To start with, it is worth highlighting that these facilities comprise 82 buildings, housing 3,000 flats with a total of 7,200 rooms. It is a gigantic network spanning 52 hectares that took three years to construct and has the capacity to accommodate around 14,500 visitors. From these numbers, an inevitable question arises: what will athletes find in all this space?

Comfortable and sustainable accommodation

Continuing with the figures, contrary to what one might expect, the Olympic Village offers its guests a very comfortable stay. The flats, designed for up to eight people, feature double rooms of 12 square metres. To equip the beds, 16,000 mattresses, adjustable in firmness and available in four different densities, have been purchased. These will be donated to various organisations once the Games are over to have a second life. The beds, with bases made of cardboard, measure 2 metres by 90 centimetres by default and can extend up to 30 centimetres more.

To decorate the 3,000 flats, 345,000 pieces of furniture were needed, many of which will be reused or recycled when the time comes, as will the rest of the furnishings, such as poufs made from parachute fabric and tables made from badminton shuttlecocks.

"The Paris 2024 Olympic Village is an example of the city of the future. We have met the deadlines and the budget, demonstrating that it is possible to combine innovation, sustainability, and comfort for the athletes," said Emmanuel Macron during the inauguration of the complex.

Training and fitness facilities

In addition to accommodation, the site offers multiple training and fitness facilities. Athletes can train in up to seven different sports on the available courts: basketball, 3x3 basketball, breakdancing, handball, fencing, weightlifting, and wrestling. These spaces are located in the studios of the Cité du Cinéma and are fully equipped to meet the athletes' needs. Furthermore, the Fitness Centre, open 24 hours a day, features 100 weight machines and a total of 350 sports equipment items in an area of over 3,000 square metres.

The Village has also reserved 800 square metres for relaxation after physical exercise. The Village Club includes a large sunny terrace, a relaxation bubble with massage chairs, an arcade video game area, and a table football, as well as the social area, which incorporates giant TV screens, a stage, and a central bar. "We have created an environment where athletes can train in optimal conditions, with state-of-the-art facilities that allow them to prepare for the competition in the best possible way," said Tony Estanguet, President of the Organising Committee.

Gastronomy and sustainability

The culinary offer at the Olympic Village is also impressive, designed to satisfy the diets of all athletes. The culinary team, consisting of 200 chefs, has created 500 different recipes to promote more responsible eating and showcase the delights of French cuisine. Mostly local and seasonal products are used, with 80% of the ingredients sourced from France, from producers located just a few dozen kilometres away.

The main restaurant of the Village has 3,200 seats and provides 40,000 meals daily, making it the largest in the world. An impressive setup to cater to thousands of athletes and various staff. This space is complemented by six takeaway food outlets. The most notable is the Grab & Go XXL, with a large outdoor terrace of 500 square metres. Additionally, there are Grab & Go areas along the main routes of the complex, ensuring that athletes have access to quick food options.

Committed to sustainability, the Paris 2024 organisation has also installed 200 beverage fountains with Coca-Cola to halve the use of single-use plastic. The Olympic Village restaurant will be free of bottles made from this material, demonstrating an effort to reduce the event's ecological footprint.

Special services

Beyond these essential aspects, the Olympic Village has also considered providing other additional services to enhance the wellbeing of its residents. The facilities include 12 laundrettes and 600 washing machines that will perform around 60,000 washes during the Games. In addition, there is a beauty salon run by the French hairdresser Raphaël Perrier, offering more than 20 haircuts and manicure and barber services. A novelty of this edition is the installation of a nursery, known as the Family Space, equipped with a nappy-changing table, a breastfeeding area, and a play area.

Healthcare is provided by the Village's polyclinic, which covers 3,500 square metres and includes a pharmacy, a blood extraction room, an emergency department, and several rooms for various medical specialities. It is estimated that around 700 people will pass through this space each day. A recovery area with 18 cold baths is also part of the setting.

It's a Village that was built by athletes, for athletes,” explained Laurent Michaud, Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Village for Paris 2024. “We've been able to provide all these services in an optimal way so that the athletes have only one thing to do, and that is to focus on their competitions

Commitment to the environment

Designed for the climatic conditions of 2050, the Village brings various sustainable initiatives. It features 6 hectares of green spaces and a wastewater recovery and treatment system. Its extensive gardens represent 40 percent of the complex's total area, with 9,000 trees and shrubs planted. "It is a very high proportion that will allow areas of relaxation and refreshment," said Charles Richard-Molard, Deputy Director in charge of public spaces at Solideo.

Regarding the use of renewable energy, a 400-square-metre floating solar plant has been set up to provide electricity to 94 flats. These do not require air conditioning to keep residents cool, as they achieve indoor temperatures 6 degrees Celsius lower than those outside. To facilitate the athletes' transport, 55 buses and a fleet of 100% electric vehicles are available. 80% of the Olympic and Paralympic venues are within 10 kilometres of the Village, ensuring quick and efficient journeys.

Post-games transformation

After the Games, the Village will be transformed into a vibrant urban neighbourhood. It will house 2,500 new homes, a student residence, a hotel, and a three-hectare park. Offices, city services, and local shops will also be built, turning the area into a lasting legacy for the city. “It will not only be a temporary home for athletes but also a model of sustainability, innovation, and comfort”, emphasised Macron.