Paris 2024 Ceremonies

[sebastien1214]

The flame will pass through 65 departments + 5 overseas territories in the middle of June. There is this map (without the precise details of the dates) which illustrates the route in France, it's a bit messy, let's say it's not like the Tour de France, but it's normal you have to go to the more possible places.

In the public space, I find that the Olympics are rather discreet at the moment. No big posters or anything. I'm waiting to see when the Olympic torch relay takes place. And it must be said that at the moment there is much more talk in the media about the Olympic Games in bad ways than good things, but hey we are French, it's not surprising.

[yoshi]

Very odd route - somehow missing Grenoble and Albertville - & even Lyon?! In fact it seems like eastern France in general gets a pretty raw deal. And I don't see Rouen...

As for the pre Olympics talk, it was exactly the same here. "Everything will be terrible, everyone will leave, the transport will collapse, the ceremony will be embarrassing, we'll be a laughing stock etc etc etc" I think @Sir Rols has said that even Sydney had the same in the build up, probably everyone does. Then the torch arrives...

[Cyriln]

2 hours ago, sebastien1214 said:

In the public space, I find that the Olympics are rather discreet at the moment. No big posters or anything. I'm waiting to see when the Olympic torch relay takes place. And it must be said that at the moment there is much more talk in the media about the Olympic Games in bad ways than good things, but hey we are French, it's not surprising.

I can confirm all of that but there is one place where Olympics are already more present: ads. I don't watch a lot of TV but each time there's an ad break, there are several sports-themed ads ending with "*brand name*, official partner of Paris 2024" and we can already see ads with Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

 

Back to the topic: let's not forget that the first ceremonies will take place in Greece, with the lighting of the Olympic flame in Olympia (16 April, 11:30 am) and the handover ceremony at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens (26 April, 6:30 pm). The Hellenic Olympic Committee has released the programme for both ceremonies (here for the lighting and here for the handover). We can notice that both ceremonies will be hosted by Nikos Aliagas, Greek-French TV host and certainly one of the most popular TV hosts in France.

[Australian Kiwi]

On 3/17/2024 at 1:34 PM, Bear said:

i had a dream last night where i watched the opening ceremony. it was a basic boat parade with people doing random dances on barges that slowly floated along the river. i hope the actual ceremony is much more exciting than that!

That dream was a premonition about 2032.

[sebastien1214]

12 minutes ago, yoshi said:

Very odd route - somehow missing Grenoble and Albertville - & even Lyon?! In fact it seems like eastern France in general gets a pretty raw deal. And I don't see Rouen...

As for the pre Olympics talk, it was exactly the same here. "Everything will be terrible, everyone will leave, the transport will collapse, the ceremony will be embarrassing, we'll be a laughing stock etc etc etc" I think @Sir Rols has said that even Sydney had the same in the build up, probably everyone does. Then the torch arrives...

For the journey of the Olympic flame, the departments were asked to finance up to €180,000 for the passage of the flame in their department.

All the departments which accepted are shown on the map; therefore those who have not accepted will not see the Olympic flame pass.

So for Lyon, Grenoble & Albertville, their absence from the relay is due to the fact that their respective departments refused to pay. (a bit special for Lyon because the city and its suburbs constitute a sort of department in its own right).

Then, the map only shows one city per department: these are the “stopover towns”, one per day, and therefore per department. But rest assured, each department has several cities that will host the flame, and Rouen is one of them. (we had to make a choice between Rouen and Le Havre, the latter is a very big city too. The fact that it is the city of a former prime minister may have played a role)

3 minutes ago, Cyriln said:

I can confirm all of that but there is one place where Olympics are already more present: ads. I don't watch a lot of TV but each time there's an ad break, there are several sports-themed ads ending with "*brand name*, official partner of Paris 2024" and we can already see ads with Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

 

Back to the topic: let's not forget that the first ceremonies will take place in Greece, with the lighting of the Olympic flame in Olympia (16 April, 11:30 am) and the handover ceremony at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens (26 April, 6:30 pm). The Hellenic Olympic Committee has released the programme for both ceremonies (here for the lighting and here for the handover). We can notice that both ceremonies will be hosted by Nikos Aliagas, Greek-French TV host and certainly one of the most popular TV hosts in France.

It's true that in terms of advertisements it seems logical that we see more and more of them linked to the Olympics; I have to admit that I haven't watched television for a long time, so this all escapes me.

Nice to see Nikos Aliagas hosting the ceremony. And like you say, it is the most obvious choice!

