You can access the Olympics for free without a ticket, with this little known secret
If you've been wondering whether to go to the Summer Olympics in Paris this year, but are put off by the high ticket prices, don't give up. You can actually attend many events completely free of charge.
The 2024 Olympic Games will begin on July 26 and will end on August 11, and the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will take place from 28 August to 8 September. Competitions will take place in 32 sports, indoors and outdoors, on the water and even at the Mediterranean sea. The most important sporting event attracts a huge number of fans and tourists, and quite expensive tickets for games in some disciplines are already running out. The ticket price for each Olympic competition starts from 40-50 euros, but entry to some events will cost 100 or even several hundred euros, and the highest price for the final events will be about 1000 euros. However, many competitions and events can be attended without paying a single euro!
The Olympic Committee and the French authorities has decided to make some games and events completely free, limiting only the maximum capacity due to safety concerns.
Firstly, there is the opening ceremony parade on July 26th, which will take place on the banks of the Seine river. Organizers say that "several hundred thousand people" will be able to enjoy the event for free - a realistic forecast points to approximately 300 thousand visitors. For spectators with purchased tickets, special stages will be installed.
What sports competitions will be free to attend? These are disciplines in open areas such as river or roads. The most popular of them is the marathon, which route runs from Paris to Versailles, and it will be available to spectators absolutely free of charge. Road cycling events will also be available without tickets. The 273-kilometre road race will start in Paris and pass through Versailles, Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines) and the Chevreuse Valley. It will also be possible to visit, without paying, competitions in roads and open water disciplines, for example, triathlon, in which athletes run, bike and swim.
For those who prefer to watch competitions from their sofa, there is their TV-set. In the US, NBC and Peacock will broadcast 24/7 from Paris. In the United Kingdom, BBC and Eurosport have broadcast rights, and in Canada you will be able to watch the Olympic Games live on TSN, CBC, CBC Gem, and Sportsnet. Fans in Australia can watch the 2024 Olympic Games on 9Network and 9Now. If you speak French, then France TV will have extensive coverage of the games, with live action, highlights, and play on demand. This can be access using a VPN.