Paris Olympic Venues You Can Visit Now: A Paris 2024 Legacy Guide (2026)
The Paris 2024 Olympics closed on 11 August 2024, but many Paris Olympic venues are still open to visitors. Stade de France runs daily guided tours (about €16–18.50 for adults), the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis has been open to the public since 2025, and the Grand Palais fully reopened in June 2025. In summer 2026 the Seine had three free swimming spots (4 July–30 August), and the balloon cauldron is due back in the Tuileries for a final season in summer 2027.
Key takeaways
- The Paris 2024 Olympics ran from 26 July to 11 August 2024, followed by the Paralympics from 28 August to 8 September.
- The Stade de France guided tour lasts about 1 hour 30 minutes, needs booking in advance and doesn't run on event days.
- In 2026 the Seine had three public swimming spots (Bras Marie, Bercy and Grenelle): free, no booking, ages 14 and over.
- The balloon cauldron stood in the Tuileries Garden from 21 June to 14 September 2026; organisers say summer 2027 will be its last season.
- Temporary venues such as the beach volleyball stadium and the urban sports park at Place de la Concorde were dismantled after the Games.
Can you visit the Paris Olympic venues now? Venue status in 2026
Yes, but only the permanent venues; every temporary venue has been taken down. About 95% of Paris 2024 venues were existing or temporary facilities, so the legacy sites you can actually visit are mostly in Saint-Denis and along the Seine in central Paris.
| Venue | 2024 Olympic events | Status in 2026 | How to visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stade de France (Saint-Denis) | Athletics, rugby sevens | Football, rugby and concert venue | Paid guided tour, or a match ticket |
| Olympic Aquatics Centre (Saint-Denis) | Diving, artistic swimming, water polo | Open to the public since 2025; hosted the 2026 European Aquatics Championships | Pay to swim |
| Grand Palais (8th) | Fencing, taekwondo | Renovation finished; fully reopened June 2025 | Exhibition ticket |
| Pont Alexandre III (7th/8th) | Triathlon, marathon swimming | Ordinary bridge | Free to walk across |
| Tuileries Garden (1st) | Olympic cauldron | Cauldron returns in summer only | Free daytime visit, evening ascent |
| Adidas Arena (18th) | Badminton, rhythmic gymnastics | Home of Paris Basketball and a concert venue | Game or show ticket |
| Palace of Versailles | Equestrian, modern pentathlon | Temporary arena removed; palace open as usual | Palace and gardens ticket |
| Eiffel Tower Stadium (Champ de Mars) | Beach volleyball | Temporary venue removed | Visit the tower and park only |
| Place de la Concorde (8th) | Skateboarding, breaking, BMX freestyle, 3x3 basketball | Temporary venue removed | Visit the square only |
The Eiffel Tower is in the 7th arrondissement (not the 5th or 6th). The Olympic rings that hung on the tower were taken down in September 2024; the city has said it wants new rings, but as of October 2026 we found no confirmed date for reinstalling them, so check official announcements.
Can you still see the Olympic cauldron? 2026–2027 dates
Yes, but only in summer. The balloon cauldron that rose over the Tuileries Garden during the Games has come back every summer since 2025; in 2026 it was there from 21 June to 14 September, so this year's season is over. The organisers say summer 2027 will be the final season; dates haven't been announced yet.
- Daytime: while the cauldron is on the ground you can walk up to it for free; no time-slot booking was needed in 2026.
- Evening: weather permitting, it rises at dusk; whether it flies and the take-off time are posted daily on the official website.
- Note: daytime access was suspended during the July 2026 heatwave, and flights can be cancelled in heat or strong wind.
Can you swim in the Seine? 2026 swimming spots and hours
Yes. After the Games, Paris opened public swimming in the Seine for the first time in 2025. In 2026 three spots were open daily from 4 July to 30 August: free, no booking, ages 14 and over, and closed at short notice if water quality or weather is poor.
| Swimming spot | Location | 2026 hours (approx.) | Capacity (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bercy | 12th, opposite the National Library | 11am–9pm | 700 people |
| Grenelle | 15th, next to the Île aux Cygnes | 10am–5:30pm | 150 people |
| Bras Marie | 4th, by Pont Louis-Philippe | 8am–6pm | 150 people |
The Bercy swimming spot on the Seine, July 2026. Photo: Heidi Meudt / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0
Hours can change from year to year, so check the City of Paris official guide before you go. In August 2026 the European Aquatics Championships also held their open-water races in the Seine at the Bras de Grenelle.
A day in Saint-Denis: Stade de France, the Aquatics Centre and the Olympic Village
Saint-Denis has the biggest concentration of Paris 2024 legacy sites: Stade de France and the Olympic Aquatics Centre face each other across a footbridge, about 20 minutes by metro from central Paris.
The footbridge by the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, with Stade de France behind. Photo: Chabe01 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
How much is the Stade de France tour?
The Stade de France website lists tour prices of €16 for adults and €11 for ages 5–18, but some ticket platforms showed €18.50 for adults in 2026, so go by the price shown when you book. The tour takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, covers the changing rooms, players' tunnel and stands, and includes free entry to the stadium museum.
- Check on the Stade de France website that there's no match or concert that day (tours don't run on event days).
- Book a slot with Cultival via the official site; English tours leave daily at 10:30am and 2pm in July and August, with fewer departures the rest of the year.
