city limits. That means that visitors may not benefit too much from trying to find lodging options near Champs-Élysées.
On the contrary, looking for alternatives outside the city center could bring plenty of benefits. The first one of them is that if they book rooms in advance they can still get decent nightly rates. Staying at an equestrian boarding school on the outskirts of Paris, for example, will only set visitors back around 38 USD a night. Currently, it’s hard to find lodging options near the city center that will cost less than 200 USD on Airbnb. Many hotels have been pre-booked by members of the media and other people who are accompanying athletes well in advance.
There is, of course, a drawback that comes with choosing to stay on the outskirts of Paris. That is the fact that getting to the city center from any of these spots can be time-consuming. The aforementioned equestrian school, for example, is 37 miles away from downtown Paris. That journey can be made via train, but it’s going to take guests about 40 minutes every day to get to the main city, with an equal return time.
The good news is that local authorities are planning to add more trains and subway cars to the regular service during the games. That way, people won’t need to endure long wait times at stations or, hopefully, experience overcrowded subway cars during this time. This is where travelers should really plan their visit accordingly. Particularly if they have a set of events that they’re interested in witnessing. As mentioned not all of the events are going to be taking place near the city’s popular landmarks. That also means that even those staying right in the city center are going to have to eventually catch trains to witness certain competitions.
Travelers who, for example, are primarily interested in events like tennis or soccer can greatly benefit from staying to the west or southwest of the Eiffel Tower area. These two events will be held at the famous Roland Garros courts and the Parc de Princes arena, which will be easier to access from outside the main city.
At the same time, it will likely be a much quicker or at least less crowded ride back to a hotel or Airbnb on that side of the city than you’d have if you’re returning to a hotel right in the middle of Paris’ busiest district. Some people may be put off by the time they will spend on a train or subway, but it’s important to keep in mind that because of the crowds, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to cover seemingly shorter distances that much quicker especially if you have to spend more time at a station waiting for a train.
