Rainy inauguration, happy inauguration?
This Thursday morning, the sky over Seine-Saint-Denis was very gray to receive the official visit of the President of the Republic to the Olympic village.
But from the three ministers or numerous local and regional elected officials to the workers in orange bibs, from the developers to the architects, including the few athletes present, everyone wore a broad smile.
Emmanuel Macron strolled for two hours on the banks of the Seine to meet the different trades which helped build the heart of the future Olympic Games in Paris.
A question here, an explanation there, lots of congratulations and thanks.
The themes of security, sustainable development and the repurposing of places were discussed with the participants.
Read alsoOJ Paris 2024: discover the Olympic village, the site of all records delivered in Seine-Saint-Denis
Starting from the Cesaria Evora promenade, the presidential procession strolled to the Olympic square where the three-time Olympic athletics champion Marie-José Pérec, the Olympic boxing champion Brahim Asloum, Gévrise Emane (bronze medalist in judo in 2012), Solène Sache (Paralympic swimmer) and Aurélien Diesse (qualified for Paris 2024 in judo).
“I almost want to put on my shorts,” smiled Pérec.
" U.S. too !
», replied the president before attending the symbolic handing over of the key to the site between Nicolas Ferrand, general director of Solideo, the project owner, and Tony Estanguet, the president of the organizing committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympics.
“Now we have a lot of work to do”
“It is the demonstration that we are meeting the commitments that had been made,” notes Emmanuel Macron.
This project will have been delivered on time and on budget, and despite Covid, despite two years of inflation, despite the war in Ukraine... The Solideo teams, all the companies in liaison with all elected officials premises, developers, architects, etc.
did an extraordinary job.
»
After posing with the big silver key which represents both a passing of the baton and the open door to a new phase, Tony Estanguet does not hide his emotion.
“Obviously, because we know that it will become the beating heart of these Games for athletes who come from the four corners of the world,” breathes the three-time Olympic canoe champion.
The experience one has there marks a career.
It is really beautiful.
»
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For the moment, the main aisles are very empty at the foot of the A86.
Buildings too.
“Now we have a lot of work to do,” continues the COJOP boss.
These accommodations will have to be transformed into rooms for athletes and the furniture installed.
14,200 beds, as many bedside tables… We will also have to prepare everything related to catering.
We will still serve a million meals inside the village during the Games period.
»
Paris 2024 Olympics: bedding, supermarket, pinball machines… the Cojo has four months to bring the Olympic village to life
➡️ https://t.co/lQlxcN3qSi pic.twitter.com/WNkcXm42vF
— The Parisian |
JO 🥇 (@leparisien2024) February 29, 2024
With just under five months to go before the start of the competition, it's the final stretch.
Hoping that the excitement around the event finally starts to build.
“You always have inconveniences that arrive at the end,” sighs the head of state.
In Tokyo, there was record unpopularity a week with the Games.
We are very far from that.
We are very vigilant to ensure that our compatriots adhere.
There are sometimes a lot of inconveniences, this is the case for the inhabitants of Seine-Saint-Denis, but these Games will leave a legacy and that must be a factor of support.
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