Paris: Paris is in a strange situation now. While the City of Light, by and large, can’t wait to open its arms to the world for the 33rd Summer Games, many of its residents accustomed to a hassle-free life but forced to go through hardships just to enter their own houses want Friday’s opening ceremony to be done with at the earliest.
Hosting an Olympic Games, the biggest sporting spectacle in the world, is a matter of pride and France is keen on putting on a show to remember, kick-starting with a grandiose opening ceremony. Unlike previous Games where athletes would march into the main stadium following programmes that highlight the cultures of the country, Paris is trying out something unprecedented — an opening ceremony out in the open along the River Seine.
As the world awaits to see the Seine and surrounding areas in all its glory, its own residents are largely unhappy. Trains and buses to areas around the opening ceremony have been cut off, connecting bridges have become a no-go zone and residents have been forced to get a QR code just to enter their own houses. Restaurant owners too have been fuming with their businesses hit badly.
“Paris is demarcated in zones of several colours and you need QR codes to move from one zone to another,” said Alexandre Thomas, a Paris resident.
Published 25 July 2024, 20:16 IST