What traffic restrictions can you expect in Paris?

A parade on the most beautiful avenue in the world. Thomas Jolly, the director of the four Games ceremonies, is making this bet for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games, after having amazed the planet with his opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on the Seine. Obviously, these major events involve major disruptions. If the ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. this Wednesday, August 28, the streets of Paris will be preparing before that to welcome athletes and artists to make us dream.

Although the disruption will be much less than for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, there will still be some. “A first zone of motorized traffic restrictions will be put in place at 7 a.m. on the day of the ceremony”or Wednesday, indicates the Paris police prefecture. It will extend on the right bank of Paris, between the Louvre museum and the Place de l’Étoile. This perimeter «rouge» will then be extended from 2 p.m. to go as far as Porte Maillot in the west. It will also include part of the left bank of the Seine quays, as well as the Invalides.

In addition, an anti-terrorist protection perimeter, accessible only to people and vehicles accredited by Paris 2024 or with a ticket, will be set up on Wednesday from 3 p.m., between the Louvre Museum and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées at the intersection with Rue du Colisée. It “will result in a ban from 2 p.m. until the opening of the public access boxes at 5 p.m. on access to the area between avenues de Marigny and Winston Churchill to the west and Place de la Concorde to the east”details the Paris police prefecture. It will be lifted the next day between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m.

Therefore, for motorists, it is advisable to “to largely bypass the west and north of Paris in the afternoon, to avoid the outer ring road and the A1 towards Paris, and to follow the live recommendations provided by the road guidance applications”adds the police headquarters.

Also read2024 Paralympic Games: what disruptions can be expected in Paris on roads and transport?

Three stations closed, six busy lines

In terms of public transport, the Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau (lines 1 and 13), Concorde (lines 1, 8 and 12) and Tuileries (line 1) stations will be closed, as is already the case, and will not reopen until September. The Franklin Roosevelt station will not be accessible on line 9, but will be on line 1. The Musée d’Orsay (RER C) and Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7) stations will remain open but with closures of some RER or metro entrances.

Also, metro lines 1, 8, 9, 12 and 13 as well as RER line C should be very busy between 5pm and 7pm. After 7pm and until 11pm, however, they should be less crowded. After the ceremony, the stations Miromesnil (line 9), Franklin Roosevelt (lines 1), Madeleine (lines 8 and 12), Invalides (lines 8, 13 and RER C) and Assemblée nationale (line 12) will be “to avoid” due to a “waiting time greater than 15 minutes” due to the crowd, warns the government website anticiperlesjeux.gouv.fr.

How to get to the site?

In total, no fewer than 50,000 people are expected at the ceremony, including 35,000 with tickets. For the latter, they will have to “imperatively” follow the planned route depending on their entrance and their stand. For spectators whose ticket indicates Entrance 1 (La Concorde stands 1, 1 bis, 4), you will need to take the Madeleine stop (lines 8, 12 and 14) then rue Royale in the 8th arrondissement. For others, at Entrance 6 (La Concorde stands 2, 2 bis, 3), you will need to arrive via the Assemblée nationale (line 12), Musée d’Orsay (RER C) or Invalides (lines 8 and 13) stops and go via the Pont de la Concorde. Specific signage is provided at the exit of the stations depending on your stand.

For spectators who do not have tickets, you will need to take the Madeleine (lines 8, 12, 14), Miromesnil (lines 9 and 13), Franklin Roosevelt (line 1 only) stops for the Élysées zone. On the other side, for the Seine zone, the Alma Marceau (line 9), Invalides (lines 8, 13 and RER C) and Assemblée nationale (line 12) stations will be the preferred ones.