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France has already won the Olympics The nation's political fissures have been forgotten

Macron watches the swimming in Paris. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Macron watches the swimming in Paris. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)


August 8, 2024   4 mins

French happiness is an uncanny sight these days but there is no denying it: the Paris Games has brought France’s joie de vivre back. It won’t last, of course, but the memory will linger on. Will it translate politically? One lives in hope.

This is nothing short of a miracle. There was disruption on every level in the run up to the Games: roadworks, metro stations closed, massive fences thrown up across every pavement, the filthy pollution in the Seine. As for the audacious opening ceremony: how safe could a 6km-long floating stage and a roving ceremony through the middle of a capital city be? Alain Bauer, a respected police and terrorism expert, sent shivers down everyone’s spines when he declared that “such ceremony on such a scale is criminal madness”.

With their inimitable petulance, Parisians planned to flee the follies. If something was going to go horribly wrong, they didn’t want to witness it first-hand. “I will be like an ostrich with my head in the Normandy sand for three weeks,” my neighbour joked as he left just after Bastille Day.

Was he right to make his exodus? Perhaps, we thought, as residents of the “grey zone” on either side of the Seine were told they could only access their homes with a QR code. Shops, cafés and restaurants emptied — and closed. My local café remained open but only so its manager could complain all day long about the lack of consumers to the few remaining die-hards like myself… and claim compensation after the Games. It felt just like lockdown.

As if our patience hadn’t been tried enough, we then had to contend with rail “sabotage”, stranding nearly a million passengers, and an attack on fibre-optic cables, creating mobile and fixed-line outages across the country. While Russians were initially suspected, leaks from the investigation showed the culprits might have been homegrown. “The modus operandi is that of far-Left groups,” said the Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. That same weekend, he announced that dozens of activists from the self-styled eco-warrior group Extinction Rebellion had been detained on suspicion of fomenting violent actions against the sporting competitions.

Astonishingly, none of this actually derailed the opening ceremony, which was a wild and idiosyncratic combination of the universal and the quirky, including Lady Gaga, Céline Dion, drag queens and a “naked blue smurf” who, we learnt later, was meant to portray the Greek God Dionysus. But as British commentators sneered — The Times  called it “a damp squib” — the French were “dazzled” (a happy 86% of them according to a poll). Never had an opening ceremony been done like this, on such a scale. That night, a reset button was pressed in France. There would be a before and an after Paris 2024.

“That night, a reset button was pressed in France. There would be a before and an after Paris 2024.”

Before Paris 2024, shortly before the Olympic chaos landed, French voters caused chaos themselves in the first round of a snap election. Only to then distance themselves from Marine Le Pen’s hard-Right party in the second. There was some relief as a coalition of the Left and centrists were victorious. But we were left with an overriding feeling of uncertainty. France has become such a divided country, with two very vocal and disruptive political extremes, that it has become almost impossible to imagine politicians rising to the challenge for the sake of national harmony. President Macron declared a political truce during the Games. We would deal with this later.

And then the heavens opened, along with the Games, and with it came a new joie de vivre. As Raphaël Enthoven described it: “Collective happiness, shared jubilation, Paris both deserted and full, a sublime opening ceremony, triumphant athletes, French champions who love their President, the far-Left suddenly silent… Ah, if only the Games could last forever.”

Obviously French victors have helped the French mood. But another thing has cast a compelling spell. The Olympic decors are breathtakingly beautiful. The beach volley beneath the Eiffel Tower built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, the fencing under the glass dome of the Grand Palais built for the Exposition Universelle of the following year, the triathlon athletes diving from Alexander III bridge into the Seine, the BMX competitions on the 18th-century Place de la Concorde, the cycling races going up and down Montmartre, through the Left Bank boulevards, the equestrian competitions in Versailles. “There is a perfect harmony between those historical settings and the Olympic achievements of the world’s greatest champions,” wrote Pierre Chausse in Le Parisien. “Long ago Parisians stopped believing their city was among the most beautiful in the world. It’s as if the Games have reignited their love for their city.

International broadcasters concur. NBC Sports published its figures for the first week of the games showing that 4.5 billion minutes had already been streamed, more than the entire Tokyo Games of 2021. Warner Bros Discovery reached in two days more visitors to its platform than for the entire 2021 games. And the Paris Games has sold 9.1 million tickets so far, already breaking the record held by Atlanta 1996.

Paris is, indeed, both deserted and full. The grumpy and worried have left in droves, leaving the sport fans who are simply happy to be here. Tourists and locals alike, those left roam the streets with one thing in common: they can’t stop beaming and marvelling at everything. The Parisians who have remained out of curiosity have unexpectedly fallen back in love with their home. Optimism is a heady feeling. France should always remember what it feels like. It will come handy when we form our next government.


Agnes Poirier is a French journalist, writer and broadcaster.

AgnesCPoirier

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Brett H
Brett H
4 months ago

“Never had an opening ceremony been done like this, on such a scale. That night, a reset button was pressed in France. There would be a before and an after Paris 2024.”
Don’t be ridiculous.

Brett H
Brett H
4 months ago
Reply to  Brett H

For the downvote. Just to remind you of what the Olympics actually is:
The modern Olympic Games are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games are considered the world’s foremost sports competition with more than 200 teams, representing sovereign states and territories, participating. 

Don Holden
Don Holden
4 months ago
Reply to  Brett H

The modern olympics are bloated with non- sports, and corrupted by politics and money. It was probably ever thus, but it is now blatant .

Brett H
Brett H
4 months ago
Reply to  Don Holden

The author is right in some way. There will be a before and after Paris. Paris made it blatantly clear that from here on the athletes are a tool for politics and money. I’m pretty sure the officials weren’t sleeping on cardboard beds and eating vegetarian.

