The event took place at the Petit Palais building at the foot of the Champs-Élysées in the heart of the French capital.

The venue, an art gallery built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, will host a special Athletes' House designed for competitors to mingle with friends and family if Paris is awarded the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Sarkozy was the only one of five living current or former French Presidents to accept an invitation to attend the event.

The 62-year-old served as President between 2007 and 2012.

His most noteworthy Olympic contribution was threatening a French boycott of Beijing 2008 in response to Chinese persecution of protests in Tibet.

Emmanuel Macron nor François Hollande were not available to attend as the former was being officially inaugurated to replace the latter as President.

Jacques Chiraq and 91-year-old Valéry d'Estaing were also absent.

Macron is scheduled, however, to meet with the IOC Evaluation Commission panel tomorrow.

The IOC dinner was attended by the Evaluation Commission chaired by Patrick Baumann, as well as the city's Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Paris 2024 co-bid chairmen Tony Estanguet and Bernard Lapasset.

Five top French chefs served five courses at the lavish meal.

Other guest included English pop star Mika, best known for the 2009 hit song Grace Kelly.

Riner, the two-time Olympic judo champion, was joined by a variety of other sporting guests, including 1998 World Cup winning footballer Bixente Lizarazu.

Tennis player Michaël Llodra, an Olympic silver medallist at London 2012, was also present.

Another athlete with a notable Olympic pedigree present was Martin Fourcade, a double gold medallist in biathlon at Sochi 2014.

A similar dinner was held for the IOC in the United States and took place at the house of Los Angeles 2024 chairman Casey Wasserman.

A choice is due to be made between the two cities at an IOC Session in Lima on September 13.