Paris en fete: How the French warmed up to the 2024 Olympic flame

One of the nagging questions about the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was whether the locals would jump onto the Olympic bandwagon. Halfway through the journey, the answer seems to be: mais oui!

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After months of concerns and complaints, the Olympic flame seems to have melted Parisians' facade of indifference.

As the women's road cycling race unfolded on the cobblestone streets near the famed Moulin Rouge, fans crowded the sidewalks donning the colours of France. Amid chants of “Vive les Bleus,” an often heard cheer for French athletes, three women wearing red berets sat on the sidewalk watching a boxing competition on their cell phones, waiting for riders to pass by.

"The atmosphere is amazing, we were not expecting this," Parisian Marine Bagono said.

Locals draw red, white and blue strips on their cheeks and drape themselves in the flag. Dancers from the Moulin Rouge join in to the carnival spirit of the games dancing their encouragements, one of them calling this moment a once in a lifetime experience.

After months of concerns and complaints, the Olympic flame seems to have melted Parisians' facade of indifference. (Genevieve Beauchemin/CTV News)

It wasn't always a given that the Olympic spirit would take hold in the city renowned for its cool attitude.

"There was quite a bit of complaining about the disruption to the city, Franco-British citizen Joanne Robinson, who lives in Paris, said to CTV News. "But I feel everyone is really enjoying it."

Her daughter Eloise Laporte, who studies at McGill University in Montreal, says a lot of her friends had left the city for the games, but are now trying to get tickets.

• Full coverage of the Paris Olympics on TSN.ca

"They are sad they are missing out on the Olympics," she said.

Many hung up closed signs on their businesses and headed out of town. Now many are regretting their self imposed exile.

Former Canadian Olympic cyclist Karol-Ann Canuel is a spectator at the games this year, after competing in the road race during the previous summer games in Tokyo.

"It's been crazy here," she said. "When I was competing in Tokyo it was with COVID-19 restrictions, to see all people, all the crowds coming to cheer, it is really cool. We did have some people on the roads, but not like this."

What seems to have helped drown out the grumblings from Parisians over the inconvenience, security fears and concerns over cost overruns, is that France is winning. Newly-minted superstar swimmer Leon Marchand is leading the parade with four golds in the pool.

"We are always complaining," said French supporter Camille Levreau. "Many Parisians didn't want the Olympics, they didn't want to stay here. Now they have come back and have realized the atmosphere is the best there has every been at an Olympics,"

After months of concerns and complaints, the Olympic flame seems to have melted Parisians' facade of indifference. (Genevieve Beauchemin/CTV News)

Not all Parisians are embracing the moment. The launch of the games saw a tourism boom in the last week of July, a 20 per cent increase compared to last year at that time. But some business owners say the early summer was slow, and that while sports fans are crowing venues, they are not crowding their shops.

Coco Bello, a quaint macaroon shop is savouring the Olympic spotlight and decorated its treats with patterns linked to the games. The colourful macaroons are on offer in the window, as fans have gathered on the sidewalk for the cycling race.

"We want to welcome people from all over the world," Patricia Rinaldi said. "It has been a little slow in the shop this summer, but we hope things will pick up."

Still, the games seem to have turned many locals into wide-eyed tourists in their own city.

"Paris is different," says a man wearing a large hat decorated with the French flag. "It is wonderful."