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The Most Iconic Venues of the Paris Olympics

La Dame de Fer (The Iron Lady) needs no introduction and is still going strong at 135 years old. (AP)
La Dame de Fer (The Iron Lady) needs no introduction and is still going strong at 135 years old. (AP)
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The Most Iconic Venues of the Paris Olympics

La Dame de Fer (The Iron Lady) needs no introduction and is still going strong at 135 years old. (AP)
La Dame de Fer (The Iron Lady) needs no introduction and is still going strong at 135 years old. (AP)

There will be no shortage of iconic venues at the Paris Olympics.

From the Palace of Versailles to the Place de La Concorde and of course, the Eiffel Tower, organizers have made sure the City of Light’s most famous landmarks will take center stage during the Olympics.

Competitions will be held right in the heart of the city, in the Seine River and inside historic buildings such as the Grand Palais.

Paris is also making use of its existing sports infrastructure, including the Roland Garros tennis stadium and Stade de France, the national soccer stadium.

Here’s a look at the most iconic spots that will host competitions during the July 26-Aug. 11 games in the French capital, according to The AP.

- EIFFEL TOWER

La Dame de Fer (The Iron Lady) needs no introduction and is still going strong at 135 years old. Men's and women's volleyball players get to compete at the feet of the 330-meter (1,083-foot) behemoth. They will be watched by nearly 13,000 fans at the temporary Eiffel Tower Stadium on the nearby Champ de Mars, where Parisians and tourists like to have picnics on the grass or watch July 14 firework displays.

-PALACE OF VERSAILLES

Once the residence of French royalty, the chateau is one of the most popular tourist spots in Paris. Louis XVI — the Sun King — and Queen Marie Antoinette held lavish banquets at Versailles before they were beheaded during the French revolution. During the Paris Games, equestrian riders will gallop at the heart of the palace’s gardens. Modern pentathlon events will also take place there.

-GRAND PALAIS

The palace with its green-tinged glass roof was built for the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900. More than 6,000 tonnes of steel were used to build the nave. Fencing and Taekwondo fans will get to watch events here.

-HOTEL DE VILLE

The imposing-looking City Hall has a massive façade stretching high and wide, and gives off a golden hue when lights are switched on at night. It's been around since 1357. Having stood the test of time, it seems rather fitting to start the marathon from its paved forecourt.

-LA CONCORDE

Place de la Concorde will always have its place in France’s gory past. It is where France’s banquet-loving king and queen were guillotined in 1793. Prominent French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre met the same fate a year later. It’s also been home to the Luxor Obelisk for nearly 200 years. The idea to transport imposing obelisks to Paris came about at the turn of the 19th century, during Napoleon Bonaparte’s military campaign in Egypt. This summer breakdancers as well BMX freestylers, 3-on-3 basketballers and skateboarders will share the attention at La Concorde.

-LES INVALIDES

The gloriously decorated Pont Alexandre III bridge connects the right and left banks of the Seine River. People crossing the bridge can catch cycling and triathlon events, or look down to watch swimming events in the Seine River, before walking over toward a grassy esplanade which leads to Les Invalides. It's the more common name for Hôtel des Invalides, which houses Napoleon's tomb. A haven for military enthusiasts, the much-admired Paris landmark has a giant golden dome standing at 107 meters (351 feet) and is covered with nearly 13 kilograms (29 pounds) of gold leaf. Perhaps fittingly, giving its military feel, Olympic archers will set their sights here.

-TROCADERO

From its elevated position, the Trocadéro faces the Eiffel Tower in a stare-down contest between famed landmarks. It's where hordes of kilt-wearing Scottish soccer fans congregated at the 1998 World Cup, singing “We're the famous Tartan Army" as they danced and drank heartily. It should offer a great vantage point for watching triathlon, road cycling, marathon and race walking events.

-BERCY ARENA

The 20,000-seat indoor arena has witnessed much sporting drama over the years. Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu lost in the fifth set of the deciding rubber against Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the 2002 Davis Cup final. Tennis great Novak Djokovic has won the Paris Masters a record seven times at the arena, which has also hosted regular-season NBA games and international handball matches. Oh, and Madonna and French rocker Johnny Hallyday held concerts inside the the pyramid-shaped building. Located a stone’s throw from the Finance Ministry, it will host artistic gymnastics, basketball and trampoline events.

