2 Venues and Legacy 2 22. Water Sports Centre (Vaires-sur-Marne) 23. Chateau de Versailles A tangible legacy of the Paris 2012 bid, the Water Sports Centre in Vaires-sur-Marne An invaluable asset to the Paris 2024 concept, the Chateau de Versailles’ magnificent will provide an ideal setting for water sports in the Paris 2024 concept. buildings and inspiring gardens comprise one of the most famous world heritage sites. 10,000 12,000 39 km 20,000 33 km Rowing/Canoe Sprint Canoe Slalom + 80,000 standing I The venue I Location I The venue The Chateau de Versailles, with its long equestrian tradition that traces back to the 17th century, will The Water Sports Centre is a successful example of The Water Sports Centre is sitting on the bank of the The Chateau de Versailles is a world-renowned royal offer the rare combination of the convenience and transformation of disused industrial land into apark Marne River, 39 km east of the Olympic and Paralympic palace on the edge of Paris. With its majestic buildings sustainable use of permanent equestrian facilities with for leisure and water sports at the service of the local Village. It is accessible by car via highways A1 and A4. and gardens, it was the first monument in France to be the allure of a World Heritage site as backdrop. community. A former sand quarry in the east of Paris, In addition, it benefits from multiple rail connections to declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. the site was redeveloped by the Paris region in the late Paris, including Metro line 16 (direct connection to the Originally a hunting lodge, Chateau de Versailles was I Location 1980’s and now welcomes over 500,000 visitors each Olympic and Paralympic Village – expected by 2024), expanded into a royal compound under the reign of year who can practice a variety of sports at its facilities. Suburban railway RER A, Suburban railway RER E. Louis XIV, who relocated his court there in 1682. Since The Chateau de Versailles is located 33 km south-west As a legacy of the technical studies undertaken for 1833, Chateau de Versailles has been a national museum of the Olympic and Paralympic Village. It is accessible the Paris 2012 Olympic bid, the venue is currently I Experience open to the public. The gardens of the Chateau cover by car via highway A13. In addition, it benefits from undergoing a major renovation designed by the an area of 800 hectares. They are one of the finest regular bus service as well as multiple rail connections architectural firm Auer+Weber and Associates. The Water Sports Centre hosted the ICF Canoe Sprint examples of the French garden style. through Suburban railway RER C, Transilien train Slated for completion in 2018, the project will see World Championships in 1991. Future large-scale events Among them lies the Etoile Royale, a circular esplanade service lines L, N and U, connecting directly to Gare the construction of a white water centre featuring a at the venue include 10th Gay Games 2018 (rowing) on the west end of the 1,500 metre long Grand Canal. Saint-Lazare and Gare Montparnasse. 250-metre obstacle course, the modernisation of the and France Elite Canoe Slalom Championships 2018. This will be the location of the temporary arena that 2,200 metre long rowing lake and supporting facilities will host the Equestrian Dressage and Jumping events I Experience as well as the addition of a media centre and athlete (including the dressage and jumping phases of the accommodation. Eventing competition), as well as the riding event The Chateau de Versailles has hosted an annual running The venue will host all Rowing and Canoe competitions of Modern Pentathlon. The same arena will host the tour through its gardens since 2012, attracting over for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Equestrian Dressage events for the Paralympic Games. 14,000 participants. The venue accommodates over six million visitors per year. 42 - PARIS 2024 PARIS 2024 - 43