What if this was the real launch of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games? On Wednesday, December 27, Concorde Park will open on the square of the same name in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
On the program, activities and areas dedicated to urban sporting activities with free access, for adults but also, and above all, for children. “We are installing equipment and activities supervised by sports federations on the preserved site of the Rugby Village,” explains Emmanuel Grégoire, first assistant to Anne Hidalgo at 20 minutes.
“We will finally be able to talk about sport”
Because if we approach the Paris 2024 Olympics through its construction sites, its public transport or the reception of tourists, it is time for Parisians to make them their own, explains the elected official: “It is a way of putting Paris and Parisians in “Pre-JO” mode. »
“We will finally be able to talk about sport and enter the more festive and eventful phase while waiting for the big summer party,” he adds. And there will be sport. The site will be divided into four distinct zones.
Four zones dedicated to urban sports on the former Rugby Village
A first zone will be devoted to Parkour, this urban sport which consists of moving over all kinds of obstacles. Adepts or curious people can try it by jumping from module to module.
The second zone will be dedicated to the pump track, this cycling discipline which takes place on a closed bumpy course, where athletes move without having to pedal but using the terrain and body movements to move forward.
Efforts different from those who will walk the third track, dedicated to urban board sports (cycling, rollerblading, scooters or skateboarding). Finally, for those who prefer the ball, they can try 3×3 basketball in the fourth zone.
Activities supervised by the federations
Several of these sports are a nod to the future Concorde Olympic site, which will begin to be set up at the beginning of March and which will host the skateboarding, BMX freestyle, breaking and 3×3 basketball events.
As indicated previously, although the area will be free to access, many activities will be organized and supervised by sports federations. Emmanuel Grégoire cites pell-mell the Parisian basketball committee, the Paris University Club (PUC), the departmental golf committee, etc. Chess-related activities will also take place on site (hoping that this is not a bad omen for French athletes…).
If it will be the only site of this type before the start of the Olympics, others of the same ilk should emerge throughout the duration of the events in the capital.
All these activities will be available to discover on Wednesday December 27 from 11 a.m. on Place de la Concorde. The schedule of events is also available on the Paris.fr website.