Dave Canuck
Dave Canuck
4 months ago
Reply to  Don Holden

Isn’t everything corrupted by politics and money?

0 0
0 0
4 months ago
Reply to  Brett H

We expected Paris to have class and it did. Whatever grumpy notes some prefer to strike, the opening ceremony surpassed expectations for sophistication, scale, varied modes of engagement with sport and the venue, and cheerful confidence. Great that was widely appreciated across the country, welcomed with enthusiasm and relief after months of tension.

France is back.

Stephanie Surface
Stephanie Surface
4 months ago
Reply to  0 0

Never thought that an opening ceremony could be boring and woke at the same time. Switched off after 20 minutes.

Brett H
Brett H
4 months ago
Reply to  0 0

Well good for France, or is that Paris? Obviously all their problems are now behind them. “The opening ceremony surpassed expectations” What exactly does that mean?

charlie martell
charlie martell
4 months ago
Reply to  Brett H

I think it means that no one thought it could be so bad.

UnHerd Reader
UnHerd Reader
3 months ago
Reply to  Brett H

Has to be said, having reviewed world reactions as diverse as German and Indian, it appears the world audience was very impressed, dazzled even. Only in the Brexit Britain bubble was there an all-encompassing sneer. But what would one expect !

Mirax Path
Mirax Path
4 months ago
Reply to  Brett H

This article reeks of desperation; let them enjoy it. The moment will be fleetingly short.

Hugh Bryant
Hugh Bryant
4 months ago

I would once have said that reality will eventually rear its head again in France. But you guys have managed to live well beyond your means for fifty years now without any really adverse consequences. I’m not quite sure how you do it – but good luck to you anyway.

Dave Canuck
Dave Canuck
4 months ago
Reply to  Hugh Bryant

Sounds like almost every country in the world, debt is growing everywhere, the US will have close to 50 trillion by 2030.

Philip Stott
Philip Stott
4 months ago

It would have been better if the referee didn’t have to warn the women boxers not to punch each other in the testicles before a fight.

ERIC PERBET
ERIC PERBET
4 months ago

I’m afraid I belong to the “grumpy and worried” and currently sitting in the Air Baltic boarding lounge at Vilnius airport, waiting to take my return flight to Paris (honestly, I would have preferred to elope until 8 September but well…).
I took a two-week + holiday in Central Europe (from Trieste to Vilnius, via Ljubljana, Vienna, Budapest and Krakow) and nowadays, you really need to go there to grasp what Europe really is (or was).
Anyway, Ms. Poirier I really hope this elated mood currently seizing Paris will surround me as soon as I set foot outside Charles de Gaulle airport, but I sincerely doubt it…

Anthony Roe
Anthony Roe
4 months ago

Is that really Macron in the photo?

Martin Smith
Martin Smith
4 months ago

Oh no they haven’t.

Mark Kennedy
Mark Kennedy
4 months ago

It’s a delight to read this. Having had the good fortune to live for a year in Paris during the 1970s (I’m Canadian), I’m still persuaded it’s the world’s most beautiful and interesting city. Paris has something for people of all ages and all budgets, and just walking its streets is like touring a museum. As far as the opening ceremonies were concerned, the organizers clearly had an unfair advantage over lesser locales since they had no need to build special venues, the city itself being a series of spectacularly gorgeous stage sets.

Mark epperson
Mark epperson
4 months ago

Wow, how many francs did Macron pay this author to write this pap? As soon as the last olympian leaves CDG airport, things will start to go south in a big hurry. The games have descended into being more corrupt than ever and France was one of the worst hosts in my memory. Keep this writer on UnHerd, it is providing much needed comic relief.

John Hughes
John Hughes
4 months ago

The golf competition was very good, with the top players all there this time and lasting a full four days. Le Golf national (south west of Paris) is a new course so looks rather space-age compared to the English wooded courses and the Scottish links courses that host the British Open, and a total contrast to the beautiful Augusta Masters setting. But it seems to have met the top players’ standards for a competitive course.

Rocky Martiano
Rocky Martiano
4 months ago
Reply to  John Hughes

New course? Le Golf National opened in the 1980s (I was one of the first to play it) and was the venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup. It was built as a ‘stadium’ course and so is great for spectators and players alike.

Victor James
Victor James
4 months ago

To Sum up, the ‘elites’ are happy. They are currently eating sushi off the vaginas of tied up women in expensive restaurants, as they watch the Gavin Newson style clean up operation – when China visited – called the Paris Olympics.

UnHerd Reader
UnHerd Reader
4 months ago

Nobody here in the South of France is bothered about the games or Paris,they have more pressing thoughts and worries.Let the Parisians have their bread and games, is what you frequently hear.

Samantha Stevens
Samantha Stevens
4 months ago

Worst opening ceremonies ever. Weird and ugly. Are there any women left in France or just men in dresses?

UnHerd Reader
UnHerd Reader
4 months ago

Enjoy the decadence. You think the most offensive opening ceremony ever is a reason to rejoice?

Then you are right where you belong.

A reckoning will come. God will not be mocked.

Dave Canuck
Dave Canuck
4 months ago
Reply to  UnHerd Reader

Been hearing about the great reckoning for decades since I was born, I reckon it won’t happen anytime soon if ever. Decadence is part of life, always was and always will be.

Obadiah B Long
Obadiah B Long
4 months ago

I would have bet my grocery money that ISIS would have attacked by now.

charlie martell
charlie martell
4 months ago

Wait until a few weeks time, when they still can’t form a government. Let’s see if the fissures have been forgotten then

Gorka Sillero
Gorka Sillero
3 months ago

This “opinion” piece will be utterly irrelevant by the time we get thr next Islamic terror attack. And there are a few every year (in France)