France, the host country of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, has announced plans for its national hospitality house, called "Club France".
What We Know: Location
Club France will be located in Parc de la Villette at Paris 2024. Parc de la Villette is located in northern Paris, in the 19th arrondissement. It's the 3rd-largest park in the city, totalling a whopping 55.5 hectares.
According to the latest press release by the Ile-de-France Regional Olympic and Sports Committee (CROS Ile-de-France), Club France will be comprised of two key areas within Parc de la Villette:
Indoor area: La Grande Halle
Outdoor area: Prairie du Triangle and Prairie du Cercle Sud
These indoor and outdoor spaces combine to cover over 500,000 sqft and have the ability to host 25,000 guests at one time. The house will open at 10am every day. The outdoor area will close at 10pm and the indoor area, La Grande Hall, will close at 2am.
What We Know: It's Public and Partially Free
Club France will be designed with the public in mind: it will have the capacity to receive at least 400,000 guests over the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This is a dramatic increase from past Olympiads, where Club France hosted roughly 130,000 guests (at Rio de Janiero 2016) and nearly 100,000 guests (at London 2012).
Club France will offer various activities and experiences across the indoor and outdoor areas:
Living and dining areas
Entertainment including sports (broadcasts of events, entertainment and sports demonstrations) and cultural (DJs, concerts, shows and conferences)
A spectator journey through Olympic history and culture
And a media centre
As of now, Club France will welcome guests for free to the outdoor area, but access to the indoor area, at La Grande Halle, will come with a cost which has yet to be announced.
It has been reported that the total operating budget for Club France in 2024 is €10 million.
What We Know: It's a Olympic and Paralympic Venue
CROS Ile-de-France has confirmed that Club France will be open at Parc de la Villette for both the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games:
During the Olympic Games, from July 27 to August 11, 2024, and during the Paralympic Games, from August 28 to September 8, 2024.
What We Know: Nearby Sport Events
The closest Paris 2024 sport events to Club France will be:
Badminton and Rhythmic Gymnastics at La Chapelle Arena
Artistic Swimming, Diving and Water Polo at at Centre Aquatique Olympique
Athletics and Rugby at Stade de France
All of these venues are within 40 minutes of Club France on public transit.
What We Know: Nearby Hospitality Houses
Casa Brasil will also be located within Parc de la Villette, a short walk away from Club France.
Sweden Arena, hosted by the Swedish Olympic Committee, is the next closest confirmed hospitality house to Club France. Sweden Arena will be located at MOB Hotel, 30 minutes west of Parc de la Villette via transit.
It's also been rumoured that Canada Olympic House will also be located in Parc de la Villette, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Are you planning to visit Club France?
Yes! I wouldn’t miss it.
I haven’t decided yet.
More details to come on Club France... watch this space.