The magic of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games could well leave a lasting legacy in the City of Light, but also in other cities across France! And with good reason: many cities are being asked to retain some of the symbols of these games, from the Olympic rings to the Paralympic agitos to several statues from the opening ceremonies of these Olympics.
At the end of August, in an interview on France Bleu, Anne Hidalgo already mentioned her desire to preserve certain Olympic symbols beyond the Games, such as the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower and the Olympic and Paralympic cauldron in the Tuileries.
Paris 2024 Olympics: will the Olympic cauldron remain in the capital after the Games?
Will the Olympic cauldron, housed under an impressive hot-air balloon, remain in Paris after the Olympic Games? At least, that's the wish of Mathieu Lehanneur, its designer, who is campaigning for it to remain after the Paris Olympics. [Read more]
The flamboyant vasque in the Jardin des Tuileries, currently the center of attention, could well become a permanent fixture in the Parisian landscape."The vasque is an extraordinary object and the location in which it is situated is magnificent," she asserted. The deputy mayor in charge of sports, Pierre Rabadan, even revealed that the mayor of Paris was already working on solutions to preserve it all year round, even in the face of the vagaries of Parisian weather.
Anne Hidalgo also indicated in early August that she had written to French President Emmanuel Macron to ask him to leave the cauldron in the Jardin des Tuileries:"It's not up to me to decide, as it's on the site of the Louvre Museum, which belongs to the State", she explained to AFP. As our Huffington Post colleagues explain, without a response from the government before the closing ceremony, the cauldron will no longer fly up each evening... And it may well be dismantled.
On August 31, Anne Hidalgo confirmed that the giant Olympic rings (29m wide and 15m high) adorning the Eiffel Tower would remain on the Iron Lady. Having fascinated the world during the Games, the rings will continue to hang over the capital, but will be replaced by lighter replicas. The mayor's decision has been endorsed by the IOC, which owns the logo.
Since then, however, many people have expressed their dissatisfaction, including officials, French citizens and foreign tourists, who have reacted to the news on social networks. This is why, according to the Huffington Post, the Mayor of Paris seems to be seeking a compromise, and on September 6 raised the possibility of keeping the rings on the tower"at least until 2028".
As for the Agitos, the Paralympic symbol on theArc de Triomphe, they could be moved to the headquarters of the Île-de-France regional council, at the request of its president, Valérie Pécresse, according to the Huffpost. The dismantling process is due to start shortly after the end of the Paralympic Games, for Saint-Ouen, unless otherwise indicated.
If you thought you could take a photo with THE mascot of these games, you're in for a tough time... Only plush toys and other products bearing the Phryges logo will survive the Olympic and Paralympic Games. At least, that's what Alain Joly, President of Doudou et Compagnie, one of the suppliers of the plush mascot on the market, explained to RMC:"It's not over yet. We produce to the end, in France, according to market demand". So, as long as there's demand...
Remember Zeus, the metal horse that braved the Seine to carry the Olympic flag, ridden by the incarnation of Sequana, the Gallic goddess of the river who gave him his name? ? It is already on display during the Paralympic Games, in the courtyard ofParis' Hôtel de Ville, until September 8.
Zeus will also be exhibited in the Paris premises of Maison Sanofi, the work's owner, in October 2024, and may return to the capital after a tour of the country. That's what Pierre Rabadan told France 3:"After the Paralympics, the horse will probably go elsewhere in France to be exhibited. We'd like it to return to Paris afterwards. We'd like to find an emblematic, long-lasting exhibition venue", he explains.
The world's most famous horse, ZEUS, is making a comeback! After lighting up the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, this majestic steel steed will be on free display at Paris City Hall from August 29 to September 8, 2024. [Read more]
Goddess Sequana's fantastic ride across the Seine for the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics left a lasting impression. Were you wondering who the goddess Sequana was behind the hood of this incredible crossing? We tell you all about it. [Read more]
Last but not least, the statues of inspirational French women who graced the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, during the painting entitled "Sororité", could find a place of choice in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, in the La Chapelle district, as Anne Hidalgo explained to our RFI colleagues.
But Paris isn't the only town fighting to get these statues back... According to Franceinfo, La Baule and Le Croisic are also vying for one of the statues, that ofAlice Millat. In Saint-Nazaire, it's the statue of Simone Veil that's being coveted. For the moment, the question remains unresolved.
They sprang from the Seine as the Marseillaise resounded from the roof of the Grand Palais: 10 golden statues appeared during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. But who are these women in the spotlight? [Read more]
During the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, statues of ten famous women such as Olympe de Gouges and Simone Veil were unveiled. Installed near the Alexandre-III bridge, these statues celebrate feminist and activist figures. They will be on temporary display at the National Assembly! [Read more]
A fitting conclusion, whatever happens, for a city ready to embrace its Olympic past while looking to the future.
Paris 2024 Olympics: will the Olympic cauldron remain in the capital after the Games?
Paris 2024 Olympics: Zeus, the metal horse for the opening ceremony, on display at Hôtel de Ville
Paris 2024 Olympics: who was the rider on the silver horse at the opening ceremony?
Opening ceremony statues: who are the 10 women honored on the Seine?
Statues of the 10 golden women of the opening ceremony on display at the National Assembly
