At an altitude of 231 metres, Elancourt Hill is the highest point in the Paris region. Its summit offers breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower, La Défense and the forests around Paris. No major infrastructure will be created at the site in order to minimise the impact on its biodiversity. 95 per cent of the future trails for the Olympic mountain bike events, designed by South African expert Nick Floros, are based on existing paths. Even better, various routes will be left as a legacy of the Games and will offer a selection of accessible trails for all users, from children and families to experienced riders.
The artificial Elancourt Hill is located at the site of former sandstone quarries that supplied materials to builders. After the quarries closed midway through the 19th century, the site became a landfill until it was closed in 1975. An ambitious regeneration programme was carried out in the 1980s, transforming the hill into a public park.
The choice of Elancourt by Paris 2024 will make it possible to further strengthen and support an existing sports activity while improving the venue’s ecological benefits. The project offers a legacy on three levels: for sport, for society and for the environment. Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines will become a leading destination for cycling, enabling communities cut off from sport to benefit from access to a strong legacy while making it possible to improve and promote the area’s biodiversity.
Legacy
The Games will further strengthen Elancourt Hill’s leisure dimension. Open to everyone, it will become a major destination for mountain bike enthusiasts, whatever their skill level, as well as fans of walking and jogging. The hill will also become an area for family walks in a safe, pollution-free environment surrounded by regenerated nature.
In addition, the site will be used to organise national and international mountain bike competitions.
