Countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Viparis gearing up

As a destination whose popularity has never waned, the Île-de-France region last year welcomed 47.5 million tourists who came to take in its exceptional artistic and cultural heritage, attend tradeshows, conferences and seminars, or take advantage of its hospitality offering which is the most profuse in Europe. The Paris 2024 Games offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shine a light on the most iconic venues of our capital. From the Champ de Mars to the glass-roofed Grand Palais, and from the Château de Versailles to Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, the Olympic and Paralympic competitions will focus the eyes of the world on the unmissable venues of our region. 

Welcome to Viparis 2024 !

We are proud to activate four of our venues to host sporting events and the infrastructure required for the smooth running of Paris 2024. It is our way of showing the world that we are ready and able to accommodate all types of events, including sports competitions! 

For the Paris 2024 Games, our emblematic venue Paris Le Bourget, which is recognised all over the world for hosting the Paris Air Show, but also COP 21 in 2015, will become the International Broadcast Center (IBC). Here is where all the footage of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be gathered, edited and then transmitted all over the world to an estimated 4 billion viewers. 

Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, the usual venue for annual shows such as the Paris International Agricultural Show, Foire de Paris, Vivatech or Wine Paris, will be the South Paris Arena. In three of our pavilions, you will be able to catch up with competitions in sports such as volleyball, boccia, table tennis, para table tennis, goalball, handball, and weightlifting.

The third venue mobilised is Paris Nord Villepinte, which will be known as North Paris Arena. This iconic business travel destination that hosts huge industry events such as SIAL Paris or Maison&Objet will be the setting for boxing qualifications, modern pentathlon fencing and sitting volleyball. 

And last but certainly not least, as it is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year: the Palais des Congrès de Paris will become the Main Olympic Press Center (MPC) and welcome no fewer than 6,000 international media. Press lounges, photo services, interview rooms, catering and relaxation areas and private offices will be placed at the disposal of international press agencies and national Olympic committees. 

Precursory changes 

The modifications made for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will not end there, but instead will mark the beginning of social and environmental developments for Paris-Île-de-France and Viparis alike. 

The goal of Paris 2024 is to put on the most responsible and sustainable Games in history. With a major pledge: halve the carbon footprint of this year’s event compared with the previous ones, and offset the carbon emissions that could not be avoided. 

Paris 2024’s environmental objective is fully consistent with Viparis’ ambitions for a more responsible event management sector that creates value for everyone. For several years we have been investing in reducing the environmental footprint of our venues, but also helping every event we host leave its legacy by choosing responsible partners (Emmaüs, la Cravate Solidaire, Re’Up…) or by limiting waste and recycling rubbish.

Another issue on the agenda is innovation. The Paris 2024 Games offer a valuable opportunity to accelerate the transformation of host communities, and as such can be seen as a laboratory for novel and positive impact solutions for sport and events. In recent years, Paris-Île-de-France has been the leading global tourist destination, and the region wishes to maintain this leadership by accomplishing major projects in the building, mobility, accessibility or technology sectors. 

Viparis has naturally not been left behind in this dynamic, with for example hall 3 at Paris Le Bourget holding HQE (high environmental quality) and & BREEAM (building energy performance) certifications. Viparis also constantly supports initiatives to promote inclusion and accessibility.

To be continued…

Developing infrastructure and implementing ecological commitments is one thing, but Paris 2024 wishes above all to leave a legacy that will benefit the widest audience. By reusing the infrastructure built and continuing to apply innovative and environmental methods, the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will improve the ecological transition of sport and events, sustainably and profoundly transforming destination Paris.

Interested in finding out more? In our next article, we will be looking at the environmental commitments made by the Île-de-France region in parallel to the Paris 2024 Games, but also at Viparis! So watch this space! [and subscribe to our newsletter!]