Which Quays, Bridges and Squares of Central Paris are Blocked This Month for the Olympics Set-Up? ⋆ Secrets and techniques of Paris

Over the previous few weeks, because the stands, fan zones, and different non permanent Olympic websites are being erected across the metropolis, I’ve been getting plenty of questions on what roads are open to taxis, whether or not cyclists can nonetheless entry the quays, if any garden on the Champs de Mars continues to be open for picnics…right here’s the lowdown, with some images taken throughout my bike experience round city on Sunday.

For particular information on public transport, QR codes, navigating restricted zones, and the apps you need to obtain, learn “Getting Round Paris Throughout the Olympics”

Spoiler Alert: We’re All a Bit Confused!

This text goals to let what components of the town are closed off or closely restricted in these closing weeks main as much as the 2024 Paris Video games, in the course of the Olympic and Paralympic occasions, and afterwards as every little thing is packed up (based mostly on Metropolis Corridor’s official information).

I’m primarily centered on how in style areas of central Paris are affected, such because the quays and bridges of the Seine, the Champ de Mars (Eiffel Tower), Trocadero, the Esplanade des Invalides, the Champs-Elysées, and Place de la Concorde. The official checklist of ALL areas affected by the Olympics and the safety perimeters round them may be discovered right here.

To be sincere, it’s complicated even for these of us dwelling right here, studying day by day updates within the native French information, and attempting to get round city by way of bike, metro, bus and automotive. On high of that, each day we appear to be getting new info from “official” sources (Public Transport Authority, Metropolis Corridor, Olympic Committee), which in finest circumstances clarifies issues for us (like colour coded maps) or in worst circumstances adjustments what was beforehand written (just like the dates for metro station closures), leading to plenty of conflicting experiences within the press.

I’m doing my finest to replace something written on Secrets and techniques of Paris in actual time, so in case you see something that appears incorrect, contradictory, or refuted by one other supply, please don’t hesitate to let me know!

Round Trocadéro

The stands of the “Parc des Champions” (free fan zone open to the general public July 29-August 10^th) have been arrange on the foot of the Jardins du Trocadéro, the gardens between the Place du Trocadéro and the Pont d’Iéna (which is the bridge on the foot of the Eiffel Tower), for spectator seating for the marathon, biking, and Seine swim occasions. It appears like they’ve really lined over the fountains for the event. Listed below are two of the official images displaying what it appears like in each instructions:

From July 1 by means of September nineteenth, the Jardins du Trocadéro are closed to all pedestrians, bicycles and automobiles. This additionally contains the Avenue Albert-de-Mun and the south facet of Avenue Wilson (between Albert-de-Mun and Place d’Iéna). Site visitors on the Avenue des Nations Unies has already been closed to all visitors and pedestrians since Might 31^st.

Pedestrians coming from the Place du Trocadéro (and Esplanade des Droits de l’Homme) shall be redirected to the east and west of the gardens to succeed in the Voie Georges Pompidou (the expressway alongside the Seine) and the Iéna bridge.

On July sixteenth, your entire Place du Trocadéro and Pont d’Iéna bridge shall be closed to visitors, pedestrians, and bikes.

From July 22-26, the Pont d’Iéna can be fully closed to visitors, pedestrians, and bikes. Interruptions on the bridge will proceed by means of August 12^th, though it appears to solely have an effect on automobiles as soon as the Opening Ceremony has handed. In the event you completely should get to the opposite facet of the Seine from Trocadéro to the Eiffel Tower (or the Olympic occasions on the Champ de Mars) at a particular time, try to give your self some additional time to get there in case you find yourself having to stroll all the way in which to Pont Alma to cross (within the meantime I’ll try to discover affirmation about pedestrian entry after July twenty sixth).

All the pieces shall be again to “regular” by October 8^th (!!!), however in case you are at Trocadéro throughout any of the durations talked about above and have reserved timeslot tickets for the Eiffel Tower (or an Olympic occasion on the Champ de Mars, as talked about beneath), you’ll must think about the way you’ll get throughout the Seine and the additional time it could take.

Additionally observe that the 2 museums on the Place du Trocadéro’s Esplanade des Droits de l’Homme (Cité de l’Structure and the Musée Nationwide de la Marine) are partially open in the course of the Olympics, so be sure you have bought your ticket upfront on their web site, and to be sure you enable sufficient time to get your Cross Jeux QR code in case you’re visiting from July 18-26.

