Like many of you, I woke early on Saturday morning to watch the start of the Olympic Games in Paris. Sunny pink sky down here in Nouvelle Zelande, dreary grey skies and rain on le Rive Gauche of le Seine – but still, what a fantastic way to open an Olympic Games. Le Froggies have one-upped le Poms, je pense… For me, the most wonderful part of it all was the great views that we got of the city as we sailed merrily along via satelite links. There was a masked figure doing that jumpy-around thing that the French apparently invented – parkour? and a giant cigar that held the Olympic flame and curiously seemed to be both lit and unlit at the same time.
I think that it was fantastic that the French could capitalise on their architecture and use their buildings of the city as a backdrop, in every way possible, like the old chateau above where heavy metalers were playing their nads off out the windows, where headless figures were cradling their guilotined heads in their arms, and everywhere bursts of golden flames sprouted from windows.
On their version of the City to Sea bridge, instead of demolishing it, they had given it a makeover with a wrap of ancient athletes, or rather, athletes from ancient times. What an amazing city.
Have a look at this nameless building above – reskinned with a rippling cloak of gold leaf flutering in the breeze as a backdrop to everyday life in Paris, it is lovely, some good honest solid stonework, and those massive tall windows letting light into whatever goes on beyond that facade.
But also, using the water of the Seine for free, via pumping, floating platforms that spurted up all over, providing backdrops, action, excitement, and a cooling mist to all.
Five to six storeys of stone-fronted buildings, with the only building allowed taller being the Notre Dame cathedral, looking good once more as the ruins get transformed back into a magnificent 800 year olf triumph of light and air and structural daring. Who doesn’t love a good old flying buttress?
I’m particularly pleased by these shots of the new Athlete’s Village, with thousands of new apartments created and they will be onsold afterwards, with some good basic buildings 7 to 8 stories high, all complete with adequate shading and balconies, and room between them. It is almost as if they had read Wellington’s new District Plan and said to themselves: “We can always do better than that.” They’ve made places where people would be happy to live, instead of ugly silos in the sky like we are doing here.
Yes, there was some rain, but hey, what a setting !
And then I fell asleep in front of the TV, having got up way too early, so thankfully I missed the boring politicians and their speeches, but anyway: Game On !!
The building in question is the Grand Palais museum.
“Art nouveau hall with domed glass roof, built in 1900, hosting exhibitions and cultural events.”
https://www.grandpalais.fr/en
Les Halles were largely knocked down, I believe, for the construction of a shopping mall. Keen viewers of “Last Tango in Paris” can watch Marlon Brando puff along past the demolition hoardings in the final chase scene.
“Keen viewers of Last Tango…” I thought it was famous for other kinds of viewing? Never actually seen it myself. Always too embarrassed to ask for it at the Aro Video store…
The nameless gold building is the Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu, I think (it’s the building at the very bottom of the aerial shot, immediately north-west of Notre Dame); and the other nameless one is the Paris Hôtel de Ville, in rather better shape than our equivalent…
Nemo – the one speech that I thought was well worth hearing – very warmly delivered, uplifting and inspirational in his words, was by the Paris Organising Committee President (always le President in France?) Tony Estanguet. 3 time gold medalist (canoeing). Well worth a listen.
Sorry Andy – I was asleep ! Hard to stay awake after a 5.30 start time ! I’ll have a search.
Hey Nemo. Great article!
Because I’m super pedantic, it’s “la” rive gauche, because as we all know, a “rive” (the shore) is female.
And also, “that” building is the “Hotel de ville” or town hall.
I LOVE the fact the ceremony was so unapologetic at being nut kicking for all the bigots around the world, and dearly hope it raised their blood pressure enough to shorten their life expectancy.
Je pense.. vous ave arrive dans le answer pourquoi pas après moi monsieur le Benny, as you can see, I really cannot speak French at all, but I am very good at le Franglais !
Mercy beaucoup por los informations dans la Hôtel de Ville ! Dis donc !!
I watched the Equestrian things 2 nights ago, held in the grounds of the palace of Versais – how fantastic ! Loved the horses cantering around the forests and through the water. So far, enjoying it a lot !
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