With 2025 shaping up to be another big year for French sport, the summer season will be marked by major events that will draw huge crowds, including the Tour de France, Roland-Garros and the European Athletics Championships in Paris. Building on its experience during the 2024 Olympic Games, France is refining its security measures to meet a twofold challenge: ensuring that events run smoothly and protecting the public.

Events under High Surveillance

In the summer of 2025, French security forces will be fully mobilised. For Roland-Garros, which opened the season at the end of May, enhanced measures are being deployed: secure perimeters, screening at entrances and a visible police presence. The Tour de France, with stages throughout France, is also the subject of meticulous coordination between the gendarmerie, prefectural services and local authorities. The Olympic experience has helped improve crowd management, information flow and the consideration of hybrid risks (cyberattacks, intrusions, social unrest).

 

The Security Legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

The Paris Olympic Games were a real-life testing ground for security measures. The introduction of technologies such as algorithmic video surveillance, the controlled use of drones and the optimisation of traffic flows around the sites made it possible to anticipate and defuse several incidents. In 2024, at least three planned attacks were foiled thanks to close coordination between the intelligence services, the police, the gendarmerie and the local authorities. These successes have helped to redefine protocols and train personnel in more responsive intervention scenarios.

 

Focus on a Coordinated and Technological Approach

In 2025, French event security doctrine is based on three pillars: anticipation, coordination and innovation. The Operational Security Coordination Centre (CCOS), which emerged from the Olympic organisation, is now fully integrated into prefectural plans for major events. It centralises field data, coordinates forces and facilitates real-time decision-making. At the same time, the use of artificial intelligence and behavioural analysis makes it possible to better manage flows and adapt resources to the specific characteristics of each site.

As summer 2025 approaches, France is demonstrating its commitment to ensuring the security of its major sporting events without compromising their accessibility or festive atmosphere. This delicate balance has been made possible by the experience gained in 2024 and will now be leveraged to embed best practices in the security management of large gatherings for the long term.

 

Image credit : Akira-Unsplash

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