For sports fans, Paris will be the center of the universe this summer — and with 15 million Olympic and Paralympic visitors expected, it will feel like it, with crowds and high prices. But Paris isn’t the only Olympic site in France: Nine destinations outside the metro region are also hosting events, giving travelers a way to catch some action without getting caught up in the crush.

In places like Bordeaux, Marseille and even Tahiti, you can watch top athletes compete in soccer, basketball, sailing and surfing. (Tickets have been added in batches, so if the ones you want aren’t available, keep checking the ticketing site, tickets.Paris2024.org. If all else fails, the official resale platform opens on May 15.)

And when you’re not watching sports, you can take advantage of museums, parks, and fresh food and wine options. In Nantes, you can even ride a mechanical elephant.

Here are some ideas for planning your own alternative Olympic trip.

Teahupo’o, Tahiti

Surfing: July 27 to 31 (events could shift through Aug. 4, depending on surf conditions); fan zones free

For surfing’s second Olympics since its debut in Tokyo, the competition takes place far from mainland France in Tahiti, part of French Polynesia. Since the wave is offshore, there will be two ticket-free fan zones — Taharu’u Beach and Paofai Gardens — to watch the events on large screens. A third fan zone at PK0 beach in Teahupo’o will have free tickets but limited access. Tahiti offers white sands and turquoise lagoons in addition to near-perfect waves. For snorkeling, try the lagoon near Maui Beach, 5 miles from Teahupo’o. For black volcanic sands, head to Taharu’u Beach, about 20 miles northwest of Teahupo’o. About 45 miles from Teahupo’o, Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, with a population of about 26,000, offers a variety of local delicacies such as poisson cru: raw fish with lime juice and coconut milk, served with rice.

Lille

Basketball: July 27 to Aug. 4; tickets from 50 euros ($53.80) Handball: Aug. 6 to 11, tickets from 45 euros

Head over to the St.-Sauveur area to see the art deco belfry and exhibitions at Gare St.-Sauveur, a former train station. On Sundays, at the rambling Wazemmes market, about 400 vendors offer produce, fish, plants, fabrics, textiles and leather goods. Head out to Parc du Héron, east of the city, to see the LaM museum (7 euros), with works by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani and Joan Miró. Lille is better known for beer than for wine, and the Brasserie Gobrecht offers brewery tours every Saturday (reservations recommended).

Nantes

Soccer: July 24 to Aug. 8; tickets from 24 euros

The street signs in Nantes are in Breton and French, reflecting the city’s historical ties to Brittany. Pick up local delicacies such Gateau Nantais (almond pound cake) and Far Breton (flan with Armanac-soaked prunes). Eat a packed lunch in the courtyard of the Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne, a medieval castle and museum (courtyard is free; museum is 9 euros). On the Ile de Nantes, a former shipyard has been transformed into a wild mechanical theme park. The Machines de l’Ile mixes Jules Verne’s stories with Leonardo da Vinci’s designs in the form of a rideable mechanical elephant and sea creatures (9.50 euros for the elephant ride or gallery visit). The Mémorial de l’Abolition de l’Esclavage (free) covers Nantes’ history as the most active slave-trading port in 18th-century France.

Bordeaux

Soccer: July 24 to Aug. 2; tickets from 24 euros

Capital of a region best known for its wine, this small southwestern city sells local wine-walk maps at its tourist office. Stop by the Marché des Capucins, a local indoor market that also houses Bistro Poulette, a slightly chaotic and very delicious spot serving moules-frites, or mussels with fries. In the afternoon, check out the Cité du Vin (21 euros), which offers wine-tasting experiences. Or check out the nearly 340-foot Dune du Pilat, the tallest sand dune in Europe, about 37 miles southwest of Bordeaux, near the beach town of Arcachon.

Chateauroux

Shooting: July 27 to Aug. 5; tickets from 24 euros

The small city not far from the Loire Valley is named for Chateau Raoul, the 10th-century castle that’s now part of a local official’s private residence. The best view of the chateau is from the Gutersloh Bridge. Follow the “coulee verte” — or green corridor — along the banks of the Indre River, stopping by Parc de Belle-Isle, which has a lake for swimming, with kayaks and stand-up paddle boards to rent, as well as a beach, playgrounds and camping. The Franciscan Cordeliers Convent (free), which dates to the 13th century, today offers contemporary art exhibits and miles of gardens.

Marseille

Sailing (including windsurfing, kitesurfing and more): July 28 to Aug. 8; tickets from 24 euros Soccer: July 24 to Aug. 6; tickets from 24 euros

This Mediterranean port city mixes urban grit and natural beauty. Start by visiting Le Panier, the village-like oldest part of the city. Try navettes, a traditional orange flower biscuit, and sample panisses, traditional chickpea fries. Detour through the touristy but pleasant Old Port on the way to Mucem (11 euros), the first major museum dedicated to Mediterranean civilization and cultures. Don’t miss the Cité Radieuse, a UNESCO-listed apartment complex that shows off architect Le Corbusier’s Modernist mastery (you can stay at the hotel in it). And just southeast of the city, the Calanques, a series of small, narrow coves, offer miles of oceanside trails and rocky scrambles along turquoise water.

Lyon and St.-Étienne

Soccer: Lyon, July 24 to Aug. 9; tickets from 24 euros. St.-Étienne, July 24 to 31; tickets from 24 euros.

It will be easy to catch soccer matches in either Lyon or St.-Étienne, only an hour apart by train or car in east-central France. In Lyon, often called the gastronomic capital of France, visit the majestic Notre-Dame de Fourvière Basilica, then savor an ice cream at La Fabrique Givrée. Explore the city’s network of covered passageways, called traboules — originally for workers to transport textiles and later used during World War II by the French Resistance for clandestine meetings. The Lugdunum museum (7 euros) and the nearby Roman theater (4 euros) take visitors back to 43 B.C., when Lyon was known as Lugdunum.

Between Lyon and St.-Étienne, Pilat Regional Natural Park offers more than 900 miles of rocky terrain for hiking and biking, culminating at the summit of 4,700-foot Cret de la Perdrix, with views of the Alps and Massif Central range.

St.-Étienne, about 40 miles southwest of Lyon, is transforming its historical industrial identity into one of design and innovation. At the heart is the Cité du Design (4.50 euros), the former site of a weapons factory, which has served as a center for art and research since 2010. The complex, now a key economic force in the city, is open to the public year-round and hosts art and design exhibitions.

Nice

Soccer: July 24 to 31; tickets from 24 euros

Summer is peak season in Nice, the queen city of the French Riviera, where the mountains meet the Mediterranean. Run, bike or in-line skate along the Promenade des Anglais, a 4-mile seaside path. Then climb up to the Colline du Chateau, a rocky hill east of the promenade with views of Nice and even as far as the Alps. Then head to Cours Saleya, a pedestrian section of the Old Town, with flower stands, antiques and local food such as the socca, a chickpea pancake. The Musée de Préhistoire Terra Amata (5 euros) reveals what Nice was like up to 400,000 years ago.