This one sums up the current "ambiance" in Paris, I think:
"Paris, the City of Light, extinguished by the Olympic Games? Professionals sound the alarm
Behind the glitz and glamour, the reality is far less glamorous. The draconian security measures put in place have turned Paris into a veritable Olympic fortress. Restricted perimeters, barriers on every street corner, repeated checks... The capital has turned into a Kafkaesque maze where you have to show your credentials to be able to move around freely.
As a result, tourists and Parisians alike are fleeing this deserted, anxiety-inducing, cloistered Paris. The figures are indisputable: an average 30% drop in sales for many professionals compared with previous years. Some restaurants on the Trocadéro, an emblematic square, have even seen their patronage plummet by 70%. A heavy blow for these small businesses, which are unlikely to recover.
And what happened to the “significant economic spin-offs” promised by the organizers? Obviously drowned under the heavy security constraints. The authorities, for their part, are conspicuous by their silence and lack of clarity on these restrictions, which are suffocating a whole section of the local economy.
So, yes, visitor safety is paramount. But was it really necessary to turn Paris into an open-air prison? Shopkeepers and restaurateurs are now waiting for compensation commensurate with the damage they have suffered. The aim is to heal the wounds of an Olympic summer that turned into an economic nightmare.
The Paris 2024 Games will be remembered for sure. But not necessarily for the reasons we had hoped. Behind the gleaming showcase, the malaise is palpable. And it will take more than medals to put a smile back on the faces of Parisian professionals, the collateral victims of an Olympiad under intense scrutiny. Not sure Pierre de Coubertin would have imagined his Games like this..."
Events related to the Olympic Games since 48h. :
