As Audrey Hepburn once said, ‘Paris is always a good idea’ – and indeed, the French capital is so well visited that you might wonder why it needs to be mentioned at all. But as the city prepares to host the 2024 Olympic Games, the City of Light is shining brighter than ever. There is swimming in the Seine, beach volleyball at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and a marathon start on the large historic square of Hôtel de Ville. (“Because Paris is not like any other city, it deserves all the credit,” reads the official Paris Olympic website. “The Games in the capital promise a complete spectacle, well thought out for the athletes, spectators and television audiences.”)
And because this is Paris, even athletics are done fashionably. The games as a whole are sponsored by luxury conglomerate LVMH, who will be calling on their many fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands to support the international event. (For example, Chaumet will design the Olympic and Paralympic medals, while Moët Hennessy’s wine and spirit houses will provide alcohol for the official catering events. And one can only wonder about the official uniform…) In the meantime, the Musée organizes des Arts Décoratifs the exhibition “Mode et Sport, d’un podium à l’autre” (Fashion and sport: from one stage to another), which runs until April 2024.
Need another rode? In recent months, Paris has welcomed a number of notable new boutique hotels, from the Martin Brudnizki-designed Le Grand Mazarin in the Marais to the Belle Époque-inspired Château des Fleurs. —ET
Galicia, Spain
Photo: Getty Images
