After all the doubts, grumbling and gloom, Paris has finally warmed up to the Olympics. Even some of the city’s famously cynical residents are cutting their vacations short to join in the excitement.
“My brother is coming back early because I told him it’s brilliant,” 42-year-old Morad Sahbani told Agence France-Presse (AFP) as he pushed a pram at a packed fan zone in northwest Paris, where thousands of locals were cheering on French medal hopefuls.
“I knew it was going to be good. We French like to criticize ourselves a lot, but in the end, we do it well,” he added. “These Olympics have been a success… Lots of people regret not being here.”
The mood has shifted noticeably in the capital since the rain-soaked opening ceremony on July 26. Improved weather, spectacular venues and the emergence of new national sporting heroes like swimmer Leon Marchand have sparked national pride.
Many wealthy Parisians fled the city for long summer vacations in July, deliberately avoiding what they expected to be Olympic transport gridlock, tourist overload and a security crackdown.
But those who stayed are enjoying the relaxed summer vibes, mingling with foreign sports fans and free entertainment for those unable to afford the often astronomical ticket prices.
Fan zones with giant screens are packed, and around 160,000 people are booking slots each evening to see the Olympic cauldron rise near the Louvre Museum for free.
The boisterous “Champions Park,” an Olympics innovation where medallists greet the public after their events, has been packed with 27,000 people daily.
“We’ve been really enjoying it,” Celia Damase, a 41-year-old mother of two, said at the fan zone in the northwestern 17th district.
Her children have been making use of free sports activities organized by Paris authorities, and “the city feels friendlier than usual,” she said.
Big crowds
The concept for the Paris Games was to use the city as a stage and backdrop for the Olympics, rather than build new infrastructure at out-of-town locations, which was the model for many past host cities.
Much of the sport has taken place at temporary central locations, with skateboarding at Place de la Concorde, fencing at the Grand Palais exhibition space and beach volleyball in front of the Eiffel Tower.
“We don’t need new stadiums,” said Agathe Chaigneau, a 50-year-old Parisian art dealer, as she crossed the gilded Alexandre III bridge, the start point for the triathlon and marathon swimming.
“They’ve turned the city into a giant stadium. It’s marvelous,” she added.
Inside and outside venues, athletes and reporters have been startled by the enthusiasm of the crowds.
Benoit Arrault, an air conditioning technician, attended the rugby sevens, where France won its first gold under talismanic captain Antoine Dupont at a packed 80,000-capacity national stadium.
“I’ve never experienced an atmosphere like it at a rugby game,” the 43-year-old told AFP.
Around 500,000 people lined the streets for the cycling road race last weekend, while large crowds are expected again for the marathons on Saturday and Sunday.
French triathlon bronze medallist Leo Bergère said he was surprised by the volume of noise as he ran through the city last week.
“It hurt our ears all the way round,” he told reporters with a smile.
Widespread skepticism
With the plaudits building up, organizers are enjoying the chance to remind their critics that they had confidence all along.
Throughout the buildup, they insisted that worries and complaints were a normal part of the Olympics host city experience, while Games supremo Tony Estanguet also attributed the skepticism to a national tendency for pessimism.
Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan reminded reporters this week that he had spent a lot of time defending the Olympics from “widespread skepticism.”
“But we were convinced that we could produce this result,” he said, noting that the public enthusiasm city authorities had always believed in was “now a fact.”
Not everything has gone to plan: the River Seine has regularly failed water quality tests, disrupting the triathlon.
The opening ceremony sparked controversy over whether its artistic director had mocked Christianity with a drag queen dance routine.
Taxi drivers and restaurant owners say their businesses have been badly affected. The country still lacks a permanent government, and political infighting is expected in September.
But for now, locals like Martine Pinto, a 46-year-old shop owner, are enjoying the moment.
“Everyone thought you wouldn’t be able to move around, that transport would be difficult, and in the end, it’s all fine. I think there are definitely people who regret leaving,” she told AFP.
