Planning a trip to France but have concerns the Summer Olympics held in Paris might disrupt your travels? Here is what you need to know to avoid the Olympic hassle.
France is one of the most popular travel destinations globally, and Paris the most visited city in the world. If you plan a trip to France, it’s always wise to plan well ahead.

This year, however, the summer months will see an extra buzz as Paris plays host to the XXXIII Summer Olympics. From July 26th to August 11th and again from 28th August to 8th September for the Paralympics, the city will be the centre of the world of sport.

Ticket sales for the Olympic events are ongoing for a while already. If you are planning to attend, you are hopefully well into organizing your trip. If not, you need to hurry if you do not want to miss out. The official Paris Olympics website will provide helpful information how to buy tickets and find accommodation packages. It is the only one you should use to purchase tickets for any of the Olympic events.

But wait. You might love watching sporting events (or you might not) but attending the Olympic Games in person could be something you would rather avoid. I mean, just think at the extremely high prices for accommodation, huge crowds, traffic jams, severe security measures, etc.

If you fall into the group that is not interested to travel to the Paris Summer Olympics, the easiest advice would be to avoid travelling to France over the extended summer period. If you really have to go during this period, now is the time to plan your trip to avoid major travel disruptions and other unexpected surprises.

What to consider when planning a trip to Paris/France this summer

If you are planning to travel to Paris/France this year but the Olympics are not your thing, there are some important points to keep in mind.

The most obvious advice when you are planning to visit Paris (and other destinations around France) this year but do not want to attend the XXXIII Summer Olympics would be to avoid travelling during the weeks when the event is taking place.

That said, there might be reasons why you have to travel to France during the summer. In addition, the weeks of the competitions are not the only time this year the event could have impacts on travelling across France.

Below, I have compiled a list of the most important points to consider when visiting Paris and other locations in France this summer to avoid major disruptions due to the Olympic Games.

• Events related to the Paris Olympics will happen over an extended period this year, not only during the main timeframe over the summer months. France will start playing host to events related to the Games as early as May. For example, the Olympic Torch Relay starts on May 8th and will cross around 400 cities across the country. Though visitor numbers will be lower compared to the main event, these celebrations could still cause disruption to travellers. Including increased security measures, road closures and restricted access to certain areas. Check the Olympics events calendar to find out when and where events are taking place across France and if you can, plan around them.
• While Paris is the main host location for the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games, it is not the only city hosting Olympic events. Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Nantes, Nice, Marseille and few other cities will also host different competitions. Again, make sure to check the event’s calendar to know when and where competitions will take place to plan your travel accordingly.
• Accommodation in Paris and other cities hosting events will be increasingly difficult to find for the weeks before and during the event. You can also expect prices to be significantly higher than usual. Make sure to book as early as possible if you really need to be in Paris at the time of the Games.
• Many of the events will happen right in the centre of Paris and other locations of interest throughout the city. Therefore, access to places like the Champs-élyseé, the Eifel Tower, Versailles, and many others will be restricted/not possible at certain times or even extended periods. Check the events calendar to avoid going to areas that might be closed for non- ticket holders at certain times.
• Paris has a very efficient public transport system but during the Olympic Games you can expect it will be (over)crowded. This means, expect longer journey times as you might have to queue to access trains and busses. In addition, some metro stations could be closed when events are taking place nearby. Plan extra time to reach your destination and be prepared to take alternative routes to avoid closures and extensive wait-times on your preferred route when you travel within or via Paris when the Games take place.
• Expect severe security measures throughout Paris and other destinations taking part in the events in the lead up, during and just after the Olympic Games, including road closures, extra security checks at major places of interest such as museums, monuments, and parks. This will impact both pedestrians and car traffic. Again, plan extra time when travelling within or via Paris. Check the events calendar to avoid going to areas that might be closed for non- ticket holders at certain times. Check final rules for driving around Paris before you arrive. At the time of writing this post, a requirement to sign up for a QR code to move around Paris is expected to be introduced.
• Airports and train stations will be extremely crowded, and therefore waiting times longer. This will also affect connections to other French cities as well. Plan extra time to reach your connection train or flight. This means, do not book connections with a short window of arrival-departure.
• Paris airports will operate on restricted times from the start of the games. At the time of writing this post, airports are expected to close from 7pm to midnight and there will be no-fly zones around Paris as well. This will further impact travel times, including connections to other airports via Paris. Ideally, check with any airline if particular flights might be impacted by restrictions. If you need to fly into Paris for a connection flight to another French destination, make sure to allow extra time between flights.
• The summer months are the traditional time of Les Vacances, the time when most people in France are taking their summer holidays. This year, given the high number of visitors expected to arrive in Paris, even more of the locals will leave the city to avoid the impact of the games. As a result, accommodation across France outside of Paris will likely be more limited and more expensive than usual. Even when you stay outside of Paris, book your accommodation as early as possible, as prices are expected to increase further closer to the Games.

Avoiding any disruption by the Olympic Games when you travel to France this summer means you need to plan your trip very carefully, and likely to avoid Paris at all from around June to end September.

That said, I would never discourage to visit France. The country is so much more than just Paris so even if you have not been to the capital yet, you can always start with other parts and come back for a visit to Paris another time.