“We Did It!”: France Celebrates Successful Olympics Ceremony

The concept had faced skepticism for its ambition and the location was deemed a security risk. However, after years of preparation, France can finally breathe a sigh of relief—it successfully executed the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Choosing the River Seine for the ceremony instead of a traditional stadium was a dramatic move by President Emmanuel Macron, fraught with risks.

The day began with troubling news: three attacks on the French railway network’s signal infrastructure, causing travel disruptions and hinting at a potential coordinated effort to undermine the Games.

Weather also posed a challenge, as an unexpected downpour drenched performers, athletes, and spectators, who were only shielded by plastic ponchos.

Despite these setbacks, the show proceeded.

Lasting four hours, the ceremony culminated in a spectacular climax as the Olympic flame was launched into the sky on a cauldron tethered to a balloon, with Celine Dion performing an Edith Piaf song from the Eiffel Tower.

Directed by Thomas Jolly, the eclectic show received mixed reviews. The Times of London described it as “surreal” and a “damp squib,” but its originality and daring were undeniable.

Crucially, the massive event concluded safely. Parisians and visitors can now navigate the city without the need for QR codes to pass through police barriers, which had secured the riverside embankment in the days leading up to the event.

Daily Liberation summed it up: “With sabotage of railway installations in the morning and pouring rain in the evening, the opening day of the Olympics was chaotic but ended with a grandiose ceremony which broke all the rules.”

 

‘Creative Genius’

Images of police snipers on rooftops highlighted the ongoing security threats France faces, particularly since the series of Islamist extremist attacks since 2015.

The ceremony provided a much-needed boost for Macron after two turbulent months marked by a snap parliamentary election that briefly raised the possibility of a far-right government. Though this did not happen, the country remains politically paralyzed, and Macron is seen as a weakened leader with three years left in his term.

“Thanks to Thomas Jolly and his creative genius for this grandiose ceremony. Thank you to the artists for this unique and magical moment. Thank you to the police and emergency services, agents, and volunteers,” Macron posted triumphantly on X. “Thank you to everyone who believed in it. We’ll still be talking about it in 100 years! We did it!”

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin echoed this sentiment: “We did it! After four years of intense work to prepare for the world’s biggest sporting event, we have never been prouder of our security forces.”

However, far-right MEP Marion Marechal criticized the event on X, lamenting the “crude woke propaganda” and her struggle to find the celebration of sports and French beauty.

 

‘Can’t Mess Up’

While some spectators were frustrated by the rain and obstructed views, Jolly’s concept seemed primarily designed for the millions watching on TV worldwide.

The ceremony cleverly highlighted French culture and history with a modern twist, featuring numerous in-jokes and celebrating France’s diversity by spotlighting artists of immigrant origin.

“The opening ceremony is really the moment when you can’t mess up. It’s a successful gamble,” communications specialist Philippe Moreau Chevrolet told AFP. “Macron has very successfully carried out his communications operation for the country and for himself: it’s a moment of coming together for the nation… and he hasn’t had many in seven years in power.”