Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced this Wednesday a drop in the number of spectators at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games along the Seine on July 26.
Estimated at around 600,000 people in October 2022, this was lowered to around 300,000 this Wednesday.
“The idea is that there are 100,000 people on the lower platforms”
, with paid tickets, and
“more than 220,000 people on the high platforms”
, with free tickets, said Gérald Darmanin on France 2 adding
“Afterwards there are all those who live and who will be able to rent, have evenings along the Seine.”
To discover
Five things to know about ticketing for the 2024 Olympics
Still places at 2700 euros available
The number of places on the lower platforms, for the paying part, has therefore not been revised downwards in these new estimates.
Almost all the tickets have already been sold with prices ranging from 90 euros (standing places) to 2,700 euros for the stands located in the western part (between the Concorde and the Trocadéro) of the six-kilometer parade.
160 boats and 10,500 athletes are expected to participate in this event bringing together 120 heads of state gathered in the presidential stand (at the Trocadéro).
This Wednesday, there were still places on sale available at 2,700 euros on the Olympic ticketing website (four places maximum per person).
The map of the stands to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Paris 2024
A secure platform to reserve your free place
To attend the river spectacle free of charge, the starting point of which will be at the Pont d'Austerlitz, in front of the Jardin des Plantes, which will go around the two Parisian islands of Île Saint Louis and Île de la Cité, before passing under eight to ten bridges and gateways, you will need to reserve your place on a digital platform.
This will be directly managed by the Ministry of the Interior but the online date has still not been announced.
However, spectators who have had the chance to obtain the precious ticket on the high platforms will not be able to move freely because the six-kilometer zone will be divided into around ten secure sections.
80 giant screens and a sound system will nevertheless allow the crowd to enjoy this unprecedented ceremony in the history of the Olympic Games.