Audrey Hepburn once said, “Paris is always a good idea.” Indeed, the French capital is so well-visited that some might wonder why it even matters. But the City of Lights is shining brighter than ever as it prepares to host the 2024 Olympics. Swim in the Seine, play beach volleyball at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and start the marathon on the historic Grand Place at City Hall. (“Paris deserves every accolade because it is a city unlike any other,” the official Paris Olympics website says. “The Olympic Games in the nation’s capital promise a perfect, thoughtful spectacle for athletes, spectators and television audiences.”)
And since this is Paris, the athletics will be fashionable, too: the entire Olympics will be sponsored by luxury conglomerate LVMH, which will use an array of fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands to support the international event. (Chaumet will design the Olympic and Paralympic medals, for example, and Moët Hennessy wine and spirits house will provide alcohol for official hospitality events. We wonder what the official uniforms will be…) Meanwhile, Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs is hosting the exhibition “Mode et Sport, d’un podium à l’autre” (Fashion and Sport: From Podium to Podium), which runs until April 2024.
Need another reason? In recent months, Paris has seen a slew of noteworthy new boutique hotel openings, from the Martin Brudnicki-designed Le Grand Mazarin in the Marais to the Belle Époque-inspired Château des Fleurs. —ET
Galicia, Spain
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