[Cyriln]

11 minutes ago, yoshi said:

Very odd route - somehow missing Grenoble and Albertville - & even Lyon?! In fact it seems like eastern France in general gets a pretty raw deal. And I don't see Rouen...

Rouen will be visited on 5 July (only the last visited city each day are on the map). The missing cities you quote (technically, it's their department) refused to pay the fee to organize the relay in their area. Lyon will be visited during the Paralympic relay.

[baron-pierreIV]

That is so dumb for bypassing Grenoble and Albertville.  There are the old cauldrons of 1968 and 1992 there.  What about Narnia and Vichy?  When is the flame passing thru Narnia and Vichy?    Does bypassing Grenoble and Alberville bode well for the Nice-Alpes 2030 d'Hiver bid?? 

[sebastien1214]

5 minutes ago, baron-pierreIV said:

That is so dumb for bypassing Grenoble and Albertville.  There are the old cauldrons of 1968 and 1992 there.  What about Narnia and Vichy?  When is the flame passing thru Narnia and Vichy?    Does bypassing Grenoble and Alberville bode well for the Nice-Alpes 2030 d'Hiver bid?? 

Unfortunately, if some people don't want to see the flame pass in their cities/departements, we can't impose that on them.

For Lyon, we must not forget that the city (and the "department") is led by Green Party (EELV) who are openly anti-Olympics. This is also the reason why Lyon does not even appear in the 2030 candidacy even though it would be logical for it to be part of it. Grenoble is also led by an EELV mayor (not the department, however).

To tell you how much certain politicians in France visibly hate the Olympics, the president of the department of Isère (where Grenoble is) said, to justify her choice:

“The way it was presented, the commercial aspect, it seemed to us, for one day, to be completely uninteresting. We made this decision in a concerted manner.”

And she's not even a member of the Green Party.

[baron-pierreIV]

I'm surprised the Greeks (HOC) haven't squawked that Paris 2024 is "monetizing" their Olympic flame by selling participation in the Relay for money.  That is precisely the silly stunt they pulled for LA 1984 when Ueberroth's team "sold" kilometers in the '84 relay for $3K a mile (plus they got to keep the torch, uniform and certificate) -- but all the proceeds were earmarked for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the US.  The HOC attempted to blackmail LA's run by withholding the flame. until Samarranch and Ueberroth called the Greek's bluff and came up with a clandestine way to have their own authentic flame from Olympia -- if the HOC did not live up to their original commitment.

In effect, Paris 2024 is doing exactly the same thing -- but where is the Greek outcry of "unacceptable commercialism" now?  A Greek word, hypocrite, comes to mind.   

[sebastien1214]

2 minutes ago, baron-pierreIV said:

I'm surprised the Greeks (HOC) haven't squawked that Paris 2024 is "monetizing" their Olympic flame by selling participation in the Relay for money.  That is precisely the silly stunt they pulled for LA 1984 when Ueberroth's team "sold" kilometers in the '84 relay for $3K a mile (plus they got to keep the torch, uniform and certificate) -- but all the proceeds were earmarked for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the US.  The HOC attempted to blackmail LA's run by withholding the flame. until Samarranch and Ueberroth called the Greek's bluff and came up with a clandestine way to have their own authentic flame from Olympia -- if the HOC did not live up to their original commitment.

In effect, Paris 2024 is doing exactly the same thing -- but where is the Greek outcry of "unacceptable commercialism" now?  A Greek word, hypocrite, comes to mind.   

The €180k is more of a “contribution to the costs of the organization”. I think it's more acceptable to present it like that, for the organizing committee. Afterwards, it's true that we can debate that, find that it's not normal. In previous Olympics, were public authorities asked for a financial contribution to cover the cost that this represents?

(in any case for the Paras no contribution is requested. But it is also much less expensive)

[baron-pierreIV]

1 minute ago, sebastien1214 said:

 In previous Olympics, were public authorities asked for a financial contribution to cover the cost that this represents?

No.  Unless maybe for providing some overnight accommodations for the Relay Team.  But that's why Coca-Cola, Samsung and a local Bank partner were always given the extra right as "Exclusive Sponsors of the Relay" ... since they shouldered the entire costs of previous relays.  

[yoshi]

Well obviously it's up to the councils how to spend their money (I don't remember that being a problem for the relay - or a thing at all - in 2012, did Coke pay for all of that one? And if so as Baron suggests, what's different for this) but that's a shame about Lyon. Slightly odd that they have that position & won't pay that for the torch relay when they're hosting part of the football tournament! A shame about 2030 too because Lyon would be a much more logical anchor for that than Nice. 

