Preparation work for the Olympics is in full swing in Paris, and a strong sporting vibe is spreading through the city’s main thoroughfares. Last week, Puma and Nike were the first to stage press conferences, and are setting up Parisian homes for their teams and athletes this summer.

In retail too, the Olympic spirit is permeating the streets of Paris. Canadian brand Arc’teryx has recently inaugurated its first Parisian store, in rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the Marais district, and will also open a flagship on boulevard de la Madeleine in June. Millet opened on rue des Archives, and also French brand Salomon will set up shop in the Marais, at the corner of rue des Francs-Bourgeois and rue Vieille du Temple.

The Amer Sports group, recently listed on NYSE and the owner of Arc’teryx, Salomon, Wilson and Peak Performance, among others, is expanding its leading brands’ direct retail footprint, and seems to have chosen Paris and the Olympic Games to showcase its ambitions to the world. And what could be better than an address on the Champs-Elysées to do so? Trail running specialist Salomon will soon open a store at number 42 on “the world’s most beautiful avenue,” taking over the 1,200-square-metre premises formerly occupied by French car manufacturer Citroën, as news site L’Informé has recently reported.

In the last few years, luxury labels have rushed to open stores in the avenue’s upper section, and sporting brands have been flocking to its central and lower sections in recent months, in the run-up to the Olympics. British sport retailer and sneakers specialist JD Sports, which has been steadily growing on the French market in the last few years, and recently bought French sport chain Courir, is about to open in Paris on rue Tronchet.

More significantly, JD Sports has just inaugurated a 1,500-square-metre flagship on two levels at 118 avenue des Champs-Elysées, showcasing the latest models by brands such as Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Asics, Under Armour and On Running.

The latter, a running specialist and another NYSE-listed company, is about to open a monobrand store just across the avenue, at number 65, formerly home to a Nike store and located next to the Champs-Elysées branch of the Citadium department store. Renovation work is under way for the new international showcase by the Swiss brand, which opened a first Parisian store in 2023.

These new openings will add to the impressive list of sport brands present on the Champs-Elysées. Nike has been there since 2020 with its 4,300-square-metre House of Innovation, at number 79, while Adidas, whose flagship is based near the Champs-Elysées roundabout, will soon inaugurate a new 2,800-square-metre space at number 88. Lululemon opened last year at number 38, and Lacoste has a superb flagship store at number 50.

Other players have decided not to join in the Champs-Elysées frenzy, setting their sights on different parts of the city. For example Intersport, which has bought French sport retailer Go Sport and will operate flagships on place de la République and at the Forum des Halles, while Asics and Puma have opted to give a different vibe to their stores, located close to the Centre Pompidou. Hoka, another emerging brand with a running DNA, has opened a store at 35 boulevard des Capucines, which will serve as the focal point for its Hoka Run Club.

With MD