Paris 2024 Olympic Village inaugurated, “an example of a city of the future”

The president of France, Emmanuel Macron inaugurated this Thursday the Olympic Village for the Paris Games, a construction he considers “exemplary”, both for its environmental character and for its proposal to welcome athletes and for being “an example of the city of the future.”

“You can be proud. You keep your promises, both in terms of deadlines and budget.“, the president assured before a group of workers who, in four years, built 82 housing blocks where 14,500 athletes will live during the Olympic and Paralympic Games next summer.

Located near the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, which will host the athletics events of the Games, The Olympic Village was called to be the center of the event for the athletes and designed to make your life easier.

Restaurants, entertainment area, 7.5 hectares of green spaces, walking on the banks of the Seineapartments without air conditioning but designed to reduce the temperature outside… the organizers make sure they don’t forget any details to make life easier for the athletes.

The president visited the facilities, touring part of the 52 hectares that have become a new neighborhood divided between three municipalities north of the capital, in an area where there is an industrial zone on the banks of the Seine.

Accompanied by other political leaders, members of the Games Organizing Committee and some former athletes involved in the candidacy, Macron praised the work carried out “showing the French experience in the construction sector“.

“We are a nation of builders (…) and despite the covid crisis, two years of inflation, the war in Ukraine, we have achieved the largest project in France in record time,” Macron highlighted, pointing out this same experience is being used to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral, which was severely damaged by fire in April 2019 and plans to reopen its doors at the end of the year.

Buildings of the future

The president assured that the Olympic Village will inspire the sector in the coming years, both for the way in which they have reached environmental and social goals, with four times fewer occupational accidents than a normal construction site, and for the legacy they will leave behind. for the future.

“Here we see the buildings that will be built in 2040, which can withstand the climatic conditions of 2050, both cold and heat.“said the head of state about the geothermal and natural cooling system with which the buildings are equipped.

He also emphasized the innovation in the materials used, which allowed polluting emissions to be reduced by 47% during construction, but served as a “laboratory” to apply it in the future.

In this Olympic Village, the main work built for the Paris Games, which relies heavily on already existing sports facilities, Macron assured that France “can be proud.”

“Athletes will be able to spend the Games in the best conditions, we will accept everything here“said the president, who also emphasized that he would leave “a legacy” in this area north of Paris.

Because in the next years the Olympic Village will become a new modern city, “which will leave wealth in the territory.”

“Create enthusiasm”

For the president, this type of action will lead to convincing the French, especially Parisians and residents of the region, of the benefits of the Games, which will help to reduce their hostility to an event that, so far, only causes problems.

“The Games create discomfort, but they leave a legacy (…) Without the Games, all the homes that would remain would not have been created,” he said.

He added that other Paris 2024 initiatives, such as the opening ceremony on the Seine, “will help make the French proud,” which will ultimately create enthusiasm among the population.