-PARC DES PRINCES

The 48,000-seat stadium is home to soccer club Paris Saint-Germain and where France superstar Kylian Mbappé played for seven years before leaving the club this year. France used to regularly play rugby and soccer matches at “Le Parc." Fourty years ago soccer great Michel Platini led France to its first European Championship title at the stadium. Parc des Princes will host soccer matches during the Paris Games, including the men's and women's finals on Aug. 9 and Aug. 10, respectively.

-STADE DE FRANCE

Another French soccer great, Zinedine Zidane, will always have a special place in the history of the Stade de France. The attacking midfielder scored the first goal when France's national stadium was inaugurated in 1998. Later that year he celebrated France's first World Cup trophy there after scoring two goals in the 3-0 win over Brazil in the final. The 80,000-capacity stadium hosted the track and field world championships in 2003 as well as many international soccer and rugby games since. It will hold athletics competitions on a new-look purple track as well as rugby sevens matches.

-STADE VELODROME

“A jamais les premiers” (Forever the First). That's how passionate Marseille fans goad supporters from cash-rich arch rival Paris Saint-Germain, by reminding them that Marseille remains the first — and only — French side to win the Champions League, back in 1993. Marseille's 67,000-capacity Stade Velodrome boasts one of the most fervent atmospheres in European soccer and hosts a total of 10 Olympic soccer matches, including two semifinals. The US men's and women's teams each play a group-stage game there.

-LA DEFENSE ARENA

Situated near a vibrant business hub some around 11 kilometers (7 miles) northwest of central Paris, the boat-shaped arena has hosted seminars and club rugby matches of Racing 92 since 2017. Now it will host Olympic swimming thanks to its multipurpose structure. The Arena's façade is made up of aluminium and glass scales and looks impressive when lit at night.

-STADE YVES-DU-MANOIR

The stadium is located the northwest suburb of Colombes and links the city's Olympic past and its present. In 1924 it was the main venue for the Paris Games. It's more low-key this time around, hosting field hockey matches.

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Varieties

Myrrh Tree that's Key to Luxury Perfumes, African Incomes Threatened by Drought

Stephen Johnson gathers data on a large, healthy Commiphora myrrha tree, the source of myrrh, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Sanqotor, Ethiopia. (AP Photo/Julianne Gauron)
Stephen Johnson gathers data on a large, healthy Commiphora myrrha tree, the source of myrrh, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Sanqotor, Ethiopia. (AP Photo/Julianne Gauron)
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Myrrh Tree that's Key to Luxury Perfumes, African Incomes Threatened by Drought

Stephen Johnson gathers data on a large, healthy Commiphora myrrha tree, the source of myrrh, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Sanqotor, Ethiopia. (AP Photo/Julianne Gauron)
Stephen Johnson gathers data on a large, healthy Commiphora myrrha tree, the source of myrrh, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Sanqotor, Ethiopia. (AP Photo/Julianne Gauron)

The critical note in some of the world’s most well-known perfumes is myrrh, a tree resin from the Horn of Africa that is under pressure from what experts say has been a historic drought.

Threatened by the lack of water and nibbled by starving livestock, the trees that once formed a dense forest in the Somali region of Ethiopia are in danger, locals say.

Earlier this year, researchers supported by the American Herbal Products Association, a trade group, and Born Global, a nonprofit, visited a source of the prized resin that makes its way to global markets from some of the most vulnerable places on earth.

Their goal was to ensure that those who harvest the resin get more of the direct profits instead of middlemen along the opaque supply chain, The Associated Press reported.

Ethiopia is a major source of myrrh, which has been used in beauty, health and religious practices since at least ancient Egypt. Traditional harvesting in the region has not changed, which helps to protect the trees and produces the highest quality resin.

Myrrh’s hand-harvested nature raises its price, but those doing the work see little of the profit. Collecting a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of the resin brings as little as $3.50 and as much as $10.

That’s far from the prices for the perfumes it helps to create, which are marketed by well-known fashion brands like Tom Ford, Comme des Garcons and Jo Malone, and sold at prices as high as $500 a bottle.

