I can’t believe I’m even saying this, but...I just came back from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Baby Hannah glued to her screen watching Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson would flip at that sentence, lemme tell ya.) No, I was not attending as an athlete—though my step count while there might convince you otherwise—but I still got to soak up all the pride, energy, and excitement as a spectator (and journalist, hi) throughout the first five days of the 33rd Olympiad.
I was invited by Delta, a Team USA sponsor and the airline bringing all U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and their coaches to Paris this summer (can confirm there was a U.S. men's tennis player behind me on my way home!). They hooked me up with flights and accommodations, plus tickets to four events, Team USA House, and the opening ceremony (!!!). Needless to say, I got a full taste of what the Olympics are truly about, and I’m here to give you the breakdown in case you (a) are heading there soon, (b) have been debating buying tickets (yes, they’re still avail!), or (c) just want to live vicariously from the comfort of your couch. Scroll down to find everything you need to know about being in Paris right now for the 2024 Olympic Games.
THE JOURNEY
As I mentioned, I flew to Paris just like an Olympic athlete: via Delta. I actually took my first-ever daytime flight to Europe, leaving at 8 a.m. from JFK (after spotting Spike Lee in the new Delta One lounge 👀) and arriving at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) around 9 p.m. Paris time. I didn’t know how I was gonna feel about that timeline, because sleeping on planes is my superpower, but I honestly think it did wonders for my jetlag. I was in Delta One, meaning I had a lie-flat seat, a multicourse meal, and plenty of champagne at the ready (I’m genuinely screwed for all other flights, henceforth), so I took a quick nap in the air and was still sleepy enough to go to bed at a normal time in Paris.
If you’re looking to book a last-minute flight to the Games, which run until August 11, Delta is probably gonna be your best bet too—they fly directly to Paris from 11 hubs and cities across the U.S. and are running their largest-ever trans-Atlantic schedule to keep up with all the people wanting to skip town and scurry off to Europe this summer (relatable). Don’t have the funds for Delta One? I’ve flown their premium and regular economy classes in the past and always had a great experience—especially because many of their flights offer free Wi-Fi now. They also serve Biscoff cookies, so there’s that.
THE OVERALL VIBE
Paris always has an air of magic to it, and that feeling was tenfold when I arrived in the city on the 24th, two days before the Games officially began (*insert “...Ready for It” intro here*). You could sense the excitement even at the airport, with exhausted passengers already donning apparel from their home countries and languages from across the globe harmonizing in the baggage hall.
The city center was no different when I ventured out the next morning. Store windows were stocked with Olympic merch, every sign seemed to be embellished with the Paris 2024 logo, and people just seemed happy to be there (a stark contrast from the NYC I left behind!!!). Every block or two, I’d pass someone with an International Olympic Committee lanyard, and it would hype me the hell up for what was to come.
I also passed oodles of security personnel—like, more than I’ve ever seen in my entire life—especially when I got closer to Olympic event spaces, like around the Seine and City Hall. I must admit that I felt very safe the entire time I was there knowing just how much planning had gone into protecting the city and athletes throughout the Games. And as an incredibly anxious girlie, I’ve gotta raise a glass to France for that.
As for the French people...honestly, it seemed like a lot of locals fled town for the Olympics. Which makes sense, because most Europeans vacation in August anyway. There definitely were plenty of French fans at every event I went to, though, all of whom seemed to be having a grand ol’ time. A few told me that while locals were annoyed about the hullabaloo surrounding the Games at first, most were just proud to show off their city now that it had finally arrived.
THE OPENING CEREMONY
This year, for the first time ever, the public was able to purchase tickets to see the Opening Ceremony, and I was one of the lucky bunch with seats along the Seine watching the events unfold. ICYMI, the Opening Ceremony kicked off the Games on July 26, with performances by Lady Gaga, Aya Nakamura, and Céline Dion. Nearly 7,000 Olympic athletes from 205 countries traveled down the Seine by boat, and the Olympic torch made its way from the Eiffel Tower to the Jardin des Tuileries over the course of several hours. And despite sitting in the absolute pouring rain to watch it take place, I can honestly say it was life-changing.
I sat front row on a set of bleachers in between the Eiffel Tower and the bridge in which a fashion show took place mid-event (if you watched, you’ll get it), and there was a large screen across the water that showed us what people were seeing on TV. (Because yes, there was a lot going on all over the city.) I remember thinking the sound system they had in place was absolutely incredible, because I could feel every music note in my body—especially when Céline rolled up and wowed the world with a performance of “The Power of the Dream” after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in 2022. Chills! And not just from the rain!!! I shed a tear several times and texted my mom when I left saying, “There’s no way any other Opening Ceremony has ever topped that.” She agreed.
