Plowing, archeology and environmental challenges… How Versailles is preparing its royal setting to host the Games

Almost four months from now, the bales of backhoe loaders may have given way to horses, but the royal structure hasn’t changed. On July 27, the Palace of Versailles will open its gardens to the Olympic world to host equestrian, modern pentathlon and para-equestrian events. An extraordinary setting, the flagship of the Paris 2024 sites, Which had to be pampered, arranged and cared for since work began 24 months ago, so that the abode of the Sun King could deploy his green tentacles to the world.

For the world’s best riders to ride through the Royal Star Quarry – for dressage and show jumping events – and for cross-country dotting the gardens and the Grand Canal, the work was remarkable. All precautions were taken before starting the work on this 401-year-old monument, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Archaeologists and pyrotechnicians

A team of archaeologists spent five weeks at the future Olympic sites to avoid damaging potential remains. In the end, but few find any buried shoes of Louis XIV. “We rediscovered the device of the Royal Star, which caused the water to flow towards the Grand Canal. It was an opportunity to survey and make drawings and preserve its memory.”Louis-Samuel Berger, acting general administrator of the fort, reveals.

A pyrotechnic team was also called in, as the site was bombed during World War II. “We have all the accurate records of the impacts. So to ensure the absolute safety of the visitors, we conducted surveys to verify that there was no risk and that there were no unexploded devices.”It is reassuring.

This ground, in fact, 3 km along the terrace of the castle, was the main technical challenge for organizing the Games at the end of the garden of the kings of France. The reason: It’s not flat, so it had to conform to Olympic and International Equestrian Federation standards. “Massive development works had to be undertaken to level the mine land”The charge of the Olympic equestrian venue for Paris 2024 made the announcement on Friday during the visit of Lorik Joseph.

A cross-country track, 5.3 km long and consisting of two pontoons on water –“first world” -, will accommodate 40,000 spectators. She also requested two years of preparation “so that the tracks are homogeneous with the same density”Cojop Member continues.

Four months before the events, the foundation is established but the only visible sign remains in the stands, formed in a U around the mine, and with a capacity of 16,300 seats, ie. “Bercy’s Equivalent” According to Lorick Joseph. Impressive, sloping, they are lined with trees, which they should not be less than three meters close, and unlike the main mine almost ends. “We built a relationship with Paris 2024 based on total respect for heritage, but also on ecological and landscape integrity. Surveys were carried out on fauna, flora and our protected species to ensure no harm. The stand is about 25. meters high, But it fits very well into the landscape, because it is close to the foliage of the trees.”Louis-Samuel Berger develops.

Another challenge was to fit the horses in the Domaine des Rois de France, which will be housed in 220 temporary boxes, without distorting them in the park. “Our common thread is to ensure that we respect the site in its entirety and that, upon delivery, it is properly integrated into the landscape”explains Axel de Thoissy, Deputy Project Manager of Works Contractor, GL Events Equestrian Sports. “The principle is non-pollution of the site. So any excavated soil is kept in the area, and no extraneous soil is accepted, to avoid any pollution of the soil by external elements and especially by invasive plant species. Change the ecosystem”Alerts the site’s interim general administrator.

The site expanded at the end of the games

Hosting the Olympic Games in 800-hectare Versailles Yes, but not at any cost. To put his boots there for Paris 2024, he must level the site. “For everything that involves movement on the ground, it’s a real challenge because even though we put the Royal Star back on its feet, we have to return it to its initial position, so not flat!”, smiles the project manager. To anticipate the restoration of the garden, everything was planned well in advance. “All operations are completely reversible, we will restore the site to its initial state, and better, because the soil, the improvement of plant tissue, all this will remain as a legacy”Welcomes Louis-Samuel Berger.

“This place, which is at the end of the park and was not the best kept, will probably be one of the best kept places in the citadel at the end of the Olympics.”

Louis-Samuel Berger, Interim General Administrator of the Château de Versailles

On franceinfo: sports

So the legacy of the Games for Versailles will be real, as the development work has made it possible to accelerate those already hosted by the castle. “The Olympic Games really had a very strong accelerating effect on all our restoration programs: the preservation of the trees, the specific pool, the grill d’honneur, the Parter du Midi. We are in the process of recreating what Louis XIV himself saw. The top of the Hall of Mirrors from”That sums it up.

60-70% work completed

If the work is completed at “60-70%” According to Paul-Jacques Tanvez, who directs the Normandy drainage works, the whole site still needs to be really shaped in four months, even though “Deadline ends, and a little early too”Mentions Louis-Samuel Berger. “We must finish the judges’ tower, the assembly of the last stand, the main arena with the equestrian floor and the location of the modern pentathlon pool”Paris 2024 lists Lorick Joseph.

The riders, who have already visited the site, were able to gauge the fairly flat profile of the cross-country and therefore adapt their preparation accordingly, but also take advantage of the setting, which is more historic compared to Rio in 2016 and Tokyo, from the public in 2021. Deprived.”They are stamping their feet impatiently. All the federations of the world come to see the site. There is no horse riding from London as powerful an experience as Versailles. An incredible wait”Louis-Samuel Berger smiles, when the second test event after August 2023 will be held at the end of June.

The public, who will still be able to visit the castle during the Games, will be able to discover these sights on July 27, the date of the first equestrian event, but also with the modern pentathlon the following day, and from September 3 to 7. Para-horse riding. Then, all infrastructure will be dismantled by the end of the year, and the gardens will return to their tranquility around spring 2025.

“Our challenge is to make these two sites work together, and offer a course of sporting excellence and aesthetic genius like Louis XIV did 400 years ago. The Olympic Games at the Palace of Versailles, which will surpass our existence only once”Louis-Samuel Berger concludes the Chateau’s interim general administrator.