Meanwhile, curiosity about myrrh’s other potential uses is growing with increased global interest in natural remedies.

For now, most myrrh from this part of eastern Ethiopia is purchased by traders from neighboring Somalia. Ethiopia collects no taxes on the goods.

Local residents hope more visibility will help them as the climate crisis threatens their ways of life.

“They expressed hope that a direct market would enable them to secure better prices, ensuring sustainable livelihoods,” said Abdinasir Abdikadir Aweys, senior researcher with the Somali Regional Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Research Institute and a member of the research team.

The researchers were led by Anjanette DeCarlo, an expert in sustainable supply chains and resins at the University of Vermont, and Stephen Johnson, resin expert and owner of FairSource Botanicals. They found that communities practice traditional harvesting by collecting resin from trees’ naturally occurring wounds instead of by making intentional cuts, which makes trees more vulnerable to pests and disease.

“Traditional practice is in balance and protects trees. It should be celebrated,” DeCarlo said.

But the drought worried the team. The annual rains have been failing over the past several years, interrupted in 2023 by devastating flooding.

The arid region has long seen droughts, but this one has been historic. Experts have blamed the changing climate.

Myrrh harvesting is threatened. While adult trees are generally healthy, they are producing less resin. And fewer young trees are surviving.

“Unfortunately, many seedlings are uprooted by children who graze their livestock nearby, and the animals often eat the buds of the young trees,” said a local elder, Mohamed Osman Miyir, adding: “We are deeply worried about the declining population of myrrh trees.”

Without proper rain, other young trees are likely to fail. DeCarlo worried that eventually even the adult trees will die.

Villagers’ days are spent hauling water for themselves and their livestock. Herders travel over the parched, cracked earth as far as 200 kilometers (125 miles) to Sanqotor village, which has a rare well with water.

“Guests water animals first, then the villagers,” said local headman Ali Mohamed, watching hundreds of livestock crowd around the well.

But not everyone has livestock — the poorest residents rely solely on tree resin like myrrh for their survival.

Varieties

In Europe First, Netherlands to Allow Teslas to Self-Drive

01 September 2025, Brandenburg, Gruenheide: The Tesla logo is seen on a vehicle at the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. (dpa)
01 September 2025, Brandenburg, Gruenheide: The Tesla logo is seen on a vehicle at the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. (dpa)
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In Europe First, Netherlands to Allow Teslas to Self-Drive

01 September 2025, Brandenburg, Gruenheide: The Tesla logo is seen on a vehicle at the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. (dpa)
01 September 2025, Brandenburg, Gruenheide: The Tesla logo is seen on a vehicle at the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. (dpa)

In a first for Europe, the Netherlands is poised to allow Tesla owners to use their car's self-driving feature -- as long as they are in the vehicle and keeping a watchful eye over it.

The country's RDW agency for roadworthiness certifications said in a statement late Friday: "Thanks to the type approval, the driver assistance system can now be used in the Netherlands, with possible future expansion to all member states of the European Union."

The move aligns the Netherlands with what is allowed in the United States, where Tesla owners can already use the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) (FSD Supervised) function in the cars.

That mode hands over driving to the Tesla's computer system, including steering, braking, route navigation and parking, all under the active supervision of the driver, who remains at the controls ready to take over if needed.

The European subsidiary of Tesla, the electric-vehicle company run by the world's richest person, Elon Musk, hailed the Netherlands' move.

"FSD Supervised has been approved in the Netherlands & will begin rolling out in the country shortly!" it said on X.

"No other vehicle can do this. We're excited to bring FSD Supervised to more European countries soon."

The Dutch RDW agency stressed the difference between FSD Supervised, with a human remaining at the controls, and full autonomous driving.

"A vehicle with FSD Supervised is not self-driving. It is a driver assistance system, and the driver remains responsible and must always maintain control," it said.

RDW's decision has to go to the European Commission for authorization, so that its national certification has EU weight.

Tesla sales have been facing headwinds in Europe -- including in the Netherlands -- in the last couple of years.

