During our visit to Strasbourg, we took a day trip south to visit some of the surrounding towns. The highlight for me was Mont Sainte-Odile Abbey, one of Alsace’s most breathtaking and historically rich sites.

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Nestled high in the Vosges Mountains, this ancient abbey is perched on a rocky outcrop. At 764 meters above sea level, the monastery offers sweeping views of the Alsace plain, stretching to the Black Forest in Germany on a clear day. The site has drawn pilgrims, monks, and curious travelers for centuries.

Mont Sainte-Odile is named after Saint Odile, the patron saint of Alsace. Born in the 7th century to the Duke of Alsace, she was blind from birth. Her father, who had desperately wanted a male heir, was so ashamed of her that he ordered her to be put to death. Odile’s mother defied him and had her sent away to a convent. There, a bishop miraculously restored her sight during her baptism.

Her brother invited her to come home, but Dad was none too happy, so he killed the brother. Feeling bad, though, he offered to let Odile still come home if she married an ally of her father. Odile said no thank you very much and decided to run away, but tripped and was going to be caught except a rock opened to let her hide inside. Her father was convinced this was a miracle and so he gave Odile his castle to turn into a monastery. (What a guy!)

Ah, but there is no evidence of that dramatic origin story today. Walking through the monastery’s serene entrance, we toured the buildings, made of reddish Vosges sandstone. Despite centuries of renovations and reconstructions, the monastery still retains a sense of timelessness. Some parts date back to the early Middle Ages, while others have been modified over the years.

The buildings were closed when we visited, so we hiked along the path that led us into the surrounding woods and past a high stone wall decorated with ceramic stations of the cross.

Further down, we found the Pagan Wall that encircles parts of the site. This ancient stone wall, stretching nearly 10 kilometers, predates the monastery by centuries. No one knows exactly who built it or why. But I guess when you don’t have Netflix, you find other ways to fill the time.

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Mittelbergheim

Following our visit to Mont-Odile, we continued down Alsace’s wine country stopping in a few villages along the way. Mittelbergheim retains its cobbled streets and half-timbered houses draped in vines, and panoramic views of rolling vineyards.

We stopped at Domaine Gilg for the obligatory wine tasting and left with two bottles of Pinot Noir to warm us up later. Clearly, a longer visit to the Alsace Wine Route is in our future.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

Onward…

Strasbourg is the capital city of the Grand Est region, formerly Alsace, in northeastern France. Nestled along the Rhine River, it is also the formal seat of the European Parliament and sits near the German border, with culture and architecture blending German and French influences.

The city's history dates back to Roman times when it was established as Argentoratum, a military outpost. However, it was during the Middle Ages that Strasbourg truly flourished as a Free Imperial City within the Holy Roman Empire. This unique status allowed it to develop its own distinctive culture, architecture, and trading relationships. The city's strategic location at the crossroads of major trade routes contributed to its prosperity and cultural diversity.

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Grande Île

The historic center of Strasbourg is an island — Grande Île — encircled by the River Ill (pronounced "eel" in French). The Ill splits into multiple channels as it flows through the city, creating the island. The branches of the Ill that wrap around the historic center are the main channel of the Ill on the southern side and the Canal du Faux-Rempart on the northern side.

At the western end, the water is controlled by the 17th-century Vauban Dam (Barrage Vauban), which was designed as part of the city's defensive system and could be used to deliberately flood the southern plains in case of attack.

The Ponts Couverts (Covered Bridges), despite no longer having their wooden roofs, still cross these waterways with their three remaining 13th-century towers.

The Grande Île was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988 and showcases one of the most well-preserved medieval city centers in Europe. Timber-framed houses with their distinctive steep roofs and colorful facades line the narrow cobblestone streets.

European Parliament

We visited the European Parliament when it wasn’t in session, which is most of the time as it turns out. The Parliament Building, known as the Louise Weiss Building or the "Tower of Europe," is located in the European Quarter northeast of the city center.

Completed in 1999, the building is an architectural statement in glass and steel. The building's transparent design is supposed to represent the openness and accessibility of European institutions to citizens. The tower, which appears deliberately unfinished on one side, symbolizes the ongoing construction of European unity.

The Parliamentary Chamber, or Hemicycle, which seats all 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), is impressive with its sweeping amphitheater design and modern technological facilities for simultaneous interpretation in all EU official languages.

Petite France

Petite France is the most picturesque and historic quarter of Strasbourg, located at the western end of the Grande Île. Originally, this district was the home of the city's tanners, millers, and fishermen in the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods.

The name "Petite France" comes from the "Hospice des Vérolés" (Hospital for Syphilitics) that was built in this area in the 15th century to treat soldiers who had contracted what was then called the "French disease." Good times.

Like much of the city center, the district is characterized by half-timbered houses from the 16th and 17th centuries that lean out over the canals, featuring their distinctive steep roofs with open lofts where tanners would once hang their skins to dry. Former water-powered mills and tanning houses have been converted into restaurants and hotels.

