It is Friday June 26, Celine Dion is in town, and it is the start of the Olympics in France!
(Yes, Celine is French-Canadian not French, but à priori she is singing in the ceremony tonight and local newscrews are camped outside her hotel. So we are going with it.)
At the moment, the highway around Paris is at a standstill, the airspace is shut down, and we're all bunkered down in the ‘burbs with packs of popcorn and the mascot for tonight's opening ceremony.
But "c'est un peu flou" as we say in French, because I'm still not quite sure what to make of everything. Is this going to be fun or complete boondoogle?
On the glass half-empty side, we have:
The centre of Paris is blocked off with barriers everywhere.
The bridges are closed, so good luck getting around.
the Interior Minister has declared that Parisians should "return home by 3pm".
There is a long list of closed train stations over the next 2 weeks, and the government head of the region recommends "walking" to your Olympic event.
Security lines were long to get into the competitions that took place over the past couple of days.
Several acts of sabotage (!) took place last night, disrupting the high-speed trains into Paris. Police investigations are ongoing.
It is currently pouring rain, which doesn't bode well for the drones and fireworks tonight.
On the glass half-full side, we have:
The drone shots of Paris look amazing.
The cardboard beds in the Olympic village are seemingly holding up.
After €1.4 billion spent, the Seine is perhaps finally clean enough for the triathlon. (But not much more than that.)
The organizing committee ceded to a last-minute order for those mobile air-conditioners to prepare for next week's heatwave.
There has been a slew of stars to spot carrying the Olympic torch, including Selma Hayek, Pharrell Williams and the eternal Snoop Dogg.
This afternoon's Olympic coverage on French tv is off to a cheery start, which is certainly helping with the Olympic spirit.
My internet/tv coverage has been finally restored after a neighbor knocked out our entire street last night. (Yes, I did intend to send out this newsletter earlier.)
I suppose one of the early bits of news to come out of the Olympic village is that the food is "too French" and is "being rationed". Apparently, the emphasis was on fresh fruits and vegetables, but not protein or large portion sizes for sporty athletes.
Now I can totally imagine the food in Olympic Village, because the company providing it is Sodexo, one of the largest food services’ canteens in France. They usually run the office canteens here because legally in France the workplace is supposed to provide a subsidized lunch. (No packed lunches for the French, we prefer a warm 3-course meal, even at lunch!).
So Sodexo food is kinda like cruise-ship food, where there is a bit of choice but not too much. I can't say it is the most appetizing the world compared to a regular restaurant, but it does beat that peanut butter sandwich or boring salad.
Word is the British have already placed an emergency-order for an English chef on the next Eurostar.
In other news:
Following up on my last newsletter, the parliamentary election results are a stalemate. France still doesn't have a government or a prime minister. With 11 different parliamentary groups, you can try to form your own French coalition on the simulator here. (Belgium went over a year without a coalition government, so who needs a govt anyway!?)
If you are in Paris, head over to the cinema to catch the classic film Amelie which is returning to theatres in honor of the Olympics.
Betting odds are on 1 of 2 French legends to be the final carrier of the Olympic flame: 3-time gold medalist sprinter Marie-José Pérec or famed footballer Zinadine Zidane. I'll put €5 on Marie-Jo.
In the blog:
46 Funny and famous quotes about France
Enjoy the best quotes about France, by the locals and visitors. From writers to Presidents, these quotes will make you fall in love with France, all over again.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence village: In the footsteps of Nostradamus and Van Gogh
Visit Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a jewel of a town in Provence in the south of France. We look at the best things to do in the area, where to stay, and more.
Gougères with cheese (French appetizer)
With a ton of cheesy goodness, these homemade gougères are the ultimate French appetizer or snack that everyone will love.
Thank you so much for your blogs they are really appreciated.
I used to visit France a lot when I was younger but no longer as travelling is a bit too much for me now. So it’s lovely to experience France again through you.
A bientot Carole
July! Aie aie aie. I’m blaming it on the neighbors.