Potential clients have turned off by Musk's political activism supporting hard-right politics in the US and Germany, while the brand is also facing increased competition from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers.

Varieties

'A Perfect Mission': Artemis II Astronauts Return to Earth

In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew, counterclockwise from top left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover pose with eclipse viewers during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew, counterclockwise from top left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover pose with eclipse viewers during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
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'A Perfect Mission': Artemis II Astronauts Return to Earth

In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew, counterclockwise from top left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover pose with eclipse viewers during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew, counterclockwise from top left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover pose with eclipse viewers during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)

An elated NASA late Friday was celebrating its successful voyage around the Moon, after four astronauts safely returned to Earth having completed the first lunar flyby in more than 50 years.

The NASA spacecraft carrying four astronauts -- three Americans and one Canadian -- splashed down without a hitch off the California coast, capping the US space agency's crewed test mission that returned with spectacular images of the Moon, said AFP.

"What a journey," said mission commander Reid Wiseman, who reported that the crewmembers -- himself along with Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen -- were "stable" and "green."

"They're in great condition, that's what that means," said Rob Navias, the NASA public affairs official who narrated their return on the agency's livestream.

Following an expected but nerve-wracking communications blackout during their high-stakes re-entry, Wiseman's voice triggered relief that the astronauts were well on their way back home.

"We have you loud and clear," he said following a voice check from mission control in Houston.

NASA personnel and the US military helped extract the astronauts from the bobbing capsule -- to the applause of those watching from mission control.

By late Friday, helicopters had lifted the astronauts to a recovery ship off the Pacific coast near San Diego, where they all proved capable of walking unassisted.

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman called the voyage "a perfect mission."

"We're back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon," he said, and "this is just the beginning."

- 'A great day' -

As the astronauts returned to Earth their spacecraft reached maximum speeds more than 30 times the speed of sound, and faced searing temperatures around half as hot as the surface of the Sun.

It was a key test of their heat shield, which in an earlier trial uncrewed mission had faced complications that they attempted to mitigate this time around by shifting the return trajectory.

"If you didn't have anxiety bringing this spacecraft home, you probably didn't have a pulse," said flight director Rick Henfling.

But the Artemis II re-entry was smooth sailing.

The Orion capsule will now be painstakingly examined to assess how it fared.

US President Donald Trump praised the astronauts for their "spectacular" trip and said he "could not be more proud" -- while wasting no time in looking ahead to the eventual goal of sending missions even further into space.

"Next step, Mars!" he wrote on social media.

Artemis II was the inaugural crewed mission of NASA's program aiming to install a sustained presence on the Moon, including the eventual construction of a base that could be used for further exploration including to Mars.

- 'Fresh confidence' -

From liftoff to splashdown, the trip clocked in at nine days, one hour, 31 minutes and 35 seconds -- though NASA rounds up and calls it a 10-day mission.

It began with a dramatic launch from Florida on April 1, and was studded with firsts, records and extraordinary moments.

The four astronauts become the humans to travel furthest away from the Earth, at 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers).

While hurtling through deep space and zipping around the Moon they took thousands of photographs, amassing a stunning portfolio of images that captivated people on Earth.

They also witnessed a solar eclipse along with extraordinary meteorite strikes on the lunar surface.

Several achievements added to the voyage's historic nature: Glover was the first person of color to fly around the Moon, Koch was the first woman, and Canadian Hansen the first non-American.

Astronomer Derek Buzasi of the University of Chicago called the mission "an almost flawless success."

"I admit to having had my doubts about the Artemis program, but now I have fresh confidence in our next steps as we go back to the Moon to stay," he told AFP.

- 'Eye on the prize' -

NASA is hoping it can put boots on the lunar surface as soon as 2028 -- the final full year of Trump's second White House term.

Experts, however, have voiced skepticism that the lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin, companies owned by billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos respectively, will be ready in time.

China, meanwhile, is forging ahead with its own effort targeting 2030 to put astronauts on the Moon.

In the meantime, NASA is hoping to capitalize on the Artemis II mission's success to drum up excitement about space exploration.

Clayton Swope, a space policy expert at of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told AFP that the mission stands as "proof that when America keeps its eye on the prize, it can still do very great things."