Across the Champ-de-Mars & Eiffel Tower

The Champ de Mars legislation in entrance of the Eiffel Tower has two Olympic websites, the non permanent “Stade Tour Eiffel” (Eiffel Tower Stadium) for the seashore volleyball and paralympic soccer matches, arrange the place the Avenue Joseph-Boulard crosses the Champ de Mars (formally referred to as Place Jacques-Rueff). The Grand Palais Ephémère on the far finish of the park, simply throughout from the Ecole Militaire at Place Joffre, can be being reworked into the Champ de Mars Area to host the judo and wrestling occasions.

Right here’s the official picture of what it is going to seem like as soon as fully arrange (taken from the Eiffel Tower):

Closed to all visitors and pedestrians since June 26^th, the Champ de Mars has already been progressively lower off to visitors for setup between March and the top of June. Don’t anticipate to have the ability to picnic there anytime earlier than October 7^th, with the continued dismantling of the non permanent stadium potential by means of November 4^th.

Right here’s what the Champ de Mars appears like as we speak in case you’re strolling alongside the alleys to the south (on the suitable within the picture above):

Visiting the Eiffel Tower

Now you can buy tickets on-line for all visits by means of August eleventh, aside from distinctive closures on July 14^th for Bastille Day, the morning of July fifteenth, and the Olympics Opening Ceremony on July 26^th.

From July 18th-Twenty fifth, you completely should have a reservation to have the ability to entry the positioning. To complicate issues, there are two choices: buy your timed ticket on-line as traditional to go to the Eiffel Tower, or reserve a free timed ticket to entry the ticket workplace on the Eiffel Tower (the place you’d then be capable of buy your tickets for the go to, so long as there are nonetheless areas left). The second possibility is principally an “possibility to purchase” for many who don’t need to decide to pre-purchasing their tickets. Usually you would roll as much as the ticket counter any given day and simply see what’s accessible on the final minute (I like to recommend going later within the night, as there’s often no line in any respect after 8pm). However because the safety is excessive throughout this time, you want the pre-reserved “entry ticket” to even get to the ticket counter. It kinda removes the entire level of permitting for last-minute flexibility (and likewise doesn’t assure there shall be any spots left), however at the very least in case you change your thoughts you haven’t already shelled out for a paid ticket.

Test the official Eiffel Tower web site for more information: https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/information/go to/visiting-eiffel-tower-and-during-olympic-games

From July Twenty seventh-August eleventh, you should buy tickets on-line or on the ticket counter as traditional. The Eiffel Tower is open throughout its traditional summer time hours.

Caveat Emptor! I often suggest tickets be bought straight by means of the Eiffel Tower web site, since ALL pre-purchased tickets for a particular time slot are “Skip the Line”, I don’t see the purpose in paying twice or thrice that worth to have an underpaid information spout off a bunch of generic anecdotes (you’ll be able to learn them in your cellphone whereas ready for the elevator, a wait you’d nonetheless should endure even with a tour information). This summer time I believe that is doubly necessary to solely buy by means of the official web site since there are such a lot of unknowns surrounding the Olympics, I believe introducing a third-party tour firm into the combination simply appears to be a recipe for catastrophe.

July 14th Bastille Day Fireworks & Live performance

There shall be fireworks from the Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro Gardens at 11pm on July 14^th for the Fête Nationale, however due to the Olympics setup on the Champ-de-Mars and Trocadéro Gardens, you’ll have to look at from one other vantage level in Paris that has a view of the Eiffel Tower (there are various, such because the Carrousel Gardens on the Louvre). The symphonic live performance that often takes place underneath the Eiffel Tower will as an alternative be in entrance of the Hôtel de Ville from 9pm, the place the Olympic Flame shall be lit. Each may be watched totally free on French TV channel France 2 (or on-line at https://www.france.television/france-2/ in case you’re in France).

