PARIS (AP) – There will be no shortage of iconic venues at the Paris Olympics.
From the Palace of Versailles to the Place de La Concorde and of course, the Eiffel Tower, organisers have made sure the City of Light’s most famous landmarks will take centre stage during the Olympics.
Competitions will be held right in the heart of the city, in the Seine River and inside historic buildings such as the Grand Palais.
Paris is also making use of its existing sports infrastructure, including the Roland Garros tennis stadium and Stade de France, the national football stadium.
Here’s a look at the most iconic spots that will host competitions during the July 26 to August 11 games in the French capital.
EIFFEL TOWER
La Dame de Fer (The Iron Lady) needs no introduction and is still going strong at 135 years old. Men’s and women’s volleyball players get to compete at the feet of the 330-metre behemoth. They will be watched by nearly 13,000 fans at the temporary Eiffel Tower Stadium on the nearby Champ de Mars, where Parisians and tourists like to have picnics on the grass or watch July 14 firework displays.
PALACE OF VERSAILLES
Once the residence of French royalty, the chateau is one of the most popular tourist spots in Paris. Louis XVI – the Sun King – and Queen Marie Antoinette held lavish banquets at Versailles before they were beheaded during the French revolution. During the Paris Games, equestrian riders will gallop at the heart of the palace’s gardens. Modern pentathlon events will also take place there.
GRAND PALAIS
The palace with its green-tinged glass roof was built for the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900. More than 6,000 tonnes of steel were used to build the nave. Fencing and Taekwondo fans will get to watch events here.
HOTEL DE VILLE
The imposing-looking City Hall has a massive façade stretching high and wide, and gives off a golden hue when lights are switched on at night. It’s been around since 1357. Having stood the test of time, it seems rather fitting to start the marathon from its paved forecourt.
LA CONCORDE
Place de la Concorde will always have its place in France’s gory past. It is where France’s banquet-loving king and queen were guillotined in 1793. Prominent French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre met the same fate a year later. It’s also been home to the Luxor Obelisk for nearly 200 years.
The idea to transport imposing obelisks to Paris came about at the turn of the 19th Century, during Napoleon Bonaparte’s military campaign in Egypt. This summer breakdancers as well BMX freestylers, 3-on-3 basketballers and skateboarders will share the attention at La Concorde.
LES INVALIDES
The gloriously decorated Pont Alexandre III bridge connects the right and left banks of the Seine River. People crossing the bridge can catch cycling and triathlon events, or look down to watch swimming events in the Seine River, before walking over toward a grassy esplanade which leads to Les Invalides. It’s the more common name for Hôtel des Invalides, which houses Napoleon’s tomb.
A haven for military enthusiasts, the much-admired Paris landmark has a giant golden dome standing at 107 metres and is covered with nearly 13 kilogrammes of gold leaf.
Perhaps fittingly, giving its military feel, Olympic archers will set their sights here.
TROCADERO
From its elevated position, the Trocadéro faces the Eiffel Tower in a stare-down contest between famed landmarks. It’s where hordes of kilt-wearing Scottish football fans congregated at the 1998 World Cup, singing We’re the famous Tartan Army as they danced.
It should offer a great vantage point for watching triathlon, road cycling, marathon and race walking events.
BERCY ARENA
The 20,000-seat indoor arena has witnessed much sporting drama over the years.
Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu lost in the fifth set of the deciding rubber against Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the 2002 Davis Cup final. Tennis great Novak Djokovic has won the Paris Masters a record seven times at the arena, which has also hosted regular-season NBA games and international handball matches.
Oh, and Madonna and French rocker Johnny Hallyday held concerts inside the the pyramid-shaped building.
Located a stone’s throw from the Finance Ministry, it will host artistic gymnastics, basketball and trampoline events.
PARC DES PRINCES
The 48,000-seat stadium is home to football club Paris Saint-Germain and where France superstar Kylian Mbappé played for seven years before leaving the club this year. France used to regularly play rugby and football matches at “Le Parc”. Forty years ago football great Michel Platini led France to its first European Championship title at the stadium. Parc des Princes will host football matches during the Paris Games, including the men’s and women’s finals on August 9 and 10.
STADE DE FRANCE
Another French football great, Zinedine Zidane, will always have a special place in the history of the Stade de France. The attacking midfielder scored the first goal when France’s national stadium was inaugurated in 1998. Later that year he celebrated France’s first World Cup trophy there after scoring two goals in the 3-0 win over Brazil in the final. – Jerome Pugmire
