Guide to Keeping Sane for the Paris Olympics

I adore going to Paris and visiting France in general. As an American, you just have to keep in mind that the culture is different, the French are going to French, and do things their way so we have to roll with it. Street closures might not be made known in advance or venues not open on short notice. They are notorious for train strikes - even the Eiffel Tower went on strike in February on my last visit (who knew!), so you have to be flexible and pack your patience. 

Make reservations for dining and must-do activities. There will be limited ticket inventory and potential closures at restaurants for certain buyouts or activities. Lean on your hotel concierge to navigate and help secure them. The concierge’s job is to be in the know and have those favors they can call in for their guests.

Some hotels have availability despite the fear-mongering that the city is completely sold out. For example, Saint James Paris, The Norman, and Relais Christine director of sales told me to send last-minute clients his way, among others who said the same. Saint James is particularly great to retreat to on its quiet grounds in a former chateau, which is like an oasis in the city as well as its well-appointed location by the Arc Triomphe and Eiffel Tower. 

If you want to gain access to The Games and get hard-to-get tickets to certain sporting events, you can work with a travel advisor with connections and hospitality partner On Location. There are tiers of packages with or without hotel bookings, staring at three-star ratings and up. This is the best way to avoid the crowds by purchasing their VIP areas and tents. You have all-inclusive dining and beverages, separate entrances, and perfect viewing vantage points, and can select your preferred sporting events. In many cases, they have rotating top chefs and entertainment in their hospitality tents by what you buy into. A very cool service that I always tell clients about! This is a brilliant option if traveling with kids or the elderly so you have a place to sit, relax, and hydrate. It will be hot hot hot again this summer, so that’s a priority.

I would advise against working with self-managed stays or Airbnb’s since they can be very unreliable and aren’t there to provide 24/7 with an on-site concierge. Given the busy time in the city, the front desk and concierge will be your best support on the ground. 

For safety, make sure to share your location with a friend and/or family member and always keep an eye on your purse or items. Pick pocketing during big events ramps up. You don’t want to have your phone, cash or important items lifted without even knowing. You won’t know until you’re trying to pay for something. Leave your passport in a safe location and always keep a photo of it with you in case.

Enjoy the Olympics in comfort and safely this year! Next up, Milan is the host for the Winter Games, so you can never get started planning too earlier to lock in your bucket-list experience.