HOW THE PARIS OLYMPICS IMPACTS RELOCATION

The Paris Olympic games will draw nearly 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and more than 26,000 accredited journalists and 15 million visitors from around the world, to France from July 26 to August 11, and August 28 to September 8. Moving conditions during this time will be impacted depending on the locations, dates, and size of the moves. For security reasons, and to facilitate traffic in Paris, containers or larger trucks may not be allowed inside Paris at all during the Olympics Games.

Authorities estimate these restrictions will increase the average travel time in Paris and Île-de-France significantly. Please check the dates of your moves and, when possible, plan as much as possible for sending assignees to Paris.

What You Need to Know About Relocation During This Time

Both prior to and during the games, multiple factors could impact shipment timelines:

Security/Customs

Expect slower customs clearance and extra security checks due to increased goods and supplies, including extra verifications of paperwork and customs inspections.
For security reasons, there may be greatly increased physical customs inspections before and during the Olympics. Only accredited individuals will be allowed to enter predefined security zones. This may affect export and import moves.
There will be increased security around the 13 arrondissements hosting events.

Road Traffic

Traffic issues in and around Paris are expected considering most of the competitions will take place there. The main Olympic Village is located in the Northeast of France, but competitions will take place in the whole territory, impacting cities including Lyon, Bordeaux, and Nice.

Road traffic between airports and the Olympic Village will be impacted as shuttles will be scheduled for the athletes, the Olympic committee, officials from all nations, staff, etc.

Travel near the competition sites will be very difficult. Only accredited vehicles will be allowed in certain areas and trucks for moves will be allowed access after law enforcement verification.
Traffic disruption is expected due to road closures, parking restrictions, and zone limitations for certain vehicle categories. Additional security may impact traffic routes and typical access.
Anticipate rerouting of traffic to make certain routes unavailable, therefore limiting accessibility to streets and buildings.
In the center of Paris, restrictions will be in force from 6:30 a.m. to midnight, and elsewhere from 2.5 hours before an event to up to 1 hour afterward.

Packing/Delivery

Please note that traffic disruption may impact packing and deliveries. Increased traffic and parking regulations during events may prevent us from performing moves at certain times. This may also generate extra charges such as demurrage, warehouse handling, or storage charges.

Moving companies are allowed to circulate in Paris, however, in some areas the trucks may have to go through police and security check points.
Ability to pack and/or deliver goods may be impacted due to construction and preparation activities.

Visa/Immigration

French authorities have already begun preparations to process a massive number of visa and entry requests.

Delays in visa processing times are due to large numbers of travelers and hired workers for Olympic Games.
Fast-tracked visas are available to those affiliated with the Olympic Games (family or athletes and members of committee).

Schooling

There is an existing scarcity of international schooling places in Paris.
Educational options may be further hampered by delayed visas.

What You Need to Know About Housing During This Time

Temporary Housing: Availability changes daily and remains favorable up until the end of April.

Occupancy will overflow into the surrounding regions; over half of Paris’s hotel rooms are already booked with rates increasing anywhere from +8% to +70%.
The 11th, 15th and 18th districts are the most sought after during the Olympic period.
Rates are increasing; the Mayor of Paris is regulating rates, so pricing remains controlled.
Cancellation policies will be very strict, so properties are protected against last-minute cancellations.

Long-Term Housing: There is a shortage of long-term rentals as homeowners may opt to make them available for short-term rentals during the events, along with higher rental fees.

Decrease in new properties being put on the market since the beginning of 2024.
Increased housing costs around Paris are expected to continue, although this is somewhat unpredictable as it must be considered in relation to ongoing inflation.
Landlords are favoring mobility and Civil Code leases, types of leases that enable a date-to-date rental, rather than the traditional open-ended lease, the standard in France with end-dates near the beginning of the Games.

With the large numbers of individuals traveling to Paris and surrounding areas during the Olympics and Paralympics, and the traffic resulting from all these visitors, it is important to prepare ahead for relocation to France during this time. Please check the dates of your employees’ assignments and plan as much as possible for sending assignees to Paris.

For more information on the ways you and your relocating employees may be impacted by the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, please contact your Sirva representative.

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