France | Paris 2024 Olympics
We headed back to France, this time for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, in Paris! Attending the Olympics in Paris was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From thrilling sporting events to unexpected adventures under the Eiffel Tower, it was a week packed with friends, laughs, excitement, discovery, and, of course, a little French charm.
View of the Eiffel Tower from the metro.
Special Guests!
This part of our adventure wouldn’t have been possible if not for our Florida based friends, Pauly and Adriane. The night we told them of our travel sabbatical plans, over dinner, they quickly noted they had two extra tickets to the Paris Olympics. The tickets were ours if we wanted to join the trip. That was a quick and easy YES! from the Hannahs.
Also, part of the gang were long time friends of Pauly and Adriane’s: Matt and Annie (NYC based). For a random group of new friends we all got along well and had a wonderful time exploring Paris and taking in the Olympics.
The Gang in Paris France: Olympic Style!
Paris Hosted Well!
Paris proved to be an incredible host city. Getting around was a breeze thanks to excellent public transportation—whether by train, metro, or bus. Every Olympic venue had clear signs and helpful hosts who were more than happy to assist with directions, or answer any questions we had. It felt like the city was rolling out the red carpet to welcome visitors from around the world.
But here’s an interesting twist: once you stepped away from the venues, it didn’t feel like the Olympics were happening at all. If you weren’t at an event, you might not even know the world’s biggest sporting spectacle was happening. It’s something we didn’t expect, but it added a surreal contrast to the vibrant Olympic atmosphere inside the event spaces.
Top Left: Illuminated Eiffel Tower; Top Right: Stade de France for Track and Field; Bottom Left: View of the sunrising over Paris from our apartment; Bottom Right: The Olympic Cauldron and Flame
Highlights
Eurorail from London to Paris
The trip was smooth and easy—until we had to deal with a last-minute cancellation. But we made it to Paris in time for a cozy dinner across the street from our hotel, kicking off the trip on the right note.
Women’s Indoor Volleyball
We attended the Netherlands vs. Turkey match, and the energy in the arena was electric! The hype team worked their magic, and by 9 a.m., the crowd was roaring. Afterward, we enjoyed a quintessential Parisian lunch of sandwiches and wine in the park, followed by exploring Olympic-themed sites in the city.
Men’s Basketball in Lille
We didn’t realize Lille was a two-hour train ride from Paris, but the journey gave us a chance to explore this charming town. A hilarious encounter with a server who asked if we were playing in the Olympics left us laughing, but the highlight was watching France take on Japan. The home crowd was alive with passion, and the game itself was intense—don’t sleep on Japan’s basketball team!
Exploring the Marais District
We spent the evening dining with friends in the vibrant Marais district, soaking in the local atmosphere.
Musée d’Orsay and the Eiffel Tower
While our friends explored the Musée d’Orsay, we set up a little workspace in the museum’s top-floor restaurant, behind the giant clock, which made for a cool and productive setting. The Musée d’Orsay is much more digestible than the Louvre but just as stunning.
The day ended with a walk to the Eiffel Tower, where we hoped to catch its dazzling nighttime lights. However, we were caught in a surprise downpour! While it sounds like a tourist nightmare, it ended up being a funny and memorable moment. Our friend Pauly saved the day with unused trash bags (who knew they could double as raincoats?), and we all managed to stay somewhat dry. It’s one of those stories we’ll be laughing about for years!
Montmartre and Track and Field
A visit to the iconic Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur brought some sightseeing before we headed back to the Stade de France for an unforgettable track and field event. We witnessed a medal ceremony for race walking from the previous day, and a world record in the first mixed-gender 4x400m relay. If that weren’t enough, during one of the longer races, one woman was at least a lap behind the rest of the pack. They all hit the finish line and the crowd then began cheering loudly for this remaining athlete until she too crossed the finish. It was exactly what you hope the Olympics would be about, and a fitting way to wrap up our Olympic journey.
Paris Collage of Experiences
Things We Learned
Double-Check Event Locations: When purchasing tickets for Olympic events, make sure to know where they are located! Olympic venues aren’t always in the city center. For example, a train from Paris to Lille took us two hours for a basketball match, a journey we didn’t realize would be quite so long.
Never Underestimate an Olympian: Every athlete we saw brought their A-game, no matter their ranking or country. It’s a reminder that at the Olympics, every competitor is at the top of their field—and they all come to play! Even if they are outmatched by their competitors, everyone deserves to be respected and cheered on for their efforts. I know I can’t make it to the Olympics!
France Rocks: The food, the culture, the atmosphere—France was a delight! And even outside of Paris, we found charm and beauty in places like Lille.
From the vibrant streets of Paris to the unexpected adventures and sporting highlights, our time at the 2024 Summer Olympics was nothing short of spectacular. The mix of world-class competition, local charm, and shared memories with friends made for an experience we will treasure forever.
Valerie and Jeremy in Parisian Gardens
Cheers (Sante!) to Paris for hosting, to the athletes for inspiring, and to our next adventure!
Now…Where To Next?