Museums

We spent 6 days in Strasbourg during our most recent visit, which gave us plenty of time to explore beyond the Christmas markets. Strasbourg’s many museums

Museum of Alsace

The Alsatian Museum was created in the early 1900s to reinforce the region's identity against attempts at Germanisation. Located in 3 former houses in Strasbourg, linked by a maze of stairways and connecting passages, the museum displays over 5,000 artifacts witnessing the daily life of Alsatians in the 18th and 19th centuries. Furniture, homeware, toys, traditional costumes, tools, sacred artifacts, and images are on display in the 30 rooms.

Museum of Strasbourg

The Historical Museum of Strasbourg is located in the city's Grandes Boucheries (slaughterhouses), which were built in 1588. The museum covers the period from the Middle Ages to today. While the museum tracks the way the region ping-ponged back and forth between German and French control, it very much emphasizes that the people here think of themselves as distinctively Alsatian first.

The museum also does its best to lay claim to the Johannes Gutenberg legacy. Born in Germany, his family fled due to political unrest. Gutenberg did a lot of the development of his printing press while living in Strasbourg between 1434 and 1444. He returned to Mainz, Germany where he completed work on the printing press, and changed the course of human history. And so, Germany tends to get the Gutenberg glory.

Palais Rohan (Archaeological Museum, Decorative Arts Museum, Fine Arts Museum)

The Palais Rohan, often called the "Versailles of Strasbourg," exemplifies French Baroque architecture. Built in the 18th century for Cardinal Rohan, it now houses three important museums: the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum of Decorative Arts.

Tomi Ungerer Museum - International Illustration Centre

Located in the Villa Greiner, the museum holds a collection of 14,000 drawings donated to his hometown by Tomi Ungerer, a cartoonist and illustrator born in 1931 in Strasbourg. The collection houses 8,000 original drawings, sketches, sculptures, and posters.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

Rising majestically above the medieval streets of Strasbourg, the Cathedral of Notre Dame stands as one of Europe's finest examples of Gothic architecture and a testament to human ingenuity.

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For over 800 years, its distinctive pink sandstone facade and singular spire have dominated the city's skyline, earning it the admiration of visitors such as Victor Hugo, who described it as a "gigantic and delicate marvel."

Construction of the cathedral began in 1015 with a Romanesque church. However, today's structure primarily dates from the 13th to 15th centuries. The transition to the Gothic style started in 1176 under the direction of Master Builder Erwin von Steinbach, whose architectural genius would set the foundation for generations of craftsmen to follow. The cathedral's construction spanned multiple centuries, allowing it to showcase the evolution of Gothic architecture from its early phases to its flamboyant period.

The cathedral's west facade is particularly noteworthy for its harmonious blend of architectural elements. Standing 142 meters high, the north tower and its spectacular spire were completed in 1439 by Johannes Hültz. From 1647 to 1874, it was the world’s tallest building.

The planned south tower was never built, creating an asymmetrical appearance that has become one of the cathedral's most distinctive features.

The building's exterior is adorned with thousands of sculptures, ranging from biblical figures to whimsical grotesques. The carved details showcase medieval craftsmanship at its finest, with each figure telling its own story within the greater narrative of Christian salvation. The pink Vosges sandstone used in construction gives the cathedral its characteristic warm hue, which seems to change color throughout the day as the light shifts.

The facade features three richly decorated portals, with the central portal dedicated to Christ's passion and resurrection. Above these, a magnificent rose window spans 13.6 meters in diameter, flooding the interior with kaleidoscopic light through its intricate tracery.

Interior

Inside, the cathedral reveals itself as a masterpiece of medieval engineering and sacred architecture. The nave rises to a height of 32 meters, supported by massive pillars and flying buttresses that allow for vast expanses of stained glass windows. The geometric precision of the vaulted ceiling demonstrates the medieval builders' advanced understanding of mathematics and structural engineering.

Other notable interior elements include the pulpit, carved in 1485 by Hans Hammer, featuring intricate Gothic tracery and statuary.

The organ, housed in a case from 1385, remains one of Europe's oldest surviving organ cases. The cathedral also houses remarkable stained glass windows dating from the 12th to 14th centuries, including the famous Jesse Window, which depicts the genealogy of Christ.

Astronomical Clock

Perhaps the cathedral's most famous interior feature is its astronomical clock, the third to occupy this space since 1354. The current clock, installed between 1838 and 1843, is a remarkable feat of mechanical engineering and astronomical calculation. Standing 18 meters tall, it combines artistry with scientific precision, tracking the movements of the sun, moon, and planets.

The clock features an automaton show when figures representing the apostles parade before Christ, while a rooster crows three times in remembrance of Peter's denial.

