Suddenly, all faces turned to the sky. It was not yet the Patrouille de France, but it was 11:34, and the first planes were cutting through the air above the Champs-Élysées. At the top of the most famous avenue in the world, they had come in numbers. Everyone was already salivating, while the festivities planned throughout the day – with the Olympic relay at the forefront, ten days before the Paris Games – were about to begin.
Thibaut is delighted. At 24, the student is spending Bastille Day in Paris for the first time. Even though, with his friend Emmanuel, a year younger, they hadn’t really planned to go to the Champs Elysées. “We wanted to watch the July 14 parade,” says Thibaut. “But we found out last night that we had to register!”
The audience savors the moment
Too bad, the two boys found a fallback solution. “We still hope to see the Patrouille de France,” the older one continues. The two arrived at 11 o’clock, and their impatience is growing. “All the same, having this setting, experiencing these Games at home… We are lucky to experience this in our lives,” Emmanuel savors for his part.
Thibaut also has tickets for the Olympic Games. He’s going to watch athletics and tennis, among other things. “I love sports, and above all, the Olympics are always an opportunity to take an interest in disciplines that we only watch once in our lives,” he laughs. Stop. He stops dead. A dull roar reaches his ears. There it is, here it is! The Patrouille de France has just passed over the Arc de Triomphe and its blue, white and red trail is hovering in the sky. “Fuck, finally! We’ve waited an hour for it,” Emmanuel says.
The crowd cheers, applauds, and rejoices. But in the process, once the French colors have fallen from the clouds, it leaves in a hurry. No time to lose, it is noon, and in an hour, the Olympic flame arrives. It is just as eagerly awaited as the Patrouille de France. Its arrival is scheduled at the bottom of the Avenue des Champs Elysées. The first bearer is none other than Thierry Henry.
Nathalie, 57, and her daughter Lolita, 29, are already well settled, against the barriers that line the starting point of the Olympic relay. “It’s a party,” exclaims the mother. Lolita is also delighted by this great atmosphere: “It’s different from other years, there’s July 14th but, in addition, this Olympic flavor.” Even if the two women fear the organizational “chaos” during the Games! “Despite everything, it’s cool,” continues Lolita. Especially recently, when the atmosphere has been tense in France. People are united, the atmosphere is relaxed. Sport has that ability.”
The big moment approaches. At 12:43, a little over a quarter of an hour before the relay kicks off, the crowd is getting excited. What’s happening? Thierry Henry has just arrived! The crowd chants his name: “Thierry! Thierry!” The dawn of a day of jubilation.
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