The Hôtel de Ville—Paris' city hall—and its eponymous square will host events in the very centre of France’s capital during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This historic location, which skirts the famous Seine river, will see the start of the Games’ most legendary long-distance race: the marathon.
You can’t miss the Hôtel de Ville’s imposing façade, which stretches 143 metres across and towers 18.80 metres high (26.80 metres at the corners, 50 metres if you include the bell tower). The neo-renaissance Hôtel was built by architects Théodore Ballu and Édouard Deperthes on the exact location where the former Hôtel de Ville stood until it was burnt down during the Paris Commune in 1871. It has housed Paris’ City Hall since 1357.
The square in front of the city hall, which was previously referred to as Place de Grève in years gone by, has come to be known as the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, and has become a hotspot for exhibitions and other cultural attractions. In the summer of 2024, it will serve as the splendid backdrop for athletes setting out on the 42.195 km marathon.
Legacy
The marathon start area is a temporary set-up that will be dismantled following the conclusion of the Games.