THE EVENTS
In addition to the Opening Ceremony, my app was loaded with tickets to skateboarding, swimming, artistic gymnastics, and beach volleyball. Unfortunately, skateboarding got postponed because of rain, but the excitement of the other three events more than made up for it. I had, to put it lightly, the time of my life watching each and every sport, and I now totally get why people get addicted to going to the Olympics.
I expected bananas-busy crowds getting into all of the stadiums, but we breezed right into all three of the venues: Paris La Défense Arena for swimming, Arena Bercy for gymnastics, and Stade Tour Eiffel for beach volleyball. I also found it interesting that the lines were pretty short for all the food and drink stands throughout the venues—perhaps because they don’t sell alcohol at any Olympic events (le gasp!). This seemed wild to me at first, but I kinda loved knowing that the crowds were all sober but still so spirited.
Swimming was a unique experience, because you immediately knew who was winning and who was losing, so the rush of each race made me feel like I was boutta be on the blocks myself. (Flashbacks from high school swim team? Perhaps.) I swear there were also no bad seats in that arena—ours were pretty high up, and I could still see the facial expressions (and chiseled abs) on every swimmer. The same was true of the gymnastics stadium—unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the American ladies compete (don’t worry, I watched on TV), but the arena was intimate enough to see and appreciate every flip, spin, and chalk grab from the beyond talented athletes.
Now, I knew that beach volleyball was gonna be something special, because the stadium is right smack dab in front of the Eiffel Tower, but nothing could have prepared me for how goddamn sick that was. First of all, the crowd was absolutely electric, despite all three matches we saw that night being qualifiers, and a DJ kept everyone hyped up. The Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour on the hour after nightfall, and watching it light up while the U.S.’s Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng clinched a W was a core memory I’ll never shake. Future grandkids: Sorry not sorry when I tell you about it a million times.
THE LEWKS
Did I google “What to wear to the Olympics” approximately 12 times before I packed? Yes. Yes, I did. Was there a clear answer? Nah. So I’m here to give you the truth: There’s no dress code for the Olympics, and you’ll see people dressed in a variety of different styles, from patriotic as hell (I did see several red, white, and blue rhinestoned cowboy hats) to Parisian chic. I would say most people opted for a cute athleisure look, but some dressed things up a bit with a blazer, dress, or tailored pants paired with a mini flag, hat, or pin from their home country.
I had a few pieces from Ralph Lauren’s Team USA collection that I cycled through (I got stopped on the street and asked about the white baseball jacket at least 15 times), but otherwise, I tried to go with comfy, casual basics in the red, white, and blue family. Always with my white sneakers or Birkenstocks, because—and I still can’t stress this enough—you’re gonna walk.
If you’re looking for some inspo—whether you’re watching from home or abroad—we put together this article on the best Paris Olympics merch on the internet rn. Or you can shop some pieces that I would cop if I were to go back right here:
Nike Nike G.T. Cut 3 Basketball Shoes
Free People Movement All Clear Rib Crop Camisole
TEAM USA HOUSE
Another first for these Olympics? The public being able to enter Team USA House, which is typically reserved for American athletes and their loved ones. This year, Team USA House has become a fan experience of sorts, where Americans in Paris can gather to drink, shop, hang out, watch events together on TV, and catch daily programming, like athlete interviews and medal celebrations. It’s located in the historic Palais Brongniart, and I can confirm it’s pretty damn palatial. You kinda feel like you’re in a fancy museum that Uncle Sam threw up in (you know, in the best way possible).
I visited on the 25th, before the Games officially began, so there wasn’t a ton going on quite yet, but I have seen shots of the crowds going wild in there since I’ve come back home! I personally had a blast shopping in the exclusive Team USA gift shop (no crowds!), where Nike, Ralph Lauren, and more set out their 2024 swag. I went pretty crazy in the Ralph Lauren section because I am the best daughter/sister/fiancée ever, but couldn’t pull the trigger on the €1,300 jacket I fell in love with below. Beyoncé has the same one, but, unfortunately, she is in a different tax bracket than I am and my rent was due.
Other cool things inside? Locks signed by American athletes (I spent a long time looking for Coco Gauff ’s and Simone Biles’s), some comfy lounges (including one from Delta), and a Ralph’s Coffee outpost serving café drinks and their signature soft-serve ice cream.
This seems like a good time to mention that tickets to get inside the experience cost €325 a pop, which is definitely a lot. But if you are really patriotic and want to watch events with other Team USA diehards—and maybe even some athletes!—then it’ll be worth every penny.
