This is a highly symbolic moment, particularly because it confirms that everything is ready for the Parisian event to commence, and also because it marks the start of operations for facilities that took three years to build and have the capacity to accommodate around 14.000 visitors. According to the organisers, the most punctual delegations will take possession of their accommodations within hours.

While it is true that the doors officially opened today, the Olympic Village has been busy for the past week with the heads of each delegation and their teams preparing for the arrival of their respective countries. "It will be from Thursday that the Village will start to fill up and come to life", declared André-Pierre Goubert, the deputy head of the French delegation, a few days ago.

Almost in advance, representatives from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Japan, and the Netherlands have been at the complex for a few days now, finalising the details to ensure their teams’ stay is as pleasant as possible. The delegations from Colombia, Thailand, and Australia were the first to arrive this morning.

According to Goubert, other nations such as the United States, Brazil, and Switzerland will arrive today to begin their logistics and preparations. "It looks great, we are very excited to be inside and for it to start", said Stephanie Kershaw from the Australian field hockey team to AFP.

Extensive staff

The Organising Committee has worked intensively to ensure that all facilities are prepared and in optimal condition. Laurent Michaud, the Village director, confirmed that there are still some details to be finalised, especially those related to cleaning and conditioning the spaces.

The Olympic Village, located on a 52-hectare area between Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen and Ile Saint-Denis north of Paris, is designed to accommodate up to 14.500 people at peak occupancy. Of these, 9,000 will be athletes, while the rest will consist of 4.000 employees responsible for cleaning and catering, and 1.500 volunteers dedicated to assisting the delegations daily and ensuring everything runs smoothly. "It will be like a real beehive," Michaud predicts.

Host advantages

As the host country, France, through its women's water polo team, will participate in the opening ceremony scheduled for today. Specifically, about thirty people will be responsible for inaugurating the building dedicated to the local delegation, as detailed by Goubert. Likewise, being the organiser of the Olympic Games, France had the advantage of choosing this building from all those available, which is near the restaurant in the City of Cinema, next to the Village polyclinic.

The 573 athletes and 51 substitutes that make up the French delegation will also have other privileges, such as benefiting from a private training room of 170 square metres—the Village offers another communal one—and a common room with a giant television screen, board games, and table football.

The Village

The Olympic Village comprises 82 buildings housing 3.000 flats with a total of 7.200 rooms. Among its facilities are a medical clinic, a gym available at all times, and a catering service capable of serving up to 60.000 meals daily. This project has been designed with a focus on sustainability, achieving a 30% reduction in carbon footprint, a key indicator of greenhouse gases.

The organizers are proud to offer an Olympic Village that, they say, does not require air conditioning to keep the residents cool. The facilities maintain temperatures inside that are 6 degrees Celsius lower than outside. Nevertheless, some delegations such as the United States have ordered their own air conditioning units.

After the Games, the area will be transformed into a new neighbourhood. 2.500 homes, a student residence, a hotel, a park with three hectares of gardens and almost seven additional hectares of green spaces will be built. Additionally, 120.000 square metres of offices, community services, and 3.200 square metres of local shops are planned.