2024 Olympics in Paris: All You Need to Know to Get Around by Bike

The 2024 Olympic Games are here. To avoid the crowded public transport, cycling seems to be an ideal solution. Here are all the options available to you in this regard.

The Paris Olympic Games will tafke place from July 26 to Sunday, August 11, 2024. With the anticipated influx in the streets and especially in the capital’s transport, many visitors and locals will be trying to navigate the city. Just like the athletes competing in cycling events—both track and road—Frandroid presents an overview of all the solutions for getting around Paris by electric and mechanical bike during the 2024 Olympics.

Vélib’: The Bikes of the Paris Metropolitan Area

Vélib’ Métropole is The public bike service operated by the Paris metropolitan area. The network includes 1,475 stations spread across Paris and Île-de-France, with 19,000 bikes, 40% of which are electric-assist. The difference between the mechanical and electric models lies in the bike’s color: green for the former, blue for the latter.

For the Olympic Games in Paris, Vélib’ Métropole plans to add 3,000 bikes and build additional stations. While some of these « megastations » will be temporary, others aim to be permanent.

The service offers a free mobile app that allows users to view station maps, plan routes, and purchase tickets or passes. Besides long-term subscriptions, a single unlock fee of three euros provides 45 minutes of use for a mechanical or electric-assist Vélib’.

Other temporary passes are available: a 24-hour mechanical bike pass for five euros or ten euros for the electric version, and a three-day pass for 20 euros. It’s worth noting that these temporary passes do not include unlimited bike usage. For more information on how this service works, visit the official Vélib’ website.

Véligo: A Special Olympics Subscription

The operator Fluow, which offers Véligo, the private electric bike rental service in Île-de-France, has announced a special Olympic Games subscription.

This one to two-month subscription (July and August 2024) will be offered at 53.90 euros per month, a 35% increase compared to the usual price. Unlike Vélib’ Métropole, Véligo’s fleet will not significantly increase, which is why Fluow asks interested parties to register one month before the rental period begins.

Free Floating Electric Bikes: Lime, Dott, and Tier

These operators are planning new features during the major sporting event. Lime plans to expand its fleet to 15,000 bikes (up from 10,000) and will raise its rates during this period. The rate will increase from 0.28 euros to 0.32 euros per minute, a net rise of four cents. Lime is also introducing an Olympic Games package, offering 180 minutes over three days for 30.75 euros.

To rent a bike from Lime, Dott, or Tier, users must register on the respective operator’s platform. Initial registration and bike unlocking are done via the operator’s mobile app.

For Dott and Tier, the usage zones are the same, as the two services have recently merged. In addition to its presence in central Paris, Dott operates in Aubervilliers with its electric bike fleet. Tier has installed electric scooters in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. According to Matthieu Faure, the communications manager for the operator, additional bikes will be added during the Olympic Games. Like Lime, Dott and Tier are in discussions with the Interministerial Delegation for the Olympic Games (DIJOP) to extend services beyond the already established zones.

Bike Lanes: New Routes to Connect Olympic Sites

To make the most of cycling around the city, new routes are being created for the Paris Games. An Olympic cycling network will connect all event sites with new paths. The map below illustrates these new routes.

Key new cycling routes will connect:

• Bercy Arena and Stade de la Concorde to the Grand Palais;
• Parc des Princes and Trocadéro to the Eiffel Tower stadium;
• Stade de France and Arena Chapelle (though this route is currently threatened);
• Nautical Stadium of Vaires-sur-Marne to Bercy Arena.

These new cycling paths are permanent and will remain after the Paris 2024 Olympics. They add 415 km to the existing 3,360 km of bike paths in Île-de-France.