Venues transform for Paralympic Games

Tuesday, August 20, one week before the Paralympic Games, construction sites are almost finished on most of the emblematic sites, from Les Invalides to the Grand Palais. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, beach volleyball will give way to blind football matches, football for the visually impaired. “The decision was made to cover this sandbox”explains Gautier Jourdet, head of the Stade Tour Eiffel site.

The Arena Paris Sud is also being transformed. The volleyball hall will host boccia, a sport related to pétanque. In the stands, the seats have been halved, as more space is allocated to the care of para-athletes. In the neighboring hall, handball is giving way to goalball. The discipline has a specific feature: silence must reign during a match so that the players can hear the ball and its bell. The events will begin on August 29 and the athletes should begin training this week.