One year on from the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, a new report from France’s Court of Auditors offers a measured reflection. While the Games ran smoothly, the economic impact was modest, and public costs grew considerably, leaving questions about lasting benefits.
The report, presented to the French Parliament on October 1st, 2025, acknowledges both well-managed execution and difficulties stemming from increased spending and unavoidable disruption.
The Paris Games attracted 5 billion viewers and boasted 12.1 million ticket sales – exceeding London 2012’s record. Direct revenue reached an estimated 1.33 billion euros. Still, the auditors place the overall short-term economic impact at just 0.07 percentage points of GDP growth for 2024. This gain was somewhat offset by “eviction effects,” impacting other parts of the economy. For example, tourism in the Île-de-France region experienced a 1.7% decline in overnight stays from 2023. Museum attendance also fell, with a 16% drop during the summer months as many cultural sites saw surprisingly low numbers. The report states that “the Games caused disruptions that are hard to fully assess, like restrictions on movement” and affected businesses.
Infrastructure projects did provide some benefits, creating 1.5 million hours of insertion work opportunities, mainly for young people. Yet, these gains were “attenuated by price increases,” with inflation adding to construction costs. Looking ahead, sustained tourism growth from greater visibility appears uncertain. The long-term impact of upgraded sports facilities and transport is “still too early to say”.
Perhaps the report’s biggest issue is the rise in public spending. Costs for the event rose from 2.77 billion euros to 3.02 billion. Infrastructure spending jumped from 3.19 billion to 3.63 billion. That pushed public involvement to about 6.65 billion euros – roughly three times the initially stated amount. Security costs alone reached 1.44 billion euros. Projects such as the Olympic Aquatic Center grew by 69% due to scope changes and increasing costs. However, the auditors did commend the governance approach that kept overruns in check and established Paris 2024 as a possible benchmark for hosting similar events.
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Interestingly, the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee (COJOP) disagreed in letters added to the report. COJOP argues the auditors included pre-existing investments, such as Metro Line 14 and the Seine bathing plan, which span 30 years and were not directly linked to the Games. The committee reported revenues of 4.49 billion euros against expenses of 4.41 billion, resulting in a small surplus. COJOP was “disappointed” the Court did not look at a counterfactual – estimating spending without the Olympics – a tool the auditors themselves often use.
As France looks ahead to the 2030 Winter Games, the report offers recommendations. The Court suggests limiting the number of coordination bodies and tightening oversight to avoid similar problems and streamline preparations. Now, as the echoes of the Games still resonate throughout the country – picture the Seine’s open-water swims and the athletes’ village soon transformed into 6,000 homes for a mix of incomes by the year 2026 – this very audit injects a dose of realism into the post-Games excitement. Perhaps Paris 2024 didn’t exactly spark a massive economic boom, yet its long-lasting infrastructure and the widespread engagement it fostered could serve as a model for future large-scale events. Indeed, the Court highlights that lasting success isn’t solely about the medals tally; it’s about the fair and shared benefits that continue to be realized in the years ahead.