In the Champs de Mars, a public garden in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, Paris 2024 organizers have packed tonnes of French sand to build a 13,000-seat beach volleyball stadium. One night after the Eiffel Tower capped the Opening Ceremony, it oversaw the opening match of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament, providing a unique backdrop for the sport.
Olympic beach volleyball has been held in exotic locations in its short history, from Horse Guards Parade in London to Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, the sport's birthplace. But it has never been extravagantly staged in a backdrop like the Iron Lady, and it's unlikely it ever will be. Good luck, Los Angeles, in 2028. Hollywood doesn't have the CGI to match the setting here.
In just one night, the stadium broke the unofficial Olympic record for selfies taken.
A drizzle marred the unveiling ceremony Saturday afternoon, but at night, Eiffel Tower Stadium emerged. Streaks of pink and orange from the setting sun lit up the tower as fans filed through a dense security presence. The stadium lights went out, fans turned on their cellphone flashlights, and the tower's light bulbs lit up as the announcer introduced teams U.S. (Kristen Nass and Taryn Cross) and Canada (Heather Bansley and Sofie Bukovec).
“This is what dreams are made of,” Nuss said. “Sitting there and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle and all the flashlights turn on around me. That will be etched in my mind forever.”
As the Eiffel Tower glowed orange beneath them and players dove into the sand to block spikes while spotlights near the tower's top spun in the night sky, Nuss and Cross, who met while playing together at Louisiana State University and train in New Orleans, controlled the match to win in straight sets, 21-17, 21-14.
Nuss acknowledged that the sight of the Eiffel Tower during points could be distracting, as they worked out on a warm-up court outside the stadium. U.S. coach Drew Hamilton tried to calm his players for their first Olympic match. “They're going to hit the ball at you,” he recalled telling them. “Just hit it back.” He knew it would be hard.
“I'm astounded by this,” Hamilton said. “It's just incomprehensible. I know they feel the same way.”
But once on the sand, Nuss and Cross found a way to use the environment to their advantage. As Canada went on a winning streak or outplayed them, the Americans leaned on everything around them.
“When the going gets tough, it helps me put things into perspective,” Nass says. “I say, 'Hey, Taryn, look up.' I stare for a while, and I see the Eiffel Tower, and I think, 'Wow.' It calms me down.”
Near the top of the east side of the stadium, artist Peter Spence set up an easel and began an oil painting of the scene. Spence, a Londoner, was also commissioned to paint the beach volleyball venues for the London and Rio Games.
“It's definitely a challenging piece,” Spence said between brushstrokes, “but it's a fantastic piece. It's an iconic Olympic building. It's fantastic.”
The sand was excellent, too. Organizers brought in tons of it from the Montgoulx-Saint-Hilaire quarry in the Aisne department, about 80 miles northeast of Paris. French sand turned out to be perfect for beach volleyball; the quarry also provided sand for Athens in 2004, London in 2012, and Rio in 2016. The sand grains are mostly between 250 and 500 microns, which gives players more stability; the sand isn't too light, which reduces glare; and its high silica content keeps players' feet from burning on hot days.
“Whoever made that sand did a great job,” Cross said.
“This is really deep sand,” Nuss said. “It's definitely pristine.”
The stadium was filled with gratitude even for the losers. Bansley has competed in the past two Olympics, and while she was careful not to disparage Rio or Tokyo, it was clear she had found her new favorite Olympic experience.
“We get to play in some amazing venues,” Bansley said. “It doesn't get any better than that.”
Finally, as Nuss and Kross prepared for match point, the American fans chanted, “USA! USA!” After a long rally, Nuss pushed Canada too far back and flicked the final ball over the net, where it settled in the deep, clean sand. Nuss and Kross embraced as the Eiffel Tower floated overhead, a surreal sight.
“Oh my goodness,” Cross said. “It was just magical.”
