Think for a moment of the beautiful movements of dressage, the excitement of a cross country course or the anticipation in a Grand Prix show jumping round. Add the anticipation of top-level international competition. Now add the background of a magnificent, expansive French castle estate. This is what teams, fans and spectators can expect to experience come July 2024.
Throughout their planning, the organizers of the Paris Games envisioned using its famous landmarks as stunning backdrops for the international competition. Equestrian sports were no exception, with the Chateau or Palace of Versailles, a universal iconic symbol of the history of France, secured to play host to competition in all four disciplines (dressage, eventing, show jumping and para dressage).
All equestrian competition will take place against the backdrop of the iconic palace, which was constructed in the 1660s and became the epicentre of French royalty as the home of King Louis XIV’s court in 1682. The former royal residence and its grounds were named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979 for its status as a centre of power, art and science in France during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Located over 20 kilometres outside of Paris, Versailles meets two of the Paris 2024 Games’ core goals of being “green” and highlighting the rich cultural heritage of France. The opulent estate is visited by millions of tourists annually. Spanning across 900 hectares and 43 kilometres of walkways, it has ample space for playing host to Olympic equestrian competition.
Photo Credit: Paris 2024
The Paris 2024 events will be set up as a temporary venue on the Etoile Royale esplanade, to the west of the Grand Canal. The arena will stage two eventing disciplines (dressage test and show jumping), as well as the jumping, dressage and para-dressage competitions.
Rendering of a Dressage Test in the Versailles venue.
Photo Credit: Paris 2024 main website
The individual and team eventing cross-country phase will be held alongside the Grand Canal with broadcast images of the palace in the background. The stabling, training areas, veterinary facilities and back-of-house facilities will also be on site. Depending on the event, capacity for spectators will range from 15,000 to 40,000 whereas projection for cross-country is around 62,000 fans.
By opening up these magnificent grounds for the Paris Games, equestrian spectators and TV audiences have an exceptional and ground-breaking spectacle to look forward to in summer 2024!
Renderings of a Show Jumping Course in the temporary arena.
Photo Credit: Paris 2024 Twitter