A personal box overlooking the line greeted us at the Stade de France for athletics at the Olympic Games.
Paris has been a city of prestige, gold and high-octane glamour. But she knew that staying in the French capital would be more magical than usual. This time, I was here to attend the world’s largest sporting event, which took place in the city amidst the glitz, circumstance and glittering publitown. When my Gare du Nord taxi turned the corner at 11 p. m. In acute, the view from the window gave way to the stunning view of the resplendent Eiffel Tower. How lucky we are to be able to capture it at the right moment, and what a chance to be here to witness what could well be the most memorable Olympic Games of the century.
In addition to swimming in the Seine and debatable break-dancing, connoisseurs quietly got excited about a new main progression in this year’s games. The news that was temporarily spread through the city was that, for the first time, there was an official hospitality partner for the Olympic Games. now, not only esteemed visitors to sponsoring brands like Omega and Deloitte can watch from a personal courtside box, but also all HNWIs worthy of their position on the Times’ rich list. Are the Olympic Games about to become the ultimate symbol of prestige?With the official On Location hotel already on board for Milano Cortina 2026 and LA 2028, I was the first to know.
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What followed was a once-in-a-lifetime whirlwind for two days. In fact, the hospitality was such that I felt guilty for being treated better than any of the athletes. Those rough, strong beds in the Olympic Village? Arriving late at night to check in at Maison Albar Le Pont Neuf, the excellent five-star base of my trip, I was immediately relieved to notice the comfortable sleeping facilities, with fluffy pillows and a sumptuous duvet. Arrange everything within the framework of a relaxing and sublime suite. And the headlines about the town lacking enough protein for its sports stars? Well, the next two days of dinner left me feeling like I had fatty liver. No wonder: At the reception venues there were no less than 3,815 plates, 200,000 macaroni and 3,175 pounds of cheese.
We had an incredible view of the basketball quarterfinals, from where we had to retreat to our locker room to stock up on champagne.
And yet, the glamour hadn’t even begun. After breakfast, I was taken to the Bercy Arena for the basketball quarterfinals. The match between Greece and Germany was tense, won by the latter after a difficult start. Between intense periods As I watched the players fight for a chance at Olympic glory, I ran from my plush leather seat to the comfort of our locker room. Inside, a well-stocked bar, accompanied by a cheese board, small bowls of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and slices of lemon and poppy seed cake kept us happy. As I took a sip from my glass of Moët, I felt that my first glimpse of Olympic hospitality was actually quite luxurious.
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I’ve never been a sports fan, but at the Olympics everything was different. I was determined to be here. Because? As Will Whiston, executive vice president of On Location, told me: “The Olympic Games are unique in the sense that they go beyond sport. It is as much a cultural occasion as it is a sporting one. ” Whether it’s a pass to the Formula 1 paddock or watching all four Grand Slam tournaments, an increasing number of people are traveling not only in search of vacations, but also for exclusive reports. Remember for life. It’s a preference that “goes beyond just getting a seat to a game or concert,” says On Location president Paul Caine, “it’s unique experiences that make an occasion truly memorable. So how unique is it? can organize moments? Well, on the one hand, the possibility of watching the men’s swimming final with Michael Phelps Or maybe you prefer to watch the women’s artistic gymnastics final with Aly Raisman. Whatever your dream is, it is imaginable. can (probably) make it happen.
In the Bois de Boulogne, Casa Italia welcomes friends and family of the athletes to celebrate loudly after their victories.
As the day progressed, the splendor only increased. A three-hour lunch at La Samaritaine, a gentle stroll through the Louvre to soak up the atmosphere and then head to Casa Italy for what will actually turn out to be an overnight. of natural hedonism. Many countries host their own “homes” of the Olympics for the team’s friends and family to enjoy, with champions returning for raucous celebrations after their victory.
With the aim of exploring the party scene that would be offered at Milano Cortina 2026, I trained at Casa Italia. So I arrived at the gates and found an authentic palace straight from Tuscany: buried in the Forest. of Boulogne, a gigantic white villa highlighted with the colors of the Italian flag, flanked by a tree-lined alley. After cheering on the Italian team, we went to dinner at Pré Catelan, the legendary three-Michelin-starred restaurant next door. and then returned for the celebrations. After watching car after car of beautiful donnas and perfectly suited men parade in ideal style, I have no doubt that Italy will offer the most opulent celebrations ever seen in 2026.
