Usually calm on weekends, the La Défense district is particularly lively this Saturday, March 23rd. Behind the Grande Arche, a line of several thousand people of all ages stretches for dozens of meters. A brass band entertains the crowd, while some take the opportunity to get to know each other.
Marjolaine and Valentin, who “met ten minutes ago” are already discussing their future missions. She is 21 years old and comes from Millau (Aveyron), while he is 27 and lives in Nancy. Like the rest of the crowd, they will be volunteers at the Paris Games this summer. And, 125 days before the start of the event, they have come to participate in the Volunteers Convention, the large gathering of volunteers taking place at the Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine).
About 20,000 people are present, while there will be 45,000 for the Games (30,000 at the Olympics, 15,000 at the Paralympics). The majority already reside in the Paris region, where 25,000 volunteers will be mobilized during the Games (from July 26th to August 11th). For them, there is no housing issue in sight. But for non-Parisians, the situation is different.
Because volunteering for the Games comes at a cost. The organization does not provide housing for its volunteers – as in previous Games – and only covers the cost of local transportation and meals taken during working hours. Therefore, finding affordable accommodation in Paris can be a challenge, with the influx of spectators expected and the rise in prices.
A challenge that Valentin is not too worried about, as he will be stationed in Vaires-sur-Marne during the Games, where the rowing and canoe-kayak events will take place. “I will probably take an Airbnb… I’m waiting for more details on my dates. Since it’s going to be costly, I prefer to optimize.” Marjolaine’s situation is different since she will be in Marseille. “I know some friends there, but I haven’t asked them yet. I think I can find something.”
Networking is the solution for most volunteers. Sabrina, from Chambéry, will stay with her sister in the Paris region. François, a retired teacher from Amiens, will probably stay with his family. Anatole, a student in engineering school in Brest, is hoping to stay with a schoolmate in the Paris region. And some volunteers are even willing to scan their family tree to find a distant relative to stay with.
Some volunteers, however, will avoid this housing dilemma. Employees of major corporate partners of Paris 2024 will have access to accommodation. For example, 2,024 volunteers from Sanofi, whose company will also finance tickets for the Games and travel to Paris. Or Toyota, the supplier of vehicles for the Games, which has reserved hotel rooms at various locations.
Various solutions are in place to ensure that volunteers are not left without accommodation. Alexandre Morenon-Condé, in charge of the volunteer program, assures that accommodation “is not at all a significant issue that could cause problems”. And, they have a team of several thousand “replacements” ready to step in for any normal dropouts from the program.
