Not a love affair – Olympic Games kick off to cool reception from Parisians
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The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26 to Aug 11.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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PARIS – The City of Love is not in love with the Olympic Games – yet.
As Paris welcomes the world on July 26 with a grand opening ceremony on the Seine
Parisians whom The Straits Times spoke to have expressed mixed feelings about the July 26 to Aug 11 Games. Some welcome the branding, tourism dollars and eyeballs that come with hosting the Olympics, while others point to the downsides of having a mega event in the heart of the city.
Photographer Johanna Liscio noted that it is the perfect opportunity to showcase her home, though it has impacted her business.
The 28-year-old, who specialises in vacation, proposal and engagement photography under the Instagram handle @paris.spirit,
The majority of her clients are tourists from Asia, Europe and North America. She said: “Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world and it’s great for us, for the economy, for tourism to host the Games. For my job, I’m not as happy as I thought I’d be – it’s a bit stressful that I have to adapt to the situation every day, it’s a bit more complicated than expected.”
In the lead-up to the Olympics, some Parisians have voiced their unhappiness over having to endure months of disruption as the city prepared for the quadrennial event
Road closures and construction have inconvenienced locals, increasing travelling time within the city significantly.
Another concern is rising prices during the Olympics. For example, the price of a single metro ticket has increased from €2.15 (S$3) to €4 from July 20 to Sept 8.
Businesses in Olympic security zones have also struggled
Private guide Vadim Sotropa said: “It’s important to understand that Parisians’ discontent is not directed at the guests or athletes. It is related to a series of government decisions that failed to balance their ambitious plans with the peaceful lives of the city’s residents and country’s needs.”
As a result, many are leaving the capital during the Olympics.
Among them is a designer, who wanted to be identified only as Miranda. The 31-year-old will be escaping to the south of France for a few days, though she noted that the daily disruptions are minor compared to the plight of certain segments of Paris’ population.
She said: “I feel like these are minor problems as compared to students getting unhoused, homeless people getting shipped off to god knows where and the cops coming to destroy their camping sites, and workers working illegally with no health insurance.
“I’m more horrified by the choice of budget that’s used for something that’s not as important, as compared to using it for something that could help thousands of people.”
A report released in June by the French collective Le Revers de la Medaille (The Other Side of the Medal), which represents 90 non-profit organisations that work with migrants and the homeless, detailed the expulsion of over 12,000 people from Paris since April 2023.
Then, there was the controversial decision to spend €1.4 billion cleaning the Seine, which will host marathon swimming and the triathlon.
The Seine will host marathon swimming and the triathlon.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
The installation of an aluminium judging tower for the surfing event in Tahiti also drew ire for its environmental impact – there are concerns about damage to coral reef.
It is not all doom and gloom in Paris, though. Sotropa and his wife will be attending the opening and closing ceremonies, and will catch events held at iconic venues such as the Eiffel Tower, the Hotel des Invalides, Grand Palais and Place de la Concorde.
Sotropa, 26, admitted that he was not always for the Olympics. But now, he said: “I am looking forward to the Olympics because I see it as a unique opportunity to be part of this event.”
Describing it as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event, social media content creator Theo Guyon, 23, is happy to soak in the atmosphere, saying: “I’m not worried about the crowd, it will just be for a few weeks, and I think the Olympics are worth having for a little less comfort.”
Laurane Vepierre, who usually takes a one-hour commute from the Essonne region to Paris for her job, will be working remotely for most of the Olympics. But she will watch the swimming or athletics events if the opportunity arises.
“It happens at a different place every four years, so there are benefits for the different places in terms of reputation, image and economy,” said Vepierre.
“And it’s the Olympics, it’s a very cool atmosphere, sport always brings people together.”
As for the legacy of the Paris Games, that remains to be seen, as Sotropa added: “I believe that it will take a long time after the Paris Olympic Games have concluded to objectively assess their benefits or drawbacks, once the excitement has settled and the city has returned to its normal rhythm.”
