Eiffel Tower Shines Above All Olympic Venues – SportsTravel

PARIS — The iconic design and position in the Parisian landscape have been the subject of poems, photographs, stories and proposals for over a century, and have been marketed on everything from wine racks to key rings and… you name it.

But in some ways, the Summer Olympics are giving the Eiffel Tower a moment in the spotlight. From the spot where athletes lined up at the end of a memorable opening ceremony to the now-opened Parc de Champions, you can’t go on social media without seeing photos of beach volleyball with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

“Our phones are ringing off the hook asking, ‘Do you have extra tickets to the beach because I have to see this?’” said the CEO of USA Volleyball. Jamie Davis on Monday night. “’I don’t care if the US plays, I just want to see the stadium.’ And then say ‘what about if the US plays?’ It’s really going to help get more young people interested in the sport.”

That demand only increases at night, when the sun sets and the Eiffel Tower lights up yellow and sparkles every hour. On Monday night, people at the beach volleyball venue ran up the steps to the top of the stadium as the sun began to set, taking the photos of a lifetime.

(and yes, SportsTravel may have done that too. Once or twice. Maybe more. Okay, a lot more).

Have there been any memorable places at the Olympics? Definitely. Beach volleyball itself was at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. But this transcends beach volleyball.

“I’ve been to sporting events all over the world my whole life and I don’t think I’ve ever been to a stadium as iconic as this,” Davis said Monday.

Parisian nights

Much has been written and said about the economic impact of the Games, with some businesses reporting that they have not had as many visitors as one would expect from the event.

From our observations over the last few days, both could be true: the first few cafes and restaurants closest to a match venue, if you go late at night, have a traditional Parisian feel with full outdoor seating, flowing conversation and a good atmosphere. A major social area around the Eiffel Stadium saw several restaurants full, both outside and inside (which is not how people in France like to eat).

It may also be true that when you left the indoor volleyball arena on Monday night, two blocks past the South Paris Arena 1, there was plenty of seating available on both sides of the street if you wanted to grab a bite to eat. That was true at several locations; the Champs-Elysees had noticeably less daytime foot traffic on the weekend than in previous visits.

Heat has an impact

There’s no escaping the heat that has hit Paris in recent days. Tuesday’s high of 95 sent organizers scrambling to announce the availability of water fountains at locations and throughout the city, where temperatures traditionally top 70 in late July.

When traveling to events on the metro, signs constantly reminded passengers of the importance of staying hydrated and having water on hand while traveling. Because fewer metro lines have air-conditioned trains, this has led to some awkward moments. At some stations where heavy foot traffic was expected near events, such as the Bercy Arena stop on Tuesday afternoon, those who climbed the stairs to the above-ground exits passed several large tables where Paris 2024 volunteers were folding fans to hand out.

Have fun playing handball

Want to get an Olympic experience without knowing what’s going on in front of you? Handball is the sport for you. Popular across Europe, a Spain-Netherlands match packed the South Paris Arena 6, giving one confused American a taste of something different.

A match consists of two halves of 30 minutes with seven players in each team. Players may take a maximum of three steps without dribbling the ball and may have possession of the ball for a maximum of three seconds. Players may throw, catch, stop, push or hit the ball, but may not touch the ball with their feet or with any part below the knee.

The handball court in Paris was mostly light green with the goal area, which only the goalkeeper is allowed to occupy, in dark green. Since players usually jump over the goal line and try to fire shots while in the air, the result can be a cool little moment in the air or a hard landing with no result.

Culture clash

As they left the South Paris Arena after the US women’s volleyball team lost to China, one American fan in particular, decked out head to toe in an Uncle Sam uniform, was spotted by a group of Belgians outside a cafe.

“USA! USA! USA!” the Belgians chanted as a group. Without breaking stride, the American shouted back “I LOVE YOUR WAFFLES!”

Everyone laughed.