Round Place de la Concorde and Tuileries

The non permanent stadium on the Place de la Concorde will host a number of Olympic occasions, together with breakdancing, skateboarding, BMX bikes, and three×3 basketball. Right here’s the official picture of what it appears like from afar, the place you’ll be able to see the Luxor Obelisk on the heart (and likewise the bleachers already arrange on the Alexander III Bridge with the golden statues):

It has been progressively lower off from automobile visitors because the spring, though pedestrians and cyclists can nonetheless undergo the north finish of it (from the Rue de Rivoli to the Champs Elysées by way of Avenue Gabriel), so the Hôtel de la Marine, the Cordon Bleu Cooking Faculty, and the Crillion Hôtel are accessible. Rue Royal resulting in Madeleine and the Concorde Bridge (entry to Cours la Reine) stay open. The doorway to the Tuileries Gardens is closed alongside the Place de la Concorde and from the Jardin du Carrousel, however there’s a short lived pedestrian “bridge” accessible on Rue de Rivoli throughout from Rue Castiglione, and on the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor (the footbridge to the Musée d’Orsay).

Can you continue to stroll by means of Tuileries Gardens? By means of July twelfth, solely the principle alley working by means of the Jardin des Tuileries and the east (Louvre) finish of the alley closest to the river are accessible. From July thirteenth till August eleventh your entire Tuileries Gardens shall be closed (thus the “bridge” to go to the Orangerie). The Jardin du Carrousel (the ungated gardens nearer to the Louvre) stay open all summer time.

Listed below are a few of my images (click on to see full dimension) and a graphic:

When you’ve got reserved tickets for the Musée de l’Orangerie (required July 14^th-September 1^st, and really helpful earlier than then), you’ll see the indicators pointing to it from each entrances. The Jeu de Paume is closed till September twenty eighth.

Place de la Concorde will begin reopening to common visitors September 7, and shall be fully open by October 30^th.

Across the Grand Palais & Alexandre-III Bridge

The Grand Palais on the Champs Elysées has been closed the previous 4 years for intensive renovations, however shall be reopening to host the fencing and taekwondo occasions in the course of the Olympic and Paralympic Video games. The Alexandre-III bridge will host the biking, triathlon and marathon swimming occasions of the Olympic Video games, and the para triathlon occasions of the Paralympic Video games.

The realm across the Grand Palais is partially blocked on the west facet, however Avenue Winston Churchill (the road working between it and the Petit Palais) is presently open to pedestrians. Entry to the Petit Palais Positive Arts Museum is open right here, and proper subsequent door is the newly erected boutique for official Paris 2024 Olympics souvenirs (most of them made in China, sigh), on the nook of the Avenue des Champs Elysées and the Avenue Winston Churchill. Listed below are a few of my images from yesterday:

Word: the closest metro station, Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau (Strains 1 and 13), is closed July 20-September 8^th. The close by Franklin D. Roosevelt metro station (Line 9) will stay open all summer time.

The Alexandre-III Bridge nonetheless has a slim space for pedestrians to cross (and I did experience my bike alongside there, though I’m undecided I used to be purported to, lol!), however the huge stands are already arrange on 90% of the bridge. This shall be fully closed to anybody with no ticket in the course of the Opening Ceremony and the week main as much as it July 18-26), and reopen fully to all visitors September 20^th.

The Esplanade des Invalides

The large garden of the Esplanade des Invalides shall be internet hosting the archery occasions and stands for the street biking races. The lawns are fully closed off to the general public, in addition to all the roads that cross it (Avenue Gallieni between Quai d’Orsay and Rue de Grenelle, Rue Saint Dominique and Rue de l’Université between Rue Fabert and Rue Constantine). That is what it appears like in the mean time (my again is to the Seine):

The reopening of the facet streets and esplanade at Invalides will start September 18^th and be fully completed by the top of October. You possibly can enter the Musée de l’Armée and Napoléon’s Tomb at Invalides from Place Vauban or Rue de Grenelle.

The Bridges and Quays of the Seine

Presumably the one actually annoying closure (at the very least for these of us with out automobiles) is the closure of the quays alongside the Seine to arrange the Opening Ceremony bleachers. As a result of now that it’s good out, that’s prime apéro actual property! Listed below are some images from Sunday of Parisians nonetheless having fun with among the quays as preparations for the Opening Ceremony start (click on to see full dimension):

Each shall be fully closed to anybody with no QR code from July 18^th by means of July 26^th, from the Pont d’Austerlitz to the Pont d’Iéna, on each the Left Financial institution and Proper Financial institution. There may also be some disruptions and closures earlier than to get every little thing arrange.