Perhaps the most unexpected turning point of my life was the discovery that off-site hospitality (i. e. , in the open air of sports stadiums and competitions themselves) is just as glamorous, if not more so, than sitting on the edge of the stadium. field. Reports vary from access to the US Team House (where the PR tells me he met Olympic star Pommel Horse Guy, aka Stephen Nedoroscik, to my envy) to the courtyard of the Eiffel Tower itself : the first point of the monument has been remodeled. in the Gustave Eiffel Hall, suspended 57 meters above the ground and offering wine tastings, live music by French artists and medal and torch presentations. And as I just saw, for its impressive entry offer, On Location has also taken over the Tokyo Palace with exhibitions from the Lausanne Olympic Museum, a foreign food court and a giant screen showing live sports broadcasts, all at the magnificent shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
The basic external hospitality offer of On Location, Club House 24, at the Palais de Tokyo
In addition to the exhibitions at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Club House 24 offers seating with perspectives of the Eiffel Tower.
It was a sight to behold, but it was immediately overshadowed when I arrived at La Maison de l’Latin America. Normally reserved for diplomats and ambassadors (and closed to the public), this gigantic neoclassical venue in Saint-Germain was transformed this summer into Salon 24. Its gardens, the largest private park in Paris, are home to countless open-air cinemas equipped with sun loungers and parasols. Inside, a themed buffet in each room: cold cuts, croques monsieurs, desserts, desserts. and more desserts. In the conservatory, an exclusive Chandon Garden Spritz cocktail is delicately made. Although, much to the waiter’s chagrin, a colorful maître d’hôtel, who might as well be a fancy incarnation of Tatler’s spectator, loudly announced that the most productive bartender in all of Paris, if not all of France, was upstairs. A passerby, wearing white gloves, continued his amusing walks on the lawn as he rang the bells, imploring visitors to check out the Olympic cocktail on the first floor.
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After 4 hours of daydreaming, I thought life couldn’t get any better. I lay in the sun, enjoyed ice cream, drank a mist of champagne, and even watched a bit of sport. And I’ve never felt more glamorous than walking the grand spiral staircase of La Maison de l’Latin America, dressed softly puffed, with a freshly handmade Olympic cocktail.
The Casa de América Latina is in Room 24
With the Olympic mascot La Phryge and a glass of Chandon Garden Spritz. Photo: Antoine Marceau
Just when I thought things might not get better, the pièce de résistance was yet to come. When I entered our personal box at the Stade de France, I could barely see: just above the starting line, the blocks on which the athletes prepared were almost ready under my feet. It was an exclusive behind-the-scenes look: I methodically watched as each contestant took one last moment to silently prepare, before mustering all his bravery for his piece in front of the camera. How much is it worth paying for a view like this? A position in a personal box at the end of the line can cost up to €8,500.
The next few hours were spent closely observing the sprints, triple jumps, and pole vaults. I was even lucky enough to see Team GB’s Matthew Hudson-Smith win silver in the 400m final, and you can’t put a worthwhile label on it. cost of seeing their country win a medal. In between all of this, a cart of meat and dauphinoise potatoes was unrolled and cut in front of us, and the pastry chef seemed to be hand-preparing bowls of ice cream for dessert. even a touch of Hollywood star power: no, not Snoop Dogg, but Emily in Paris, Antoine (actor William Abadie) sitting in the dressing room next to me. He was well-dressed in a soft pink jacket and white linen pants, but he remained standing. he was quick to inspire France to overcome obstacles: “Let’s go!Let’s go!’ It was quite a crescendo for my stay in Paris.
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And as if that were not enough, when they delivered our box, we experienced a last moment of natural magic. Winfred Yavi, Bahrain’s gold medallist and women’s 3,000m steeplechase champion, walked behind us in the hallway, having won her medal the night before. After a short pause to refresh our memory, we all shouted, “Oh my God, you win!”Congratulations!’ Yavi natural joy, absolutely endearing and so humble that we applauded him along the way. In fact, I didn’t expect to meet an Olympic champion on my trip, but such is the magic that comes with exclusive, high-level hospitality.
Still gripped by Olympic fever, I am already wondering: what next?Well, winter is coming. If Paris is indulgent, one can only believe the heights that hospitality will reach at Milan Cortina 2026. Perhaps the most elegant back-to-back Olympic duo yet, hosted in the fashion capitals of the world, the Dolomites will actually bring an electrified Afternoon, stunningly modern mountain clubs and, on top of that, stunning scenery. After all, if there’s one thing my evening at Casa Italy taught me, it’s that the French may know fabulous food and wine, but Italians know how to throw an amazing party.
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