Paris Inaugurates State-of-the-Art Olympic Aquatics Centre

The new facility, praised for its environmental and social contributions, will host key Olympic events before opening to the public.

President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the €188 million Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, set to host diving, synchronized swimming, and water polo competitions during the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The centre, completed in under three years, emphasizes environmental sustainability with a large urban solar farm and aims to promote social integration in the working-class suburb.
After the Olympics, the facility will serve as a training venue for the Paralympics and later open to the public, addressing the local need for swimming facilities.
The decision to host swimming races and water polo finals at separate venues was driven by cost considerations, with the Aquatics Centre designed for a post-Games capacity of 3,000 to 5,000 spectators.
The project, financed mainly by the French government, exceeded initial cost estimates but was hailed by Macron for its timely completion and budget management.