Some Vocabulary

The Decrease Quays (quais bas) are those proper alongside the river, no automobiles are down there, however there are a number of péniche bars. The Higher Quays (quais hauts) are the street-level sidewalks, like the place the bouquiniste ebook sellers are arrange. And ponts are the bridges.

The next bridges shall be open always to pedestrian visitors all through the summer time (aside from a half hour earlier than and in the course of the Opening Ceremony); the Cross Jeux QR code shall be obligatory July 18-26^th:

• Pont des Invalides
• Léopold-Sédar-Senghor footbridge (connecting the Orsay and the Tuileries, pictured beneath)
• Pont Notre-Dame and Petit-Pont Cardinal-Lustiger
• Pont de Sully

Day-by-Day Maps of Open Quays and Bridges

To make it tremendous straightforward to know which quays and bridges are accessible or not on a given day from July 1^st by means of 26^th, Paris Metropolis Corridor made a bunch of visuals for us (click right here if you wish to obtain the full-sized photos in a PDF), scroll proper to see every date:

Coloration codes:
Gray = unaffected
Inexperienced = partially impacted, however open to circulation for everybody
Yellow = partially impacted by closures, however open evenings and weekends
Purple = fully closed aside from residents and institution receiving the general public

Beginning July 27^th, non permanent buildings shall be partially dismantled permitting partial entry, however might final a number of weeks for full entry.

For Cyclists

Formally talking, the cycle routes alongside the Seine and the middle of Paris and Trocadéro shall be interrupted or modified from June 27^th till October. A bit like biking in Paris pre-2019. 😉

Listed below are the principle deviations within the heart of Paris:

• The Berges de la Seine (decrease quays that was once expressways) are closed to cyclists on the Left Financial institution between Pont d’Iéna and Pont Royal (principally the Eiffel Tower till the Musée d’Orsay), and on the Proper Financial institution between the Pont Louis Philipe (Marais) and the Senghor footbridge (Tuileries), together with the Tuileries tunnel.
• The Proper Financial institution Cours la Reine and the bike path alongside the Seine on each banks from the Pont des Invalides to the Debilly footbridge are additionally closed, however there are supposedly indicators displaying a deviation for cyclists, don’t experience your bike on the expressway!
• The 2-way cycle path on the Left Financial institution higher quays shall be closed between the Pont de la Concorde and the Pont Royal. Bicycles shall be prohibited towards the stream of visitors (in direction of St-Michel) on this part, with a diversion by way of rue de Lille and rue de Beaune (yesterday I noticed the indicators already painted on the road displaying this deviation).

I rode my bike round Paris from the Pont d’Austerlitz to the Place de la Concorde, crossed the Pont Alexandre III and again alongside the higher quay bike paths. In the event you’re driving in direction of Concorde alongside Rue de Rivoli, you’ll begin seeing indicators for bike owner deviations once you attain the Louvre. Essentially the most sophisticated space is round Place de la Concorde and Pont Alexandre III, however in case you’re going to the Champs Elysées simply comply with Avenue Gabriel then down Avenue de Marigny, as proven within the fifth picture beneath:

I really rode my bike down the Avenue Winston Churchill (proper previous the police filter on the Champs Elysées) after which throughout the Pont Alexandre III (slowly, as a result of it’s clearly simply purported to be for pedestrians now). They’ll in all probability ultimately begin imposing the bike owner deviation to the Pont des Invalides. This being Paris, cyclists will go wherever nobody (or factor) bodily prevents them from going.

 Sorry, I didn’t even try to cycle to Trocadéro from the 13^th arrondissement, an excessive amount of hill for my leg-powered Dutch bike (perhaps subsequent week). The deviations there appear fairly simple, although, as proven on this graphic:

I observed there have been plenty of newly painted bike path markers as talked about above, which can present the deviations. When doubtful, particularly if there are two conflicting bike instructions, comply with the one that appears freshly painted! 😉

I summarized this biking information from the official web page right here (warning: the English model isn’t updated): https://www.paris.fr/pages/des-circulations-velo-modifiees-pour-l-organisation-des-jeux-26937

Olympics Q&A Classes with Heather

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For particular information on public transport, QR codes, navigating restricted zones, and the apps you need to obtain, learn “Getting Round Paris Throughout the Olympics”