Talk about a crazy twist to my week…
A generous friend messaged me that he decided he did not want to go to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris and wondered if I would be interested in his prime seat. After a quick consultation with Heidi, the answer was YES. This struck both of us as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that should not be turned down.
My Quick Trip To Paris For 2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony
I’ve been disproportionately at home lately working on many projects and challenges–some quite stressful–but was out of the country when this offer arrived. Getting to Paris was cheap…and nonstop (any guesses where I was?). It could not have worked out better.
Paris is supposed to be a lot quieter this week than it typically would be…the Olympic Games and the security plus road closures necessary to support them have pushed many tourists away. Many hotels (like my favorite Park Hyatt) were sold out, but I managed to secure something new and different.
I’d love to stay and check out the Air France pop-up restaurant serving a multi-course meal similar to onboard longhaul business class, but it opens tomorrow and I will be on a plane back home tomorrow. Chase will also host a “Visa Lounge” for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders on a docked boat on teh Seine (4 Port des Invalides), which will provide opportunities to meet US Olympic athletes and enjoy gourmet food and drinks. Sadly, that does not open until tomorrow also.
For now, it’s too early for me to say if this will be worthwile, but you can exepect plenty of pictures and commentary tomorrow on what I observed. Paris 2024 will mark the first time in the history of the Olympic Summer Games that the opening ceremony is held outside a stadium.
Rain is in the forecast for the opening ceremony tonight, though in the last hour the chance of rain has dropped from 70% to 30%. Hopefully, it will be a beautiful evening on the Seine.
In any case, stay tuned for more details about this trip and my time in Paris tomorrow.
image: Paris 2024 / Florian Hulleu
You should stay another day for other 2 events!
Be safe!
Surprised you flew and didn’t just take the TGV from Basel
All my friends from Paris said they would be as far as possible from Paris during the Olympics. Place will be a zoo, I mean it may be quieter but because most of the things you would do in Paris normally will be closed. Also, it is raining there so it will suck.
As for the “Chase will also host a “Visa Lounge” for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders”, let me know how it goes. The old saying “when everyone has it, it is no longer special “. I was in Europe for the last two weeks on vacation and lines for Priority Pass lounges on airports were 3 hours long. Yes, there was a wait list up to 3 hours and people camping outside the lounges. No thanks!
That friend deserves a little something from Hermès.
Just watched the live show on tv, they should’ve done it in a stadium, the rain is annoying, and I have no idea what lady Gaga was doing there, best part of the show is Celine Dion, overall a very boring opening ceremony, I thought it lacks the momentum that an Olympics opening ceremony should have.
I hope that the 2028 LA Olympics will be much better than this one
I disagree. Paris is an absolutely stunning city with so much history. Having the opening ceremony all over the city was awesome. LA will have athletes running around homeless camps.
Same as in Paris with illegals. But wait. They kick them out. Same will happen in La
I have been to Paris 3 times in the last 24 months. You do not see homeless people on the streets like you see in the US. Not even close. Yes, a few begging for money but nothing like homeless camps like you see here.
Va bien and enjoy.
I hope you enjoy it. There are few things that interest me less than this. I am normally in Frsnce this time of year. I’m not because of French radicals and their desire to make political “statements” during this waste of money.