Paris 2024 Olympics: Olympic Games fever, high security, heatwaves and Parisian chic

Michael Burgess in Paris

As soon as you arrive in Paris, there are a few things that hit you immediately.

The first – of course – is the Olympics buzz. With Games-themed posters and murals and billboards everywhere – from the smallest lane to the main boulevards, from the underground metro stations to the tallest buildings – there is no escaping the fact that the world’s biggest sporting event is about to start in the French capital, after years of anticipation.

It all starts at Charles de Gaulle Airport, with huge images of global stars such as Simone Biles and local favourites such as Antoine Dupont, and continues throughout the downtown areas.

The second is the heightened security. That is always part of any Games experience but will be extra prevalent here. There are obvious concerns around terrorism, given the way Paris has been targeted, with tragic consequences, over the last 15 years. This Olympics is also taking place at a time of increased global tension and flashpoints, with Russia’s ongoing invasion in Ukraine and the awful situation in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have lost their lives at the hands of the Israeli military.

That means there are no chances taken here; there were packs of police (some with machine guns) at the airport and they are a visible presence throughout the city, especially near the tourist areas and Games venues. As a smaller example, even the main press centre was a labyrinth of checks and security, with access restricted in certain areas and the exit a few hundred metres away from the entrance.

From archery to wrestling: Your guide to every Olympic sport

The third is the weather. This is not a complaint – given New Zealand is in the middle of winter – but the Herald’s arrival coincided with a decent heatwave across the weekend. Veterans of the last Olympics in Tokyo inform me it is nothing like that, without the humidity that can hit Asia around this time of year. But it’s hot.

Paris is one of the mostly densely populated cities in Europe – three times more crowded than London – and the heat is hard to escape, even if the mercury is hovering in the late 20s or early 30s. It will be a challenge for many of the 195-strong New Zealand team, particularly those with outdoor events between mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

The fourth observation is that life here seems to go on as normal. While other countries bend over backwards for such events, Paris isn’t going to be overtaken by the Olympics.

It’s not easy for the locals, as chunks of the city, including several metro stations and huge swathes of the Seine River are cut off due to the demands of the Games. But life goes on. Those who have stayed – a lot of residents are leaving to escape the predicted crowds and chaos – continue to enjoy the rituals that make this such a fascinating metropolis, tucked away in the cafes, restaurants and bars of their neighbourhoods.

And the Games, while a huge deal, aren’t the be-all and end-all for local sports fans. Not yet anyway. This was best shown by Sunday’s edition of L ‘Equipe, still the most famous sports newspaper in the world. Across 44 pages, 15 were devoted to the Tour de France. There were another five pages on football and three covering basketball. There were just three pages on Games news, as well as a double-page spread devoted to the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday (European time).

Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns.