Roadside Picnic: The End of Olympic French Fairytale from Our Own Correspondent

As the 2024 Olympic Games came to a close on Sunday, August 11, fans eagerly flocked to the 80,000-seat Stade de France in Paris with high expectations for the closing ceremony. Despite the relatively high cost of tickets (ranging from 250 to 2000 euros), excitement filled the air as spectators awaited the grand finale of the anticipated event. The opening ceremony was considered one of the brightest and most memorable in Olympic history, sparking heated discussions due to its provocative nature. Despite the positive media coverage, many negative reviews have surfaced online, with independent publications openly criticising the event. Kursiv’s correspondent shares her impression of this event firsthand.

For the record

The Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies are super-organised events with many rules, specific order of events and time frames. The opening ceremony was fabulous, striking an outstanding balance between following the rules and staying original. However, the closing ceremony felt a bit off track. The only thing that went according to plan was the scorching 32-degree heat!

We have to give credit to the event’s top-notch technical organisation. Despite the huge crowd, everything ran smoothly without overcrowding in the city, underground or venues. People had easy access to water, toilets, food, and souvenirs, and there were hardly any queues. Kudos to the security guards and the army of volunteers who kept everything moving and provided clear directions. The Paris subway also did a great job, with volunteers ensuring everyone got on and off the trains without a hitch.

The ceremony commenced in the serene Tuileries Gardens with Zaho de Sagazan‘s rendition of Edith Piaf‘s “Under the Sky of Paris.” As the flags were proudly displayed and athletes paraded around the stadium near the tribune of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, the atmosphere was filled with a sense of unity and anticipation.

Despite the hot weather, the athletes, dressed in their full national team uniforms, greeted the audience with grace and dignity, creating an uplifting and inspiring ambiance. The stadium echoed with the immortal hits of Joe Dassin and Freddie Mercury, uniting everyone in a celebration of sporting excellence and human spirit.

The show must go on

The lights dimmed, and the large stage, designed to look like a futuristic spaceship, was filled with steam. The athletes and the audience watched in awe as the figure of Nika Samothrace emerged from the darkness. Following the concept of french director Tomas Jolly, a golden god descending from the sky represented an alien creature from the future. He discovered ancient artefacts and, accompanied by acrobats descending from the stadium roof, lifted the Olympic rings to the sound of the Apollo hymn. This marked the revival of Olympic competitions.

The show was a captivating half-hour spectacle, although the concept could have been more transparent with explanations.

However, the audience responded with waves of approval and enthusiasm. After the lights came back on, an unexpected turn of events occurred. During a prolonged musical interlude, the athletes jumped on the stage, which seemed part of the show.

Yet, an uncomfortable silence followed as loudspeakers in French and English ordered the athletes to stop their spontaneous disco and urgently leave the stage. It took about half an hour to “banish the athletes off Olympus” as they were reluctant to leave.

The lead singer of the French band Phoenix, Tomas Mars, told Télé-Loisirs that at the Olympic Games, angry athletes broke expensive equipment, and the musicians felt unsafe.

Boredom and Ennui

The rest of the show was dull, the stage needed to be fully utilised, and most of the tribunes couldn’t see the musicians. The screens were broadcasting as IOC President Thomas Bach announced the closing of the Olympic Games; Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo passed the Olympic flag to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, too-long speeches of thanks were made, and the Olympic flame carried by Leon Marchand was placed into a torch.

The screens were too small, and the closing ceremony felt drawn out and boring for the spectators and sportsmen. Some athletes sat on the floor, while others created a friendly atmosphere with break-dancing competitions, but many spectators left early. The video sequences on the screens would have been more enjoyable to watch at home.

HollyOOOOOd saves the world

Sports fans started to leave the stadium when Hollywood saved the day by having Tom Cruise rappel from the stadium roof in a manner reminiscent of the movie “Mission Impossible.” The actor, playing the role of a superhero, arrived to take the Olympic flag to America, which had won the team competition and got the right to host the next games. After grabbing the flag, Cruise jumped on a motorcycle and drove from the stadium to the streets of Paris, appearing on the stadium’s screens. In the darkness of French night, the entire 80,000 stadium watched the shots filmed in Hollywood: Tom Cruise parachuted from a helicopter and brought the Olympic flag to Los Angeles, directly to the concert celebrating the event, where Red Hot Chilli Peppers, rapper Snoop Dogg, and Billie Eilish performed on the American stage. In 20 minutes, the movie was over, and fireworks exploded in the sky above the stadium. A loudspeaker announcement marked the show’s end and asked the audience to leave the stadium.

Something didn’t work out

The overwhelming sense of fulfillment and joy that unites people at such events was not here. Bright emotions did not fill the air; the audience quietly dispersed. Throughout the crowd, there were rare remarks such as, “What was it?”

In the subway, people boarded silently, without jokes or laughter — euphoria was not in full swing. The volunteers uplift the spectators, with the melody of the Seven Nation Army song becoming one of the highlights of the Closing. The departing train from the Saint-Denis district erupted into a chorus, elevating their gloomy mood.

By the way, the selection of musical compositions, the choir, the orchestra, and the arrangement of the national anthems unquestionably deserve a Super Olympic Gold Medal. They were truly extraordinary!

One thing is for certain — this is the most controversial, colourful, unusual Olympics, spawned many memes and raised heated gender, political, and public debates.