Paris 2024 Olympic Games: “We must check that the balconies can withstand the shock”, concern in the capital

La cérémonie d'ouverture aura lieu le 26 juillet. MAXPPP – Stéphane Geufroi

New source of concern for the organization of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games just a few months before the opening ceremony. For good reason, the safety of Parisian balconies is not guaranteed, and the multiple accidents have already occurred. 

Will the balconies of Parisian buildings be strong enough to support the clusters of people who are likely to crowd there during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games ?

This question was recently raised by real estate professionals with the authorities who are working on the idea of ​​launching a vast verification operation.

Entire families massed on balconies, with friends invited for the occasion, enjoying the spectacle of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on the Seine which the organizers are planning to be grandiose… These scenes are likely to be multiply in the capital on the evening of July 26.

"This is clearly a scenario that is likely to happen. And it is absolutely necessary to ensure that the balconies can support the weight and above all that the guardrails are perfectly sealed to avoid any incident", explains to the' AFP the president of the National Real Estate Federation (FNAIM) Grand Paris, Olivier Princivalle.

Accidental falls that worry

Falls, sometimes fatal, either due to faulty guardrails or collapsing balconies, regularly punctuate the pages of news items.

In 2016, four people died after a balcony collapsed during a party in an apartment in Angers.

Also read: Paris 2024 Olympic Games: discover the design of the Olympic medals, unveiled this Thursday, February 8 in Saint-Denis

In May 2023, in Paris, two people were seriously injured after falling from their balcony on the 5th floor of a building located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, after a part of the balcony collapsed.

The law requires owners, social landlords or building managers to check the good state of conservation of balconies. "But there may be holes in the racket, and above all, the use risks changing suddenly and ephemerally during the Olympics", anticipates a source close to the authorities.

"Haussmannian buildings are over 300 years old, and have balconies most often designed for 2/3 people. Possible over-occupancy during the Olympics can be complicated", adds Olivier Princivalle.

Soon, the sport and the city will come together as one ✨
6 months before the Olympic Games of #Paris2024
–
Le sport et la ville ne feront bientôt plus qu’un ✨
6 mois avant les Jeux Olympiques de #Paris2024

Directed by @VeigaRoman
Track by Gabriel Jourde
With Bboy Lagaet… pic.twitter.com/9sMzJhrXOx

— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) January 26, 2024

This question was raised several weeks ago during one of the preparatory meetings for the Olympic Games headed by the Paris police headquarters. "We alerted them to this subject, as a good manager", explains Olivier Princivalle, ensuring that he raised the subject alongside the&#39 ;Union of real estate unions (UNIS).

The Paris police headquarters also assured AFP that the subject had been "identified by professional federations".

However, not being "competent for her treatment", she indicated that she was working "on a response with her partners". "We need to check that the balconies can withstand the shock", summarizes Olivier Princivalle. But it doesn't seem that simple.

"How to check the solidity of the guardrails ? With rope access technicians ? And the solidity of the structure ?", he asks.

The question asked about paying the invoice

The federations of real estate professionals have contacted the Order of Architects for the "help build a technical note on the subject that the prefecture asked us", explains Olivier Princivalle.

At this time, the areas of buildings in the capital that may need to be audited have not been established.

"We think a priori that the area concerned should concentrate on buildings located along the Seine. And over the 6 km, it's already quite a bit", predicts a source close to Paris town hall.

Also read: Paris 2024 Olympic Games: more than 1,500 athletes will come to prepare in the Occitanie region before the Games

"It must also be taken into account that thanks to the security perimeters and the sharp control that the prefecture has put in place, particularly on control access to buildings near the Seine, we are able to know quite precisely how many people will be in the apartments", estimates this source. A calculation which, however, seems quite complicated to do.

Another question raised, that of covering the cost of such an operation. "Who will pay the bill? L&# 39;State, individuals, trustees?", asks a source close to the negotiations. Less than six months remain to find answers.