- Meet at Gate H (Porte H). Take metro line 13 to Saint-Denis Porte de Paris, metro line 12 to Front Populaire, RER B to La Plaine Stade de France or RER D to Stade de France Saint-Denis.
Can you swim at the Olympic Aquatics Centre?
Yes. The Olympic Aquatics Centre (Centre Aquatique Olympique) became a public facility in 2025, with a 50 m competition pool, a diving pool, a learning pool and a leisure pool open to all, plus a climbing hall and nine padel courts. Check the venue's official announcements for opening hours and prices; it may be closed to the public during competitions.
The public pool at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, September 2025. Photo: Florent Abel / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
What happened to the Olympic Village?
The Olympic Village, which spans Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen and L'Île-Saint-Denis, has been converted into housing, offices and schools, and residents started moving in from late 2025. It's now an ordinary residential district with no visitor facilities, so you can only stroll along the Seine and look at the buildings.
Olympic landmarks in central Paris: Grand Palais and Pont Alexandre III
In central Paris, the Grand Palais and Pont Alexandre III are the best places to relive the Games. They're a few minutes' walk apart, so you can see both in one afternoon and carry on to the Champs-Élysées.
- Grand Palais: built for the 1900 World's Fair, it hosted fencing and taekwondo under its glass roof in 2024. Closed for renovation from 2021, it fully reopened in June 2025 and now focuses on exhibitions, which need a ticket; see the Grand Palais website.
- Pont Alexandre III: the start of the Olympic triathlon and marathon swimming (not Pont d'Iéna). From the bridge you can see the Grand Palais, Les Invalides and the Eiffel Tower, and it's free.
- Les Invalides: the finish of the Olympic marathon and the archery venue, now home to the Army Museum and Napoleon's tomb.
The Grand Palais seen from Pont Alexandre III. Photo: Eric Pouhier / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
How to get to the Paris Olympic venues: 2026 transport fares
The metro and RER are the easiest way to reach the Paris Olympic venues; most central venues need just a single ticket, and Versailles and Saint-Denis are on the public transport network too. The €16 Games-time day pass and temporary fares are gone; these are the fares from January 2026.
| Ticket | 2026 price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Metro/train/RER single ticket | €2.55 | One journey in the Paris region (excluding airports) |
| Bus/tram single ticket | €2.05 | Buses and trams |
| Airport single ticket | €14 | CDG (RER B) and Orly (metro line 14, Orlyval) |
| Navigo Day pass | €12.30 | Unlimited travel in all zones for one day |
| Navigo Week pass | €32.40 | Unlimited travel in all zones (airports included), Monday to Sunday; needs a €5 card and a photo |
Single tickets are no longer sold on paper; load them onto a Navigo Easy card (€2), the official app or your phone wallet. The Week pass needs a Navigo Découverte card and runs Monday to Sunday, so it may not pay off if you arrive mid-week.
Paris airport to your hotel: what to do with large luggage
Most travellers get from Charles de Gaulle into Paris on the RER B to Gare du Nord (about 35 minutes), but the trains have no dedicated luggage racks, they're packed at rush hour, and many stations have only stairs or few lifts. The Roissybus from CDG to Opéra stopped running on 1 March 2026. Taxis charge flat fares: CDG to the Right Bank €56 and Left Bank €65; Orly to the Left Bank €36 and Right Bank €45.
If you'd rather head straight to a match or a sight when you land, you can hand your bags to LuggAgent: we collect them from the airport or your hotel and deliver them to your next place to stay in Paris the same day or the next day. See our Paris luggage delivery service for coverage and how pickup works.
Flying into Charles de Gaulle and staying in central Paris? Drop your bags with us at the airport and we'll take them to your hotel:
Arriving at or leaving from Orly works the same way between the airport and your hotel in the city:
FAQ
Can you visit the Paris Olympic venues now?
Yes, the permanent ones. Stade de France offers a paid guided tour of about 1 hour 30 minutes, the Olympic Aquatics Centre has been open to swimmers since 2025, and the Grand Palais fully reopened in June 2025. Temporary venues such as the beach volleyball stadium and Place de la Concorde park were removed after the Games.
Is the Paris Olympic cauldron still there?
Only in summer. In 2026 it stood in the Tuileries Garden from 21 June to 14 September, free to see by day and rising at dusk when the weather allowed. The organisers say summer 2027 is the final season; watch the official website for dates.
Can you really swim in the Seine?
Yes. From 4 July to 30 August 2026, Paris opened three free swimming spots at Bras Marie, Bercy and Grenelle, with no booking and a minimum age of 14. They close at short notice when water quality or weather is poor, so check the City of Paris announcements before you go.
How much is the Stade de France tour, and do you need to book?
The official website lists €16 for adults, €11 for ages 5–18 and free for under-5s, while some ticket platforms showed €18.50 for adults in 2026. You must book in advance through Cultival (linked from the official site), and tours don't run on match or concert days.
What's the easiest way from Charles de Gaulle Airport to central Paris?
The cheapest option is the RER B: the airport ticket costs €14 and the ride to Gare du Nord takes about 35 minutes. The Roissybus stopped running on 1 March 2026; with lots of luggage, a taxi costs a flat €56 to the Right Bank or €65 to the Left Bank.
Cover photo: Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
This article offers general travel tips for reference only. For actual services and conditions, please rely on the booking page and the latest official announcements.
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