ACCOMMODATIONS
I’m not going to lie to you right now: If you don’t already have a hotel or Airbnb booked for the month of August in Paris, the pickings are gonna be slim—and more pricey than normal. But that doesn’t mean they’re not out there! Accommodations are still available if you’re willing to put in some $$ and the effort to peruse—plus, the Olympic Games website has some tips and tricks for those looking to book close to some of the major venues. My best advice? If you can’t find something central, look near a metro (aka subway) station.
I stayed at the M Social Hotel in the 9th arrondissement, and it was petite but perfect for an Olympic adventure. It was a quick block from the closest metro, had free breakfast (you will need fuel!), and pumped out actually good air conditioning all day long. (Some European hotels say they have AC but are still boiling hot in the summer, IYKYK.) Oh, and it was also super close to the hotel where the U.S. men’s basketball is staying, so I spotted a couple of famous faces while heading in and out. Someone in my group spotted Lebron, and it’s probably good for my nervous system that I did not.
GETTING AROUND
Paris is a super-walkable city, and you should def plan to go by foot as much as you can if you’re visiting for the Games (did I mention I hit 20K steps one day?). That said, I also highly recommend taking the metro and biking—and Google Maps makes it easy to get all the info you need to do both.
For the metro, you’ll need to buy a tap card at either a ticket desk or machine in the station, since they aren’t set up with Apple Pay quite yet. But I promise it’s not hard and there are plenty of friendly volunteers wearing purple Paris 2024 vests walking around helping tourists get where they need to go. If you’d prefer to bike, you can use Vélib, which is similar to Citi Bike in NYC, for grab-and-go rides. There are 1,464 docking points in the city (that’s one every 300 meters!) and you can buy a single 45-minute ride for just €3 using the app or with your credit/debit card at a docking station.
I will say I assumed heavy traffic would make Ubering a no-go, but it truly wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be—even after major events. Paris definitely prepared for the worst in terms of crowds (for people and cars) and somehow kept everything moving smoothly. I never took an Uber while I was there, but I actually think it’s a valid option if you need to—just factor in a little extra time in case traffic does sneak up on you.
THE WEATHER
Paris is feeling spicy this summer, I’ll tell ya that much. It stayed in the high 70s—complete with plenty of humidity and rain showers (you saw the opening ceremony, right?)—while I was in town, and has been in the 90s in the few days since I left. Do yourself a favor and dress appropriately if you visit, with breezy ’fits (linen, baby, lineeen), portable fans, and umbrellas and raincoats. Most of the venues are pretty warm as well—especially those with pools—so plan accordingly. Like I said, the AC doesn’t always hit like you want it to in Europe.
THE MERCH
You’ll find Olympic-inspired pieces at stores across the U.S. right now (Gap! Old Navy! PacSun!), but you can snag official Paris 2024 products at several outposts in the City of Love (full list here for ya) as well as at some event venues. Visa is the only card accepted throughout the Olympics, so def keep that in mind!
If you want to go on a full spree—which, of course you do, because you’ll need souvenirs for yourself and everyone you’ve ever spoken to—you’ll want to head to Megastore Paris 2024, located at Place Clemenceau. It has the best selection of clothing items, kids’ toys, commemorative pins and plaques, posters, and more. If Team USA–specific merch is what you’re after, pop on over to Team USA House.
THE TICKETS
It’s 2024 now, so naturally all tickets for events related to the Games are managed in an app, aptly named “Paris 2024 Olympics” on the app store. You can purchase tickets to upcoming events there—up to 30 tickets per person and up to 6 tickets per session—plus see everything you’ve already snagged. There are daily ticket drops and a resale platform within the app, and as of right now, there are still seats available!
Tickets start at €15 for events like football, but some swimming events and the Closing Ceremonies will cost you closer to the thousands. The price is really gonna depend on whether it’s a qualifier or final, and if the sport or country playing is popular. Keep that in mind if you’re tryna catch one of the GOATs.
Click on a ticket within the app and it’ll show you all the important details (including the location and specifics on what you’ll be seeing), let you transfer your ticket to another person, or pull up the QR code you need to enter the event. Everything was self-explanatory and worked smoothly for me, which always seems like a miracle. (Is it just me, or do you always get anxious about your ticket not scanning ahead of a big event?)
THE FINAL VERDICT
This probably goes without saying, but my goodness, if you have the opportunity to go to the Paris 2024 Olympics...run, don’t walk (or at least race walk). Despite everything happening across the globe right now, seeing people come together peacefully in the name of sports was a beautiful thing. It really was. There’s an energy in the air I don’t think you can duplicate outside of the Olympics (though I will say the Eras Tour came close, lol), and getting the chance to cut it up with other eager fans from every continent is something I’ll never forget. Am I already plotting how to get a press pass for L.A. ’28? Definitely not no.
