If for French President Emmanuel Macron, the Olympics that Paris will host from 26 July to 11 August will be the “greenest ever”, for the French, and not only them, they will also be “among the most expensive”. 6 months after the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games in the capital, everything is increasing: from the prices of services and transport, to hotels and, since yesterday, also to the Louvre. To admire the Mona Lisa and the other masterpieces exhibited in one of the most famous museums in the world, and the first in terms of number of visitors, you will spend five euros more, the ticket has gone from 17 to 22 euros. A fee considered “too high compared to other European museums” for many Parisians.
But it’s only the beginning, because Olympic fever has caused many other costs such as hotels and accommodation to skyrocket which, on average, will increase by 300%. An example? A hotel room can cost up to five times more than the same time last year. So, if last summer they spent 200 euros, next summer they will spend 1,200 a day. Of course, for hoteliers the sporting event is a fortune not to be missed, but the increase in prices could discourage some of the over 10 million expected visitors. In fact, there are already those who talk about commuter tourism: staying in the Parisian hinterland and moving under the Eiffel Tower by car or train.
Obviously, tourist taxes have also increased, precisely they have almost tripled in Paris with the beginning of 2024. According to data provided by the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, for 5-star structures they go from 3.75 to 10.73 euros; for 4 stars from 2.88 to 8.13 euros; for 3 stars from 1.88 to 5.20 euros; for 2 stars from 1.13 to 3.25 euros and finally for 1 star solutions, holiday villages and hostels from 1 to 2.60 euros.
Finally, public transport. Today a single ticket costs 2 euros and 15 cents, however, in the months of the Olympics it will cost 4 euros. Instead, the booklets of 10 will be sold for 32 euros, compared to the original 16.90. The surcharge will be in force from 20 July to 8 September 2024. However, you will be able to purchase a special flat-rate pass for 16 euros per day or 70 euros per week to travel around Paris and the region, including Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports. For the regional transport authority, the increase represents a sort of coverage of the costs of managing urban transport, which will be under the pressure of millions more tourists (10 million are expected).