French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Organizing Committee Chairman Tony Estanguet opened the Olympic and Paralympic Village alongside Olympic champions Marie-José Perec and Brahim Aslum. The complex has 82 buildings, 3,000 apartments and 14,250 beds.
Here's everything you need to know about where the sports stars will be staying this summer:
Following today's opening ceremony, the world's greatest athletes will enter the buildings on July 12 ahead of the start of the Olympic Games (July 26 - August 11) and Paralympic Games (August 28 - September 8).
A total of around 15,000 athletes from around the world will be staying at the Olympic and Paralympic Village, which is conveniently located on the banks of the Seine between Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine and the Île Saint-Denis, in the north of the French capital, a short distance from Stade de France.
"We are proud of the work you have done, within the budget and on time", Macron told the workers, AFP reported.
"Our athletes will be able to experience the Games in the best possible conditions and you have contributed to changing the lives of the residents of the area. You are part of an adventure that will mark our century. What was done on time and on budget as we finalize the reconstruction of Notre Dame, is nothing short of remarkable", he added.
For his part, Tony Estanguet said: "We will welcome the world here, in a place that shows the best of France".
"We are filled with emotions and look forward to seeing the transformation of the village with 200 delegations, 10,000 Olympic athletes and 5,000 Paralympic athletes", added the chairman of the Organizing committee.
Based on the heritage concept, the Athletes' Village is centered around five residential areas and will provide all the necessary facilities for the athletes.
Each apartment has between one and four bedrooms, and the bathroom and living room are equipped as standard. In each building, the athletes will be able to take advantage of the services of the house manager, the laundry, as well as the accommodation centers and the multi-religious centers.
After the Paralympic Games, the apartments, each of which will house between two and eight athletes, will be made available to the city.
Outside of the living quarters, athletes will enjoy a wide variety of dining options with several restaurants that cater to a variety of dietary requirements. The main restaurant, which can accommodate up to 3,200 people, will be open 24 hours a day.
And that's not all. The complex includes seven training grounds, a polyclinic and other auxiliary buildings.
The opening of the village was also attended by several French sports stars, including Brahim Aslum, who won gold in boxing for France in Sydney 2000, judoka Aurelien Dies and three-time Olympic track and field champion Marie-José Perec.
"The village is the first place you visit ... it stays in the memory of every athlete", Aslum said, reflecting on his own memories of the Games.
"It's a real pleasure to be here on this important day", added Diez, who has been selected to compete for France in the 100kg category and grew up in the same neighborhood where the athletes' village is located. "The village will be our home in a few months, so it's good to see it ready. And while that's happening, the image of the Games is taking shape in my mind", he added.
Perec spoke about the significance of the village's location for the athletes competing at the Games. "80% of the events will take place within 10 km of the village and that's amazing", she emphasized. /BGNES
