Happy first week of the Olympics! This Friday marks the semifinals for men's and women's doubles badminton. There are also pool round matches in women's 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball and hockey.

The French tip

Faux amis

While some 30% to 45% of the English vocabulary comes from French, making it easier to learn the language, there are also many faux amis (literally "false friends" or false cognates). These are words that may look similar in both languages but actually have different meanings. Here's a guide to some sporty faux amis:

assister: While this might look like the verb "assist" in English, in French, assister also means to attend, like at an Olympic event.

blesser: In French, blesser is the opposite of being "blessed!" It means to be injured or hurt. Hopefully, this doesn't happen too often during the Games.

dramatique: In French, this adjective has a much more negative meaning than the English drama or dramatic. A loss could be described as dramatique.

les baskets: What many athletes have on their feet aren't baskets to hold things, like the English version of the word implies, but sneakers. The French word for the footwear comes from basketball.

une tentative: In French, une tentative, which means a try or attempt, is far from the English word, which means hesitant or done without confidence. The Olympics are all about tentatives, whether it's for a goal, a gymnastics flip or an effort to break a record.

The non-Olympics tip

Just a short suburban RER or regional TER train ride away is the northern town of Chantilly and its impressive château. Equestrian events at Versailles got you in the horse spirit? You can tour the Château de Chantilly's impressive Great Stables (the largest in Europe!), designed to house over 200 horses. Daily demonstrations let the animals show off their talents, while the Living Museum of the Horse dives deeper into their history.

If the visual arts or French royal history are more your speed, the château houses works by many masters and a breathtaking reading room (with some 19,000 volumes on display). After, a stroll around the vast grounds leads you through gardens in the French, Italian and Anglo-Chinese styles, and maybe just a stop for some ice cream topped with chantilly cream, the local delicacy. The Chantilly Lace Museum honors another regional product, the distinctive, intricate black material made with a complex technique using bobbins.

The secret tip

Keen to see one of the lesser-known panoramic views of Paris? While the Tour Montparnasse, Paris's only skyscraper within city limits, continues to be a controversial landmark, the view from its observation deck is considered one of the most impressive. Unlike a visit to the top of the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe, the perspective from Tour Montparnasse lets you see these monuments placed within the surrounding landscape (and with fewer stairs and crowds). Nearby, the Montparnasse train station hides one of Paris's most secret parks, as we've previously reported: "Climbing up the staircase on the left side of track number one, you'd think you were Harry Potter. Instead of a wizard school, you'll find the Jardin Atlantique, which has been sitting atop the Gare Montparnasse for just 30 years. It is not that big, yet there is plenty of room to get lost in, as its architects have imagined verdant corners to wander or daydream."

The sporting tip

Today in women's 3 x 3 basketball, China plays Germany (9 am Paris time) and Australia goes up against Azerbaijan (9:30 am). This is the second time the discipline, which began as a casual street game, is included in the Olympics. As the name suggests, three players compete in a half court for 10-minute games, with sudden death at 21 points. China is currently ranked number one in the world for women, while Team USA, which won gold during the 2020 Summer Olympics, will provide stiff competition. 3 x 3 basketball is taking place at Place de la Concorde, which is hosting other urban sports like breaking, BMX freestyle and skateboarding.

The practical tip

Paris has a bad reputation for pickpocketing, but becoming a victim of petty theft can often be avoided with preparation and vigilance, particularly in crowds (including on public transport) and tourist-heavy areas. A bag that closes securely and can be kept close to your body is a strong deterrent. Front-packing fanny packs are a safe – and trendy – choice. Backpacks can also be worn around the front.

It's best to avoid having valuables in easily accessible pockets, particularly ones on the back of pants, and to also separate them. (For example, phone wallets are practical but having your phone snatched would mean also losing your cards and cash.) If you are pickpocketed, you can contact the local police station to file a report and the relevant embassy in case of identity documents being stolen. Having a "find your device" feature turned on can also help lead to them being recovered in some instances.

The reader's tip

Are you finding the arenas easy to access? Frustrated by long queues or impressed by efficiency? Did you run into one of your sporting heroes? We'd love to hear from you.

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