They came to cheer on 'Teddy', 'Léon' and 'Antoine'. Thousands of spectators gathered on September 14 on the Champs-Élysées to 'enjoy one last time', in a festive and already nostalgic atmosphere, the Paris Games and celebrate their champions. 'We don't want it to end', exclaims Naomi, with red, white and blue makeup on her eyelids. 'It's a way for everyone to get together one last time and really make a point of honor for these Games. Plus the parade was free, look at the atmosphere, there's nothing better!' adds the young Parisian.
As soon as the athletes pass, everyone shouts, raises their flag, it’s great,” exults Aurélien, 12 years old. In the front row of the barriers, Marc still has stars in his eyes, barely after the parade. 'It was magical when the smoke bombs went off around the Arc de Triomphe. There was 1998, 2018 and now 2024 in the legend!' concludes the young man, wearing a rooster hat and tricolour makeup on his cheeks.
A choreography that will remain. After celebrating their title by dancing on the pitch of the Stade de France at the end of July, the Blues of rugby 7s reproduced their choreography on the Place de l'Etoile after receiving a republican distinction. Antoine Dupont notably received the Legion of Honor from Emmanuel Macron. A dance that honors the training work of the Blues before the competition. They had learned the dance with dancers from the Moulin Rouge.
It's an opportunity to enjoy the Games one last time. It was full of 'JO-stalgia' that Laetitia, Philippe and their three daughters came to attend the 'Parade of Champions' on the Champs-Élysées this Saturday late afternoon. After the enchanted interlude of the Olympics and the Paralympics, Paris played extra time with a grand parade on 'the most beautiful avenue in the world', mixing volunteers, officials and athletes.
Thierry Reboul, the creative director of Paris 2024, had seen big, describing this parade as 'the fifth ceremony of the Games'. We were indeed treated to many nods to the four ceremonies that punctuated the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. Starting with the taxi made up of dozens of Phryges, seen during the opening of the Paras, strolling before the start of the parade. Or the masked torchbearer and the rider, main characters of the opening ceremony of the Games on the Seine, who launched the parade around 4 p.m. by striking the three knocks. Similar to what was done before each session of the Games. Or the soundtrack, featuring some of the hits of the Parisian Olympiad: 'Que je t'aime', 'Midnight City' by M83, 'Lettre à France'...
'It's a great end to the Games,' says Isilde, 13, accompanied by her two sisters and her parents. It was the three little girls who insisted on coming to see the champions, whom they had the chance to admire during the events. In particular, sprinter Timothée Adolphe, Paralympic vice-champion in the 100m, whom the family was able to see running at the Stade de France. 'And will Léon Marchand be there?' asks her little sister Maxime, 11. Many spectators present on the Champs on this cold Saturday are hoping to catch a glimpse of the new star of swimming and French sport in general, a four-time gold medalist at the Olympics.
A catch-up session for some. But before the athletes, the parade organizers had planned to honor all those without whom the Games would not have been possible. After the show by the Phryges, these mascots who were mocked and then adored, some 2,000 volunteers were the first to parade, warmly applauded by the public. The Paris 2024 teams were also seen, led by the head of the organizing committee Tony Estanguet. 'Tony, Tony,' shouted the crowd as the triple Olympic canoe champion and main architect of these successful Games passed by. But also former great French champions, such as Marie-Josée Pérec, who lit the Olympic flame with Teddy Riner.
A group of 300 supporters also got the party started on the 280-meter 'catwalk' set up on the Champs-Élysées for the occasion, launching chants to which the public responded with pleasure. For some spectators, this parade is a bit of a catch-up session. 'We didn't enjoy the Games enough, and we regretted it,' confided Laetitia, who nevertheless lives in the capital. 'We didn't see any of the Games events in real life, so we're making up for it today by coming to enjoy the last minutes of the Games,' smiled Delphine, 27, who came from Soissons, in the Aisne, with a small group of friends and family.
Even if it almost fell through at the last moment, because of a small glitch in sending the QR Codes needed to access the site. Like them, some have traveled a long way to watch the athletes' parade. Like Bernard, 56, and his children, who took the train early Saturday morning from Picardy to enjoy this 'unique, exceptional moment.' 'It's wonderful to see France in unison,' says the fifty-year-old, dressed in blue, white and red from head to toe, moved.
It is even more so at the time of the long-awaited arrival of the French athletes on the immense white podium. Waving the flags distributed for free in all directions, the crowd explodes when it sees, at around 5:15 p.m., the 300 or so French athletes, dressed all in white, setting off on the avenue. It is the Paralympic boccia champion, Aurélie Aubert, who leads the joyous delegation. The public chants the names of Antoine Dupont and Léon Marchand. One notable absentee among the athletes: Teddy Riner. He finally arrives in small strides a few seconds later, in a dark blue suit, to the cheers of the fans. Olas are launched by the athletes, before a Marseillaise sung at the top of its lungs by the athletes and spectators alike.
But the evening is far from over. A few minutes later, the French medallists of the Games will be decorated on the Place de l'Étoile, in the presence of Emmanuel Macron, before a big concert around the Arc de Triomphe from 9 p.m.