[Sir Rols]

6 hours ago, yoshi said:

As for the pre Olympics talk, it was exactly the same here. "Everything will be terrible, everyone will leave, the transport will collapse, the ceremony will be embarrassing, we'll be a laughing stock etc etc etc" I think @Sir Rols has said that even Sydney had the same in the build up, probably everyone does. Then the torch arrives...

Yep, pretty much. All those things - predictions of traffic chaos, horrible crowds, embarrassing flops, people vow to get out of the city to avoid all the horrible craziness. And then the flame arrives in the country, the mood switches and the excited anticipation really builds. My advice? Embrace it, soak it in and make the most of it.

9 hours ago, sebastien1214 said:

In the public space, I find that the Olympics are rather discreet at the moment. No big posters or anything

 Don’t expect much, or anything, like that before late June or even July. For a good reason - if you put the banners and “Look” up too early they could fade and start to get tattered before the real event begins, and they’ll become too familiar and old hat. They’ll lose their “special occasion“ vibe and appeal.

In 2000, I used to take the ferry and then walk through the city every day to go to work. All through the months leading up I used to look out for such signs, but nothing…. until one September sunny Spring Monday morning, just two weeks before the games, my ferry arrived at Circular Quay, our main ferry terminal, and I got off to be greeted by a city transformed by decorations - beautiful beds of fresh, colourful flowers everywhere, colourful banners for the Games hanging from every pole, signs and bunting all around. It’s like he city had changed out of it’s everyday work clothes and was showing off it’s prettiest party dress to the world!  

Edited April 4 by Sir Rols

[yoshi]

Although if Cheltenham in 2012 is anything to go on, you should get banners up in Rouen a week or two before the relay arrives. That's probably the thing more than anything else that hit me saying "the Olympics are close, & they're HERE", seeing the banners on the lampposts on the road into Cheltenham. The press coverage should change perspective within about a week of the arrival & build up to the big day, although I don't know how they'll deal with an opening ceremony that can't be a surprise... Either way it's quite a feeling to see all this locally when you're already a fan of the Olympics itself. Looking forward to following it through the summer

[baron-pierreIV]

3 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

if you put the banners and “Look” up too early they could fade and start to get tattered before the real event begins, and they’ll become too familiar and old hat. They’ll lose their “special occasion“ vibe and appeal.

Or get swiped too early by determined souvenir hunters -- in which case, the crews have to come around again and replace those.  

[sebastien1214]

The Trocadéro is also beginning to be fitted out in preparation for the OOC. For the moment the area affected by the constructions is reduced, but from May/June it will be expanded (and the entire Trocadéro should be closed to tourists)

The quays of the Seine will begin to be closed from the beginning of June. It’s really from this moment where everything will accelerate.

[yoshi]

How do they propose closing the quays will keep things secret when you still need to have the bridges open . Unless they're putting temporary grandstands on the quays. I also assume they won't be closing the Eiffel Tower in the leadup so people on that will still get a clear view of the building work...

[sebastien1214]

38 minutes ago, yoshi said:

How do they propose closing the quays will keep things secret when you still need to have the bridges open . Unless they're putting temporary grandstands on the quays. I also assume they won't be closing the Eiffel Tower in the leadup so people on that will still get a clear view of the building work...

It is precisely to install the stands that the quays close from June. There are still more than 300,000 people to welcome here! And in addition to the quays, there are also snacks bars, toilets etc... it's almost like building a stadium over 6km.

As for the bridges, they will start to be closed from the beginning of July.

[yoshi]

They actually are closing the bridges?!  Good luck to anyone trying to drive or bus across Paris lol. Maybe they will be able to keep it secret!

[sebastien1214]

22 minutes ago, yoshi said:

They actually are closing the bridges?!  Good luck to anyone trying to drive or bus across Paris lol. Maybe they will be able to keep it secret!

They won't have the choice to close the bridges at some point anyway. We must not forget that there are bridges where there will be the public, artistic elements, and also other logistical equipment (since apparently the NBC Today show will be present on one of the bridges during the OOC; we can imagine that one of the bridges will serve as a television studio?).

I'm posting an image that I had already published a few pages earlier:

In light blue these are the bridges which will remain open for traffic. All other bridges will be closed from July (not all at the same time, some from July 1st, others from July 15th only...).

