- Parisians mixed on upcoming Olympics excitement
- Political unrest impacts pre-Olympic atmosphere
- Event preparations spark public and logistical concerns
Bus drivers may need to be taught to be kind, few believe the Seine will be swimmable, and breakdancing on the Place de la Concorde is only for some. Still, two weeks before the opening ceremony, Parisians are beginning to look forward to the Games.
“Do you know what? “I think they might be quite cool,” said Cécile Bizet, a recruiting consultant, adding that she was particularly interested in “the fencing under the great glass roof in the Grand Palais.” “It will be magnificent.”
Corentin Charbonneau, a retired civil engineer, stated it would be “a relief to focus on something else” after the country’s political turmoil. Take a rest. Enjoy the sport and Paris over the summer. It might even benefit us.
Anne Hidalgo, the city’s Socialist mayor, stated this week that she was “hugely relieved” not to be greeting Olympic delegations alongside a prime minister from the National Rally (RN) after the far-right party, the pre-vote frontrunner, finished third in emergency elections.
The New Popular Front (NFP), a four-party left-wing alliance, returned the most MPs, followed by President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist camp. Still, the result has left France with a hung parliament and no clear majority to form a government.
Hidalgo said it was “a very good thing” that outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal will continue “to take care of day-to-day business during the Games period.” She also praised the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, for “doing an excellent job on security.
Valérie Pécresse, the right-wing president of the Ile-de-France region, also stated that it would be best to wait before forming a new administration. “We need a transition government for the Games,” the minister said. Three billion people are going to be watching us.
Despite widespread criticism of the digital security passes required to move about a core zone in central Paris, encompassing the Tuileries Park, Île de la Cité, and Seine riverbanks before and after the opening ceremony, most of those who will require them have applied.
According to RATP, Parisians have also stockpiled metro tickets or subscribed to travel cards to avoid a high rate hike during the Games: from July 20 to September 8, tickets will cost €4 rather than €2.15.
The tourism industry is less pleased, believing that French and foreign tourists would avoid the capital before and during the Games due to costs and congestion. The 15 million visitors expected for the Olympics and Paralympics will only partially compensate.
Air France expects its turnover to be €160-180 million lower this year than in 2023 due to “significant avoidance behaviour” by international visitors, while Galeries Lafayette expects a 10% drop in receipts.
On the other hand, Parisians who have elected to stay for all or part of the world’s biggest athletic event appear to be in good spirits. “I’m starting to get quite excited, amazingly,” said Fateha, 38, a contact center employee. “It’s once in a lifetime, isn’t it?”
Questions remain. The water quality of the Seine, which will host the triathlon and open water swimming, was reportedly good “for 11 out of the last 12 days,” city hall said on Friday, adding that it had “no concerns at all” about the activities going ahead. Hidalgo has pledged to test it personally on July 17.
The political situation may still have an impact: the hard-left CGT union called for massive protests and potential strikes during the Games to encourage Macron to “respect the results” of the election and allow the NFP to form a government.
The group’s leader, Sophie Binet, stated that no strike was planned for the Games. “If Emmanuel Macron continues to add fuel to the fires he started…” The more moderate CFDT union refused to exclude strikes in specific sectors if social dialogue fails, despite stating that it does not intend to disrupt the Games.
With almost two-thirds of their routes set to be rerouted for the Games, Paris’ notoriously cranky bus drivers are receiving a crash lesson in how to be courteous to passengers, especially tourists and spectators, according to BFMTV.
“The goal is to replace taped announcements with actual words from the driver,” JC Mulier, a standup comedian and corporate trainer, told the station. “We want to give passengers a more positive and personal experience, making their journey more enjoyable.
To the chagrin of city officials, electric air taxis will also be tested during the Games. The VoloCity aircraft will land on a floating platform near Austerlitz station after flying in from four airports and airfields throughout the capital.
The air taxis, which carry only one passenger, cannot operate commercially since they have yet to be regulated in the EU. Still, their operator thinks the 900 flights they will make over the next several months will demonstrate their utility.
“Invest in your future with Webull UK – get started with free shares.”
David Belliard, Paris’ deputy mayor, was unconvinced and stated that city hall may appeal the government’s decision. “The entire council voted against air taxis,” he claimed. “They’re anti-environment, super expensive, and for the super-rich.”
However, many of the Games’ events will take Place in the center of Paris, with iconic monuments like the Eiffel Tower as backdrops, which has enticed some locals – despite the inevitable inconvenience.
A temporary 17,000m2 urban park on the Place de la Concorde, around the majestic Luxor Obelisk, is nearing completion. It will accommodate skateboarding, BMX, breakdance, specific basketball contests, and 25,000 spectators daily.
The venue is one of seven temporary structures for the Paris Games, offering competitors and spectators a view of the Grand Palais, the French Parliament, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe.
It’s the manifestation of Paris 2024,” Aurélie Merle, the Games’ sporting competitions director, told reporters during a recent visit. “The concept of moving sport away from its usual venues and into the city’s center. It’s worked. It’s going to be magical.
