The most famous venues of the Olympic Games in Paris

PARIS (AP) — There will be no shortage of legendary venues at the Paris Olympics.

From the Palace of Versailles to the Place de la Concorde to the Eiffel Tower, organizers have ensured that the City of Light's most famous landmarks will be the center of attention during the Olympic Games.

The competitions take place right in the heart of the city, on the Seine and in historic buildings such as the Grand Palais.

Paris also makes use of its existing sports infrastructure, including the Roland Garros tennis stadium and the Stade de France national football stadium.

Here's a look at the most famous venues where competitions will take place during the Games in the French capital from July 26 to August 11.

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EIFFEL TOWER

La Dame de Fer (the Iron Lady) needs no introduction and is still going strong at 135 years old. Volleyball players can compete at the foot of the 330-metre-high behemoth, watched by nearly 13,000 fans in the temporary Eiffel Tower Stadium on the nearby Champ de Mars, where Parisians and tourists like to have picnics on the grass or watch the fireworks on July 14.

PALACE OF VERSAILLES

The palace was once the residence of the French royal family and is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris. Louis XVI – the Sun King – and Queen Marie Antoinette hosted lavish banquets at Versailles before being beheaded during the French Revolution. During the Paris Games, horse riders will gallop in the heart of the palace gardens. Modern pentathlon competitions will also take place there.

GRAND PALACE

The palace with the shimmering green glass roof was built for the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. Over 6,000 tons of steel were used to build the central nave. Fencing and taekwondo fans can watch competitions here.

HOTEL DE VILLE

The imposing Town Hall has a massive, tall and wide façade and glows with a golden hue when the lights are switched on at night. It has been in existence since 1357. Having stood the test of time, it seems quite fitting to start the marathon from its cobbled forecourt.

THE CONCORDE

The Place de la Concorde will always have a place in France's bloody past. It was here that the French king and queen, who loved banquets, were guillotined in 1793. The famous French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre suffered the same fate a year later. The Luxor Obelisk has also stood here for almost 200 years. The idea of ​​bringing imposing obelisks to Paris was born at the turn of the 19th century, during Napoleon Bonaparte's military campaign in Egypt. This summer, breakdancers, BMX freestylers, 3-on-3 basketball players and skateboarders will share the attention on the Place de la Concorde.

THE INVALID

The magnificently decorated Pont Alexandre III bridge connects the right and left banks of the Seine. Those crossing the bridge can watch cycling and triathlon events, or look down to watch swimming competitions in the Seine, before crossing to a grassy esplanade that leads to the Les Invalides. This is the more common name of the Invalides, which houses Napoleon's tomb. A military enthusiast's paradise, the much-admired Paris landmark features a huge golden dome 107 meters (351 feet) high, covered in nearly 13 kilograms (29 pounds) of gold leaf. In keeping with this military flair, Olympic archers will take aim here.

TROCADERO

From its elevated position, the Trocadéro overlooks the Eiffel Tower and offers a thrilling contest between famous landmarks. It was here that hordes of Scottish football fans gathered in kilts at the 1998 World Cup, singing “We are the famous Tartan Army” while dancing and drinking heavily. It is a great vantage point from which to watch triathlon, road cycling, marathon and walking events.

BERCY-ARENA

The 20,000-capacity indoor arena has been the scene of many sporting dramas over the years. Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu lost the 2002 Davis Cup final to Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the fifth set of the deciding match. Tennis star Novak Djokovic has won the Paris Masters a record seven times in the arena, which has also hosted regular season NBA games and international handball matches. And Madonna and French rocker Johnny Hallyday have performed concerts in the pyramid-shaped building. Just a stone's throw from the Ministry of Finance, the arena hosts gymnastics, basketball and trampoline gymnastics.

PARC DES PRINCES

The 48,000-seat stadium is home to Paris Saint-Germain football club and French superstar Kylian Mbappé played here for seven years before leaving the club this year. In the past, France regularly played rugby and football matches at Le Parc. Forty years ago, football star Michel Platini led France to its first European title at the stadium. The Parc des Princes will host football matches during the Paris Games, including the men's and women's finals on August 9 and 10.

STADE DE FRANCE

Another French football star, Zinedine Zidane, will always hold a special place in the history of the Stade de France. The attacking midfielder scored the first goal when the French national stadium opened in 1998. Later that year, he celebrated France's first World Cup title there, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory in the final against Brazil. The 80,000-capacity stadium hosted the 2003 World Athletics Championships and has hosted many international football and rugby matches since then. It will host athletics events on a newly designed purple track, as well as rugby sevens matches.

STADE VELODROM

“A jamais les premiers” (Forever first) is how passionate Marseille fans encourage supporters of their deep-pocketed arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain, reminding them that Marseille is the first – and only – French team to win the Champions League in 1993. Marseille's 67,000-seat Stade Vélodrome offers one of the most passionate atmospheres in European football and will host a total of ten Olympic football matches, including two semifinals. The US men's and women's teams will play one group match each there.

THE DEFENSE ARENA

The ship-shaped arena is located near a vibrant business center, about 11 kilometers northwest of central Paris. Since 2017, it has hosted seminars and Racing 92 rugby club matches. Thanks to its multi-purpose structure, it will now also host Olympic swimming. The arena's facade is made of aluminum and glass scales and looks impressive when illuminated at night.

YVES-DU-MANOIR STADIUM

Located in the north-western suburb of Colombes, the stadium links the city's Olympic past with its present. In 1924, it was the main venue for the Paris Games. This time, it is a little more low-key and hosts field hockey matches.

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