Paris -100: Games between wars and grandeur, fears remain

   France is counting the days until the start of the

, the anticipation is growing for the Games which will return to Paris after exactly a century. Wednesday marks -100 days, tomorrow in Olympia the torch of an edition during the wars with which Emmanuel Macron's France wants to amaze the world will be lit, and in the meantime the buzz of the protest of the discontented, of the Parisians who for years they proclaim that they want to snub the event and want to leave the capital from 26 July to 11 August.

There are many concerns, starting with security with the escalation of international tensions and France's ever-exposed position, ending with the Seine whose bacteriological analyzes do not bode well in terms of its proclaimed bathing potential. The dreaded opening ceremony with its 150 boats full of athletes and authorities that will parade in the heart of Paris continues to populate the nightmares of organizers and governments. Macron guaranteed security today, at the inauguration of the restored Grand Palais; but also officially admitted that there is a plan B and also a plan C for the opening ceremony, at the Trocadero or at the Stadium.

With 2 wars at the gates of Europe and a terrorist threat that forces France to maintain the Vigipirate prevention plan at the highest level, the pharaonic project of two wings of audiences of 2 million people for the opening ceremony has been reduced to 300,000 . Everyone will be invited, with identities examined not only by the French services but by thousands of experts and agents of different guest nationalities. There is no room for error, 800 applications to work at the Olympics were rejected because they were a security risk, 15 were even registered as radicalized.

An "army" of 34,000 police and gendarmes will be deployed for each day of the Games, reinforced by elements of foreign security forces. The airspace over Paris and the Ile-de-France region will be closed for the duration of the ceremony, a primarily anti-drone measure. And work is in full swing on countermeasures to cyberattacks, a Russian specialty: "Moscow certainly has the Games in its sights" admitted Macron, admitting - for the first time a couple of weeks ago - the existence of a plan B in the event of risk too high for the inaugural ceremony. In the "red" zone, the highly armored one that includes all of Paris around the river, during the Games residents will have to be equipped with a badge with a barcode to return home.

Another very current issue, the river - which should host competitions such as open water swimming and triathlon -

. It's the fault of the rains that swelled the Seine, they say in the Municipality, worried about the figures of an NGO which carried out 14 measurements from September to April. The result is "alarming", they declare. There are many doubts about the environmentalist bet of Mayor Hidalgo, who also promised to dive herself (imitated by Macron) in the days preceding the inauguration of the Games.

-100 days before the start of the Games, Emmanuel Macron inaugurated what France considers the example, the flagship of its construction sites: the Grand Palais - between the Champs-Elysées and the Seine - which concluded its historic restoration but, before reopening with exhibitions and events for visitors, it will host fencing and taekwondo competitions under the Great Nave under its glass vault. We arrived perfectly on time with the arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille on 8 May, after the delivery of the keys to the most important completed construction sites, the latest being the Olympic Village and the Aquatic Centre, both in Saint-Denis. All of this, claims the organizing committee, in full compliance with ecological and sustainability criteria as well as financial ones: spending limits respected and 7 million tickets already sold, practically full attendance.

Every day brings its controversy, the organizing committee has come to terms with it. Aya Nakamura, a naturalized French Malian, was chosen to sing at the inaugural ceremony, against whom the far right has lashed out, contesting that she can represent France. Macron has definitively "cleared" her: she will be the one to sing "The Hymn to Love" by Edith Piaf. Another delicate moment, which lasted only a few days, for the first diffusion of the images of the official poster. In which, between a sea on the horizon of Paris and a flying Eiffel Tower, the designer Ugo Gattoni proposed a dome of the Invalides without the crucifix.

After months in which Parisians indulged in their favorite sporting practice, that of "raler" (grumble), the army of skeptics is losing ground. There will be many Parisians who will not be surprised by inconveniences in the city, thus taking the opportunity to sublet their apartment at its weight in gold. But many have a growing desire to enjoy such a rare event: "Paris 2024: what if we dreamed?" asks RMC Sport. "France does masochistic advertising, who will dare to come to Paris?" relaunches Le Point. Mayor Anne Hidalgo doesn't mince her words: "Parisians, don't leave, don't do this stupid thing." Former tennis champion Yannick Noah was even harsher: "stop grumbling, the whole world will be in Paris".