Who needs to apply for a Games Pass during Olympics in Paris?

Are you in Paris during the Olympic Games and wondering whether you need to apply for a Games Pass (“Pass Jeux”)? You’ve come to the right place.

A digital pass in the form of a QR code will be required for accessing specific areas in Paris during the Olympic Games this summer. Only residents, workers and visitors to the area (e.g. those holding tickets for the Olympic events or reservations at hotels, restaurants, museums, etc.) can make an online request to obtain the Games Pass. 

This article aims to help you figure out if you need to apply for a Games Pass and alleviate some of the stress you may feel about traveling around Paris during the Olympic Games.

Do I need to apply for a Games Pass?

If you’re visiting Paris this summer, you most likely will NOT need to apply for the Games Pass. The two main circumstances requiring a Games Pass are:

• If you’re a pedestrian who needs to enter the GREY security perimeter along the Seine from 18 July to 26 July until 1pm. This includes residents, workers, and visitors with hotel reservations, restaurant reservations, museum tickets, etc., within the GREY security perimeter.
• If you’re driving a motorized vehicle that wants to enter the RED security perimeter

Otherwise, you will not need a Games Pass for the Olympics.

If you have a ticket for the Opening Ceremony, your ticket will grant you access to the GREY security perimeter starting at 1pm on 26 July.

Games Pass requirements explained by dates

There are several important time periods to distinguish between.

1. Pre-Opening Ceremony Period (18 July – 1pm on 26 July)

What’s special about this period? This is 8 days before the start of the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Games. Lasting approximately 3hrs and 15mins, the spectacle will feature nearly 10,500 athletes parading along the Seine aboard almost 160 boats in a 6-kilometer course. The parade will depart from the Austerlitz bridge beside the Jardin des Plantes, circle the two central islands of the city (Île Saint Louis and Île de la Cité), pass under various bridges and gateways, and conclude at the Trocadéro.

For this event, the Paris police headquarters will establish two security perimeters along the Seine banks, which will be activated 8 days prior to the event, running from 18 July to 26 July. One is color-coded GREY and the other RED.

The GREY perimeter (also referred to as SILT) imposes access restrictions for visitors and residents alike between 18 July and 1 PM on 26 July. To access the GREY perimeter during this period, you will need a Games Pass. If you’re living, working, or staying at a hotel in the GREY perimeter, or if you have any reservations or appointments, you’ll need the pass to get to them.

If you can plan around these dates, try to visit the places in the GREY perimeter before 18 July or after 26 July. That way, you won’t have to worry about getting the Games Pass.

Who needs a Games Pass to access the GREY perimeter between 18 July and 1pm on 26 July?

Pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles will not be allowed to access the GREY perimeter without the Games Pass between 18 July and 1pm on 26 July. Those wishing to enter must present the QR code along with identification to law enforcement officers. Additionally, bag inspections may be conducted to ensure the absence of dangerous items.

If you have hotel reservations, tickets to museums (such as Notre Dame or the Louvre), or restaurant reservations in the GREY perimeter between 18 July and 1pm on 26 July, or just need to get to that area for any other reason, you will need to apply for the pass to access any address in the GREY perimeter.

Who needs a Games Pass to access the RED perimeter between 18 July and 1pm on 26 July?

Only those driving a motorized vehicle need the Games Pass to access the RED perimeter during this period. If you’re a pedestrian or a cyclist, you have unrestricted access to the RED perimeter and don’t need this pass.

Check the interactive map to view locations of all perimeters and check if you need the Games Pass

The city of Paris has set up an interactive map where you can see all security perimeters on any given day as well as hour, and determine whether you’ll need a Games Pass. Once you’re on the website, you can switch the language from French to English. You can also zoom in further on the map to see specific streets. Type in the address you want in the address box (e.g. the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame or your hotel) on the map. Then, check if it falls within the GREY perimeter or not. If it’s in the GREY perimeter, you’ll need the pass. If it’s not, you don’t need the pass.

Navigate to the Public Transport section on the left to find information on closed stations, areas to avoid, and stations expected to be busy on specific dates and times. This real-time data will be available during the Olympics, so save this link to plan your journey accordingly.

If you select 11am on 26 July, for example, this is what the map will look like:

2. Opening Ceremony Period (from 1pm on 26 July until the time when the Opening Ceremony concludes)

Now let’s look at the period from 1 PM on 26 July until the end of the day. The Opening Ceremony is expected to conclude between 11pm and midnight.

Here is how the map changes if you click on 1pm on 26 July. Both the GREY and RED perimeters are enlarged in certain areas.

Starting at 1 PM on 26 July, access to the GREY perimeter is reserved exclusively for spectators with a ticket or access card, and people with an exemption and a Games Pass.

Visitors, whether with or without the Games Pass, will not be granted access to the GREY perimeter after 1 PM on 26 July. If you have a ticket to the Opening Ceremony and need to get to the GREY perimeter zone, your ticket acts as your pass to enter. You don’t need to apply for a Games Pass if you have tickets to the Opening Ceremony.

There is still unrestricted access for pedestrians and cyclists in the RED perimeter without the need for the Games Pass.

The interactive map is the best resource for checking whether you need a Games Pass or not. If you plan to be in Paris between 18 July and 26 July, my advice to you would be the following. Study the map in detail, put in all the addresses of attractions/locations you want to visit on any particular day and determine whether these are in the GREY perimeter or not. If these are, then apply for the pass.

3. Perimeters and need for a Games Pass after 26 July

If you’re a pedestrian, a cyclist or a public transport user, you don’t need to worry about getting a Games Pass from 27 July until 8 September to access GREY, RED or BLUE perimeters. Only those with motorized vehicles will need to apply for one to access certain areas.

Around the competition sites, pedestrians and cyclists can move freely within the RED and BLUE perimeters without needing to justify their movement. On road race days, the red perimeter will be activated three hours before the start of the race and will be lifted one hour after the end of the race.

How to Apply for the Games Pass

If, after checking the interactive map, you determine that you need a Games Pass, you can apply for one on the website here. The passes are free of charge.

The instructions on the platform are quite straightforward. Firstly, specify whether you are applying for yourself and/or your motor vehicle. Secondly, indicate whether you are a resident, worker, or visitor, and then follow the application instructions. All applicants must attach a photo and an ID card. Additional documentation may vary depending on the applicant’s category. For example, residents need to provide proof of address, while visitors need to provide hotel or museum ticket confirmations, etc.

After submitting the form, you will receive a confirmation email acknowledging receipt of your application. Once authorities validate your application, they will send you the Games Pass via email. You can choose to save it on your phone or print it out for presentation as needed.

More on Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For detailed information about what to expect from your visit during the Paris Olympics, check out my articles “Visiting Paris before, during and after Paris Olympics 2024” and “Using Paris Metro during the 2024 Olympics“.

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