What is certain is that from July 19 (one week before the ceremony), the entire perimeter around the Seine will be fenced off with police checks carried out in each street which leads to this secure zone* . So, yeah, good luck getting around Paris from July 19 (and probably even a little before).

And on the day of the opening ceremony, all of the bridges in Paris, including those in blue and those of the metro, will be closed. So it will be literally impossible to cross Paris that day.

Besides, regarding the question of how to keep the whole ceremony secret: it's impossible. Even the organizers themselves say so. But it's part of the deal (and the IOC accepted it).

Rehearsals in the very heart of Paris will begin in June unless there is a change of plan. And there will inevitably be rehearsals which will be visible to everyone, because that is the very principle of having a ceremony in the heart of the city. Thierry Reboul himself said in an interview that "you'll see a lot of rehearsals anyway, but we're going to try to cover it up by not putting on the right costumes, disguising the sets, etc. so that you're still surprised."

[baron-pierreIV]

7 hours ago, yoshi said:

How do they propose closing the quays will keep things secret when you still need to have the bridges open . Unless they're putting temporary grandstands on the quays. I also assume they won't be closing the Eiffel Tower in the leadup so people on that will still get a clear view of the building work...

It's not so much keeping things "secret" as really crowd control and Security.  Trucks will be coming and going before, during and after construction, they do not need onlookers getting in harm's way there.  It's mainly that -- and all preparatory to "lockdown" maybe 48 or 72 hrs before July 26 when they will have to do a grand sweep of all the Opening Day installations.  (And then, remember, all of these must come down the day after -- while the competition already begins in other parts of the city.) 

Edited April 14 by baron-pierreIV

[sebastien1214]

8 minutes ago, baron-pierreIV said:

It's not so much keeping things "secret" as really crowd control and Security.  Trucks will be coming and going during construction, they do not need onlookers getting in harm's way there.  It's mainly that -- and all preparatory to "lockdown" maybe 48 or 72 hrs before July 26 when they will have to do a grand sweep of all the Opening Day installations.  (And then, remember, all of these must come down the day after -- while the competition already begins in other parts of the city.  

From the moment the security perimeter is sealed off (i.e. with systematic entry controls into the area), it takes about a week to search the entire area, including the sewers & catacombs. There will also be nearly 2,000 foreign police officers and soldiers who will help secure Paris, particularly for very specific profiles (such as dog teams) for which we do not have enough in France for an event of this magnitude.

Also note that to enter the area, you must first register on a site managed by the police, and that the police carry out administrative investigations for each person* who registers before giving authorization to enter. in the area (via a QR code); and this in addition to systematic searches. Residents of the area must also take these steps; and if you pose a threat, the authorities may prohibit you from entering the area, even if you are a resident.**

*(in total, for the Olympic Games, it is estimated that around 1 million people will have to undergo an administrative investigation, knowing that currently there are 200,000 which have already been carried out).

**(that said... if indeed there is an inhabitant of the area who is prohibited from entering the area, I am curious to see if it is tenable legally speaking. But not being a lawyer, I I have no idea if that would be legal or not.)

[yoshi]

This is a particularly exciting buildup, it's certainly worked for that . I take it from the fact you haven't come on here to say that Thomas Jolly has taken over Rouen means they're not doing that & are instead going straight to Paris whenever the rehearsals start there, presumably the start of July like you say. 

[baron-pierreIV]

26 minutes ago, sebastien1214 said:

**(that said... if indeed there is an inhabitant of the area who is prohibited from entering the area, I am curious to see if it is tenable legally speaking. But not being a lawyer, I I have no idea if that would be legal or not.)

They will be given a warning and notified accordingly -- i.e., you are on the "watch" list, so don't try anything funny.  

[sebastien1214]

8 minutes ago, yoshi said:

This is a particularly exciting buildup, it's certainly worked for that . I take it from the fact you haven't come on here to say that Thomas Jolly has taken over Rouen means they're not doing that & are instead going straight to Paris whenever the rehearsals start there, presumably the start of July like you say. 

Still haven’t seen Thomas in the city! But I think they have abandoned the idea of doing rehearsals on a river somewhere other than Paris and that they will do everything in Paris.

8 minutes ago, baron-pierreIV said:

They will be given a warning and notified accordingly -- i.e., you are on the "watch" list, so don't try anything funny.  

Yeah, it could happen that way. Anyway, in my opinion, it should only concern a very small handful of people, maybe even 0 (if we're just talking about residents).