Is France the new EMEA hotspot? With all the events this year, it sure seems that way! While we will continue to share local insights and service best practices as events get closer, here’s a quick look at what to expect in France this year.
BASTILLE DAY CELEBRATION (Paris): 14 July 2024
Expect large crowds to gather throughout Paris for parades and celebrations, and particularly around the Eiffel Tower in the evening to watch the impressive fireworks display. For 2024, we anticipate attendees may come for the Bastille Day weekend (13-15 July) and then stay for the start of the Olympics (or vice versa), so expect larger crowds than usual.
AUGUST (France): How to plan for the summer holiday month
Throughout the month of August (and even July to a degree) many people in France and Europe schedule their vacations. France is typically less crowded, with some stores and services, including landlords and real estate providers, closing for several weeks or the whole month! Because of this, we typically advise our Destination Services clients to avoid scheduling home-finding programs during this month. Instead, it is best to aim for June or July when landlords are available, the area vibe can be experienced, and those with children can be situated by the start of the school year in September. Planning is especially critical this year. Apartment visits and appointments will be difficult throughout July and August, based on the impact of the Olympics plus vacation timing. We recommend planning for June and to pick up again post Olympics.
SUMMER OLYMPICS 2024 (France, Paris, Paris outskirts): 24 July – 11 August 2024 (opening ceremony 26 July)
SUMMER PARALYMPICS 2024 (France, Paris, Paris outskirts): 28 August – 8 September
What an exciting time for those in France! With so much information to share, we created an infographic to highlight relevant and interesting points to keep in mind – such as the anticipated numbers of people, key dates, and the locations of the venues both within Paris and immediate surrounding area as well as throughout France. Did you know that several games start a few days before the official Opening Ceremony takes place? Check out the graphic below to learn more!
- Even though the athletes have their own housing in the Olympic Village (note its Paris location on the map), we do anticipate housing to be in demand for everyone else during this time. For guests in temporary housing, planning your stays and extensions stays well in advance is highly recommended. For new accommodation bookings, increasing the lead time to over 30 days will optimize pricing and availability. We anticipate providers will most likely favor extended/longer stays of 30-90+ days for optimum rates and availability.
- As for home-finding programs, we’re keeping in mind the challenges of maneuvering through crowded streets and local transportation and dealing with security and advise not scheduling in Paris 2 weeks before the Olympics through to the end of the Paralympics. We recommend aiming for June and July or earlier if possible, for home finding in Paris in 2024.
What is Availability Like in Paris Right Now?
Watch our latest interview with our property network partner, The Ascott Limited, to see what types of corporate housing,
and housing in general, is still available a few months out from the Olympic Games.
