Is now a good time to vacation in the French capital?

Putting aside any concerns about high prices and crowds ahead of the Olympics, now could be an unexpectedly great time to vacation in Paris.

Hotels and restaurants have told the BBC they have slashed prices to attract customers – after what some called a “catastrophic” drop in revenue during the Games left them wondering what the Games had brought them.

The French capital may seem like the centre of the world to those watching sports on TV – but the city’s relatively quiet streets and empty dining tables tell a different story.

Earlier this week, local media reported on a “deserted” Disneyland and confusion among Parisians as they tried to get seats on the metro during rush hour.

So what’s going on?

Analysts say many Parisians have left the city in the summer, as is their tradition. But some foreign visitors are also concerned about rising prices and overcrowding on an Olympic scale.

One of the locals who used the word “catastrophic” was a restaurant owner called Lies in the usually busy Latin Quarter, who said July was his worst month in 25 years. At least people were still ordering food delivery during the height of Covid, he told the BBC.

Lies said tourists had been discouraged from visiting the area because of a security blockade set up there during the opening ceremony last week.

Another nearby restaurant owner, Yarva, said visitors who wanted to come were choosing not to pay hotel rates, which had increased several times before the Olympics.

He said the event was “only for rich people” and used hand gestures to suggest he thought price inflation was crazy.

Ahead of the Olympics, airlines have warned that demand for travel to Paris will be low, with both Delta and Air France owner Air France predicting this will impact their businesses.

“If you don’t go to the Olympics, people won’t come to Paris,” Delta’s boss told CNBC.

This is reflected in airfares that are much lower than usual at this time of year, according to travel expert Simon Calder, writing in The Independent this week.

One-way next-day flights from UK cities are as low as £31 ($39) per adult (from Edinburgh) at the time of writing. However, fares on Eurostar trains, which were affected by a sabotage attack on France’s rail network last week, are significantly higher.

Raphael Batko of hotel marketing firm Doyield, which represents about one in 20 hotels in the city, said June and July saw an “avoidance effect.” He also used the word “catastrophic” to describe the phenomenon, although he said guest numbers have picked up and are now back to normal.

A similar avoidance phenomenon has been noted at previous Olympics, including the 2012 London Olympics, when Businesses say the Olympics have deterred tourists and reduced their profits..

What remains to be seen is whether the urgent action by the hospitality industry will be enough to save Olympic trade for many Paris businesses.

Riad, owner of the Olympie eatery, claims that as restaurants cut prices you can now have a meal for just €8 (£6.80, $8.70) in the Latin Quarter as he tries to attract diners.

Hotels have tried a similar trick – essentially reversing previous increases that seemed to have caused a stir. Travel agencies have confirmed that average prices have returned to €258 (£219; $279) a night during the Olympics, after a previous big increase that saw prices peak at €342 last month.

The BBC found that some Airbnbs were advertising discounts, although the company said prices had remained stable since the start of the year and that more locals were opening homes in host cities.

Paris hoteliers share mixed success stories.

A reception manager, Dino, said bookings had returned to normal levels – but only after room rates were halved when things “looked bleak”.

Another, Isabelle, said her discount was ineffective, lamenting that “we got nothing out of the Olympics”.

Christophe Decloux, head of the Choose Paris regional tourism board, said there were plenty of good reasons to visit the French capital this summer beyond sport.

He cited the city’s rich culture, along with convenient transportation and a “very joyful” atmosphere during the Games.

“Paris is usually very quiet in late July and August because people are on holiday,” he said, “and right now the city is as quiet as it usually is in August, except for some areas around the venue where people bond over the sport.”

Paris 2024 organisers have announced the positive impact of the Olympics on Paris after record ticket sales.

It is still possible to register to watch the events, with tickets being released each day. Around 800,000 tickets have yet to be sold, organisers told the BBC on Friday.

The sporting event is truly memorable – and with some disgruntled businesses doing everything they can to attract visitors, last-minute bookers to Paris could be in for a treat.