Paris: After all the doubts, grumbling and disappointment, Paris has finally embraced the Olympics, with even some of its famously cynical residents returning early from vacation to join in the fun.
“My brother is coming back soon because I told him it's fantastic,” Morad Sahbani, 42, told AFP as he pushed a pram into a packed fanzone in northwest Paris where thousands of locals were cheering on the French medal hopefuls.
“I knew it was going to be good. We French like to criticize ourselves a lot, but in the end we do it well,” he added. “These Olympics have been a success… a lot of people regret not being here.”
The atmosphere in the capital has changed markedly since the rain-soaked opening ceremony on July 26, when good weather, picturesque venues and the emergence of new national sports heroes like swimmer Leon Marchand helped instill national pride.
Many wealthy Parisians fled the city in July for a long summer vacation, deliberately avoiding what they expected to be Olympic transport gridlock, tourist overload and security crackdowns.
But those who stay there say they're enjoying the laid-back summer vibes, mingling with foreign sports fans, as well as free entertainment for anyone who can't afford the often astronomical ticket prices.
Fanzones with giant screens are packed and around 160,000 people are booking slots to see the Olympic cauldron for free near the Louvre museum each evening.
The proud “Champions Park”, an Olympic innovation that greets medal winners to the public after their events, is packed with 27,000 people daily.
“We're really having fun,” said Celia Damasse, 41, a mother of two, at a fanzone in the northwest 17th arrondissement.
Her children are using the free play activities put on by parish officials and “the city feels friendlier than usual,” she said.
The concept of the Paris Games was to use the city as a stage and backdrop for the Olympics, rather than building new infrastructure at locations outside the city, which had been the model for many host cities in the past.
Most of the games have taken place in temporary central locations, skateboarding at the Place de la Concorde, fencing at the Grand Palais exhibition space, and beach volleyball in front of the Eiffel Tower.
“We don't need new stadiums,” said Agathe Chaigneau, a 50-year-old art dealer in Paris, as she crossed the Gild Alexandre III bridge, the starting point for triathlons and marathon swims.
“They have turned the city into a giant stadium. It's amazing,” he added.
The players and journalists inside and outside the field were surprised to see the enthusiasm of the crowd.
Air-conditioning technician Benoît Arault took part in the Rugby 7s where France won their first gold under talismanic captain Antoine Dupont at the 80,000-capacity national stadium.
“I've never known an atmosphere like this in a rugby game,” the 43-year-old told AFP.
Around 500,000 people lined the streets for the cycle road race last weekend, while larger crowds are expected for the marathon on Saturday and Sunday.
French triathlon bronze medalist Leo Bergere said he was surprised by the decibels when he ran in the city last week.
“It hurt our ears all around,” he told reporters with a smile.
As the accolades pile up, the organizers are relishing the chance to remind their critics that they've always had confidence.
Throughout the build-up, they stressed that concerns and complaints were a normal part of the Olympic host city experience, while sports chief Tony Estanguet also blamed a national trend for pessimism.
Paris deputy mayor Pierre Rabadan reminded reporters this week that he had spent a lot of time defending the Olympics from “widespread skepticism”.
“But we were confident we could get this result,” he said, adding that the public enthusiasm that city officials had always believed “is now a fact.”
Not everything has gone to plan: the Seine River has regularly failed water quality tests, disrupting the triathlon.
The opening ceremony sparked controversy over whether its artistic director mocked Christianity with a drag queen dance routine.
Taxi drivers and restaurant owners say their businesses have been badly affected. The country still does not have a permanent government and political strife is sure to await in September.
But for now, locals like 46-year-old Martin Pinto, who runs the shop, are enjoying the moment.
“Everyone thought you couldn't get around, that transport would be difficult and in the end it was all right. I think there are definitely people who regret leaving,” she told AFP.
