Grand Palais: partial opening in 2024 for fencing and Taekwondo events at the Paris Olympics

The renovation of the Grand Palais in Paris, a 120-year-old historic monument of the city of Paris, is currently underway . Since Friday March 12, 2021, work has been taking place in the three buildings that make up the emblematic listed building, built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition.

Before you can enjoy the Grand Palais again, you'll have to wait until at least spring 2024, when the nave and adjoining galleries are due to reopen to the public. At least for the duration of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which will be held both inside and outside the capital's walls. Completion is scheduled for 2025.

The renovation project was also revised at the end of 2020 to be"more sober and ecological", at the request of the Ministry of Culture. Plans to restore the Grand Palais are nothing new, and the work starting this Friday was decided a little over ten years ago. These renovations have become necessary in view of the extensive damage to the interior and exterior of the building. Since 2016, the roof restoration project has been working to breathe new life into the damaged 20,000m2 of the monument's 35,000m2 surface area.

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In concrete terms, the work is focusing on certain priorities. Removal of walls and partitions, accessibility, fire safety, air-conditioning and new pathways: inside the building, there's plenty to do. The works will also increase the surface area of the Grand Palais exhibition gallery by 30%, from 3,000 to 3,900 m2. The total cost of renovating the Grand Palais will be 466 million euros, shared between sponsorship, subsidies - via the Grand Plan d'investissement - and a government loan.

"Ephemeral Grand Palais

How will the Grand Palais be replaced during the construction period? Built by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, an"ephemeral Grand Palais" has been set up on the Champ de Mars since July 2020, pending completion of the renovation. The temporary structure is intended to host a wide range of events, including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as well as the exhibitions, fairs and fashion shows that punctuate the daily life of the Grand Palais.