There will be 45,000 volunteers who will participate in the successful holding of the Paris Olympic Games this summer. Their main task will be to welcome, inform and guide visitors during the two weeks of competition. But will they be able to find accommodation? Rental and hotel room prices are sometimes exorbitant for a night in the capital. Between resourcefulness, big struggles and strokes of luck, words of volunteers facing the test of housing.
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David is volunteering for the next Olympic Games from Paris, and like everyone else, he knew that accommodation for this summer in the capital would not be covered. “ But we didn’t think it would be this complicated… », regrets David at the microphone of Baptiste Coulon. The double punishment for this disabled former high-level athlete.
“ You have to find something accessible for the wheelchair, but also accessible in terms of price. For the moment, accommodation cannot be found for less than 100 euros minimum, per night, and that can quickly reach 3 000 euros per month! », he worries. David will be mobilized from May. So, there is an urgent need to find a roof. But he is still waiting for an answer, ” and based on this answer, I will decide whether I throw in the towel or not », laments the young man.
He would have liked more support from the organizers to find good deals, avoid scams or even disappointments, as is the case with Vincent, originally from Belgium. “ In December I ended up finding an Airbnb with an American woman. But last week, she canceled on me: she realized that she could probably rent it without going through Airbnb and more expensive, of course », the future volunteer is indignant.
“ It’s important to help him »
Mehdi, for his part, was very lucky: he found the rare gem. “ A person who proposed his accommodation for freea good Samaritan, I want to say “, he rejoices. The good Samaritan is called Julien, who will go to the Games as a spectator. “ It’s a bit my way of thanking him for his volunteer work. It’s important to help him so that I can participate and fully live my Olympic experience. », confides Julien.
THE overpriced rentals deter more and more travelers. So, some owners decide to lower prices which still remain very high: 800 euros on average for a night in Paris during the Games.
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