How to survive Paris during the 2024 Olympics

Other than the picturesque streets, aromatic cafes, and stray cyclists, the French capital may even be swarming with spectators—over 15 million are simply arriving for the Paris Video games. 

That’s along with locals and different French residents touring to the capital from completely different components of the nation. 

For the uninitiated, Paris could be a lot. Just lately, town has grappled with a mattress bug outbreak, dengue scares, petty crime, public transport employees’ strikes, and extra. 

Given the dual recognition of the Olympics and Paris, surviving (and thriving) within the metropolis can really feel like laborious work. Though Paris acquired a really feel for managing huge crowds that flocked to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert events earlier this yr, the Olympics and Paralympics may have town buzzing with exercise over an prolonged interval. 

However fret not—Fortune spoke to tourism, insurance coverage, banking, and tradition consultants for his or her tips about navigating town and having an incredible expertise.    

Getting round

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Like its different huge metropolis friends, Paris has an notorious site visitors drawback. Within the lead-up to the Olympics, a number of hotspots within the metropolis will likely be cordoned off, limiting taxi entry. 

“The largest pitfall goes to be the site visitors. It is going to be very laborious to search out your manner round it, which is why being centrally situated at an ideal resort is the important thing,” stated Jonathan Alder, founding father of journey administration firm Jonathan’s Travels. 

“This stage of crowds goes to be a problem for Paris, particularly with regards to site visitors and crowding. For friends keen to pay for the highest hospitality packages, they’ve created a workaround with a particular site visitors lane that may solely be obtainable to particular autos,” Alder informed Fortune.

If you happen to plan to go to different components of France earlier than attending to Paris, he cautions in opposition to connecting through a significant Paris airport—whether or not Charles de Gaulle Airport or Paris-Orly. 

Whereas cabs (identifiable with a “taxi” signal on their hoods) are very a lot an choice, public transport continues to be one of the simplest ways to get across the metropolis. Highway and station closures might hamper some routes, so the RATP and Public Transport Paris 2024 apps will likely be your pals for real-time updates on what’s working and what’s not. Additionally, preserve your eyes and ears open in case of any protests within the areas you’re heading to. Don’t overlook to depart sufficient buffer time for delays. 

Different secure options embody carpooling, renting cycles (a Vélib go might be useful), and exploring areas by foot.  

Uber is providing free ferries throughout the Seine River from July 12 to August 3 along with taxis.

Watch out for your Euros

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When in Paris, watch out for how and the place you entry your cash. Vacationers habitually convert native currencies to their residence forex to search out one of the best offers in purchasing and shopping for meals. The implication? Trade charges change every day, even when solely by a small share, and it prices to make use of your private home forex in the event you aren’t cautious.

At all times have some (however not rather a lot) euros helpful and ensure to transact solely in euros even when bank card machines immediate you in any other case, London-based fintech agency Sensible stated in a report about getting ready for the Paris Olympics. It additionally warns in opposition to resorting to airport or resort exchanges, which intentionally cost you extra.

“Airports and motels cater to a captive viewers. Their change providers will replicate this in

their increased charges and poorer charges,” the report stated. 

Different prompt ideas embody having backup fee choices in case your major card fails and checking if your private home financial institution has any associates in France that’ll soak up among the transaction charges.   

There’s one other factor individuals want to pay attention to when exploring the streets of Paris—the pickpockets. 

“With extra vacationers within the metropolis, there could also be a rise in petty crime and scams focusing on guests,” stated Johannes Thomas, the CEO of German-based journey platform Trivago, citing the instance of “the friendship bracelet rip-off” at points of interest like Sacre-Coeur. 

“Keep away from flashing any valuables or money which will draw detrimental consideration. Moreover, keep away from road performers or road video games, particularly [ones] involving cash, as this will typically be a deliberate distraction to arrange a pickpocket.”

Higher secure than sorry

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There’s no straightforward manner out with the crowds, regardless of the place in Paris you go. So, it’s in all probability greatest to embrace it, Thomas stated.

“Count on overcrowding, lengthy strains and overwhelmed providers at in style vacationer points of interest just like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and different main websites. Anticipate elevated costs. Lodging, meals and transportation prices are inclined to spike throughout main occasions. Guests might face considerably increased costs, particularly for motels and short-term leases in central Paris,” he added. 

Planning journeys throughout peak journey season typically brings uncertainties—delays, last-minute cancellations, misplaced baggage, and extra. It’s difficult to arrange for every of those eventualities, however journey insurance coverage will be the important thing to feeling extra in command of your journey.

Individuals might face three sorts of dangers when touring: monetary, medical and journey, Rajeev Shrivastava, founder and CEO of VisitorsCoverage, a journey and medical insurance market, informed Fortune. 

“Individuals [who] are making these journeys have made some heavy investments, together with their tickets and the keep,” Shrivastava stated. 

The dangers of impromptu cancellations, peak summer time warmth, and rampant petty crime might change into pointless stressors in a long-anticipated journey. That’s the place journey insurance coverage might help—it lifts the burden off guests, defending them in case of unexpected losses. 

“Many insurance coverage insurance policies have protection for a lot of of those occasions,” Shrivastava stated, including that insurance coverage is a instrument that individuals think about with various levels of seriousness, relying on how a lot they’ve traveled. 

Shrivastava says one other manner to make sure security is to have emergency contacts who vacationers can contact. 

“Let your loved ones stay knowledgeable [or] whoever you imagine and belief about the place you’re, the place you’re touring to, and what of transportation you’re taking,” he stated.       

When in France… strive being French? 

Westend61—Getty Photos

Cruising your manner by Paris isn’t nearly getting on the proper bus or staying in the proper neighborhood. It’s additionally about taking in among the tradition and mixing into town the place you’ll be able to. Noel Wolf, a language instructor and cultural skilled at language studying platform Babbel, thinks studying some fundamental phrases could be a game-changer. 

“Not solely does having the ability to talk within the native language facilitate cultural connection, however it’s essential for protecting vacationers secure in high-stress, large-scale occasions such because the Olympics,” Wolf stated. 

Brushing up in your French may even turn out to be useful when asking for instructions or searching for assist, making you are feeling extra secure. Individuals are inclined to remorse not figuring out the native language, including to the stress of journey, Babbel present in a survey.

“Vacationers may even have to familiarize themselves with the geography and public transportation in Paris, so within the occasion of an emergency or getting separated from their journey companions, attendees can have a common thought of the place they’re throughout the metropolis and navigate their manner again residence,” Wolf stated. 

Different etiquette ideas, comparable to saying “Bonjour” and protecting a low voice at eating places, are additionally useful to recollect. 

And with that, you need to be all set for a Parisian summer time. Secure travels, or because the French would say, bon voyage!