Aquatics Centre

le 19 July 2021

The Aquatics Centre is, along with the Le Bourget Climbing Wall, the only permanent sports facility to be built for the Paris 2024 Games. In 2024, it will welcome the world’s greatest athletes for the artistic swimming, water polo and diving events. Looking beyond the Games, the Aquatics Centre has been designed to address the needs of Seine-Saint-Denis, its host region, and the French swimming community, which will now have a facility that can host the biggest national and international competitions.

Work to be completed: end of 2023

It will connect to the neighbouring Stade de France over a footbridge spanning the A1 motorway, and is a meaningful public investment for Seine Saint Denis, which is seriously lacking in sports facilities today. The Aquatics Centre’s novel configuration will be modular: it will be able to switch from a 5,000-seat venue during the Games to a 2,500-seat facility to host neighbourhood events afterwards.

The Aquatics Centre will be low-carbon and all the building materials will be bio-based. Its timber structure and roof frame are thought out to blend seamlessly into the surrounding greenery. With a 5,000 sqm roof covered with photovoltaic panels, it will be one of France’s largest urban solar farms and supply all the energy that the Centre needs.

The interior fittings will be made of recycled materials – and made in France to showcase the country’s expertise in environmental performance.

Capacity: 5,000 people

What sports for Paris 2024?

Olympic Games

Artistic swimming

Women’s: Duet, Team

Diving
Women’s: 10m Platform, Synchronised 10m Platform, Synchronised 3m Springboard, 3m Springboard.
Men’s: 10m Platform, Synchronised 10m Platform, Synchronised 3m Springboard, 3m Springboard.

Water polo
Women’s: 10-team tournament

Men’s: 12-team tournament.

Where will it be located?

Department: Seine-Saint-Denis

City: Saint-Denis

Distance from the Olympic and Paralympic Village: 2km to the east

Access: bus, Metro lines 13 and 14, RER B and D, Tramway lines T1 and T8, Vélib’ stations

Games venues located nearby: Stade de France, La Chapelle Arena, Olympic and Paralympic Village, La Courneuve Shooting Range, Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue

Tourist attractions located nearby: Sacré Cœur Basilica, Montmartre, Saint-Denis Basilica, Saint-Ouen flea market.

Legacy

From swimming lessons to recreational use and high-level competitions, the Aquatics Centre will be multifunctional. From July 2025, the Aquatics Centre will become a vast multi-sports facility open to all, including a fitness area, bouldering area, paddle tennis section and pitches for team sports. It will also have an adjustable floor to serve a variety of purposes (swimming lessons for babies, children, etc.). The Aquatics Centre will also be the state-of-the-art facility that the French swimming community has been looking forward to for decades. The French Swimming Federation will be able to host national and international competitions in its four indoor disciplines. The Centre will also provide a best-in-class federal training facility for leading French athletes, and will notably be home to the country’s diving centre.