The Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées, to give the monument historique its full title, is due to close in December for a three-year rebuilding project which will be the biggest in its 118-year history.

Originally budgeted to cost €373 million (£336 million/$440 million),it is now estimated that renovation work could cost as much as €600 million (£541 million/$708 million) and that it will be impossible to get all the work completed by July 2024, when the Olympics are due to open in the French capital.

The completion date had originally been set as spring 2023. 

The Grand Palais was originally built in 1900 for the World’s Fair, which included the second edition of the Olympic Games, 

The Nave is the biggest in Europe with 13,500 m2 of surface area, crowned with a glass roof of 17,500 m2.

But, according to L'Equipe, France's new Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot has ordered architecture firm Local Architecture Network, who are in charge of the work, to prioritise work on the spectacular Nave and galleries which has been chosen to showcase fencing and taekwondo. 

The money for the facelift is being provided by the French Government, the Réunion des musées nationaux, the public body that runs the facility, and fashion brand Chanel, who have close links to the Grand Palais.

The famous building was chosen to showcase fencing because it a sport in which France has a rich history. 

Fencing has appeared in every Olympic Games since Athens 1896 and France are the second most successful country ever.

They have won a total of 118 medals, including 42 gold.

That puts them second on the all-time medals table behind only Italy, who have won 125 with 49 gold. 

The facelift of the building will include two new auditoriums, a rooftop terrace, and a pedestrian walkway known as Rue de Palais, which will run through the building and connect a garden overlooking the Seine with Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

The renovation work will not affect the judo and wrestling which are to be staged at the temporary Grand Palais, a facility being created to host the major art, fashion and sport shows and events while the work on the main building is being carried out. 

Situated on the Champ de Mars at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the venue designed by the Wilmotte & Associés architecture firm will be able to host 9,000 spectators at Games time.

Supported by the Union of National Museums-Grand Palais and Paris 2024 the temporary Grand Palais is intended to host the major art, fashion and sport events during the period the main building is having work carried out on it.

Judo is another sport at which France will be hoping to excel at during Paris 2024.

Since the sport made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 1964, France has won a total of 49 medals, including 14 gold.

Only Japan, 84 medals, 39 of them gold, has enjoyed more success.