After seven years of work, the gigantic epicenter of the Olympic Games is ready. Emmanuel Macron hailed, this Thursday, February 29, “the adventure of a century” Thursday during the inauguration of the Olympic Village of the Paris Games, a complex capable of welcoming more than 14,000 athletes, in Saint-Denis.
“We are meeting the commitments that were made”, the project was completed “on time”, “despite Covid”, and in “exemplary social conditions”, particularly in terms of “safety” of the workers , he added. “It is an essential stage of these Games” which will be held from July 26 to August 11.
The culmination of this festive moment, the general director of Solideo (the Olympic works delivery company), Nicolas Ferrand, symbolically handed over the key to the site to the president of the Games organizing committee, Tony Estanguet. “We have made the Olympic Village not only a showcase but also a manifesto on the major urban issues of the 21st century,” said Nicolas Ferrand.
“A village for athletes”
Built in seven years, this Olympic village brings together 82 buildings, 3,000 apartments and 7,200 rooms on a site which extends over 52 hectares between Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis Island and Saint-Ouen, north of Paris. “It is quite strong what Solideo and the builders have managed to do, it must be emphasized,” notes an executive from a company that worked on this immense project. “The community was skeptical about the ability to set up a village of this size in such a short time.”
Apart from a delay, estimated at “a few weeks” by Nicolas Ferrand, for the buildings located on Saint-Denis Island, the planned delivery schedule was met. But the work is not finished: to be able to welcome the 206 Olympic delegations, the organizers will have their work cut out for them between now and the opening of the Games. The apartments are in fact delivered bare and it is now necessary to equip them, install the furniture (beds, bedside tables, etc.), and set up the service centers for the athletes.
“This represents more than 345,000 pieces in total which will be transported. Duvets, bedside tables, beds – there will be 14,250 –, 8,200 fans and 5,535 sofas,” explains Laurent Michaud, village director Olympic and Paralympic athletes to the Paris 2024 organizing committee. “There will be two athletes per 12 m2 room and a bathroom for four people. Everyone will be in the same boat”.
The equipment of these apartments, as well as the numerous services that the athletes and their staff will enjoy during their stay, will be provided by the sponsors. “It’s a village that we worked with athletes for athletes […] so that each athlete can find all the needs they will need”, summarizes Laurent Michaud.
An ephemeral city
During the Olympics, the village will function as a classic but ephemeral city. For example, athletes will be able to have their laundry washed in temporary laundromats with nearly 600 washing machines and dryers. Maintenance of apartments in more than 70 residences will be ensured by 12 concierge services scattered throughout the village.
Only the kitchens will be absent from the apartments. Athletes will have 24-hour access to the imposing nave of the Cité du cinéma transformed into a giant restaurant with a range of six culinary themes (Italy, Asia, France, etc.) for nearly 3,200 seats and 40,000 meals. served per day. A second restaurant will be installed on Saint-Denis Island and food trucks will be distributed throughout the village.
A grocery store, a police station, a hairdresser, a fitness room, a bar (without alcohol), a multi-faith center… Athletes should not want for anything. Even a post office will be installed temporarily in this city which will not have a mayor.
A 3,000 m2 polyclinic, in place of the Dahnier osteopathy school, will also be available 24 hours a day for care, a scanner or an MRI. Traffic will be by bicycle or electric shuttles “which will run 24 hours a day”, adds Laurent Michaud. Once the Paralympic Games (August 28-September 8) are over, the apartments will be reconfigured to accommodate residents and businesses in this new district to the north of Paris.