The clock's mechanisms include a perpetual calendar, an ecclesiastical computer that calculates the date of Easter, and various astronomical indicators. The clock face displays not only the time but also planetary positions, solar and lunar eclipses, and various celestial phenomena with remarkable accuracy. This combination of scientific precision and artistic beauty makes it one of the world's finest examples of Renaissance mechanical craftsmanship.

Visiting

The cathedral has weathered numerous historical challenges, including the Protestant Reformation, when it briefly served as a Protestant church, and the French Revolution, during which it suffered some damage but was largely protected by local citizens. During World War II, the stained glass windows were removed and stored safely, protecting them from bombing damage.

The Strasbourg Cathedral draws more than 2.5 million visitors each year, making it the most visited cathedral in France during the closing of its famous cousin in Paris. It was classified as a historic monument in 1862 and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt" since 1988.

The cathedral is free to visit, but check hours in advance because access is limited during masses. Lines to enter can be long to get through security. For more information, see the website.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

There are endless good reasons to visit Strasbourg in northeastern France along the German border.

There is the famed Christmas market in the winter. The soaring Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame. The European Parliament where, on occasion, politicians gather to do some stuff. You can catch views of the Rhine River. Or, wander the streets of the old downtown.

We did all of that. But we also came to eat.

And so we ate like fiends, indulging our love for the region’s Germanic-influenced gastronomy. After sampling the famed Christmas markets (see here), we eventually moved on to several outstanding local spots (both traditional and non-traditional).

Here is our culinary roadmap.

La Corde À Linge (clothesline)

2, Place Benjamin Zix

Our first stop was chosen randomly but we got extremely lucky. Perched right on the river, no reservations are needed for this cozy restaurant.

Top: “Pur Laine” hamburger with bacon (left); “dentelle” of beef with salt, vegetables, potatoes, parsley, and mustard sauce (middle); tartine flambée (right).

Bottom: Le Marcel salad (left): lettuce, goat cheese, red onions, cauliflower, parsnips, pear, and tomatoes. Creamy cheese spaetzle (right).

Les Chauvins Père & Fils

3, rue du Faisan

Les Chauvins serves "tapas alsaciennes." It's a genius concept for sampling regional favorites:

Top row (left to right): Fleischschnäcke (meat-wrapped noodles); Hot Dog Alsacien (with bacon and horseradish); Grumbeerekiechle bibelesk (potato pancakes).

Second row: Cappucinos du moment (butternut squash); Carpaccio de légumes d’automne.

Third row: Flammekueche; Mini-Burgers.

Left: “Kougelhopf” prepared as “pain perdu” (French Toast) with fresh fruit and cream.

Right: “Fondant maison au chocolat Equateur” from the Schaal chocolate factory in Geispolsheim and ice cream.

Piano Grill

8 Pl. Saint-Étienne

Nestled in a little square off the tourist path, this sweet bistro was incredibly welcoming on a cold day. The neighborly vibe was matched by very good food.

Left: “Crazy Salad” with treviso, lettuce, red cabbage, roasted butternut squash, walnuts, comté, smoked duck breast, pan-liver escalope, and grapes.

Right: Burgers for the kiddos

Salon de thé Grand'Rue

Salon de thé

80, Grand’Rue

Left: Tarte au fromage (cheesecake)

Right: Gratin aux fruits

Café Bretelles

Another random find: We stumbled into this small, artisanal cafe for a delightful brunch.

Left: Granola Breakfast

Right: Chai latte, Pomme Continental Breakfast Chocolat Chaud.

Center: Continental Breakfast with egg and ham.

Not pictured: Giant homemade Twix bar.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

Nestled in the heart of Strasbourg, we spent 4 nights at Les Haras Hotel which offers a blend of historic charm and contemporary luxury. We tend to be rather frugal travelers, but it was the holidays so we decided to go a bit more upscale and treat ourselves to accommodations that also included a spa.

Arrival and First Impressions

The hotel is located outside of the city center, just across the river, where the neighborhood doesn’t necessary suggest anything remarkable. But stepping into Les Haras Hotel we were immediately in another world.

The hotel, housed in a 17th-century former royal stud farm, boasts stunning architecture that pays homage to its historic roots. Exposed beams, vaulted ceilings, and tasteful décor create an ambiance that is both cozy and sophisticated.

That history with its suggestion of rustic charm blends with the modern touches in terms of the decor and ambiance.

Room Comfort and Design

We booked two rooms — one for the adults and one for the kids. The hardwood floors and soft lighting created a serene feeling. In the rooms, and throughout the hotel, the lights are covered with white folded fabric in the shape of a nun’s habit, a nod the nearby former convenant.

Gastronomic Delights

One of the highlights of staying at Les Haras is its exceptional dining options. The hotel is home to the renowned Brasserie Les Haras, helmed by a team of culinary experts who deliver an unforgettable gastronomic experience.

The restaurant’s menu showcases refined French cuisine with a modern twist, using locally sourced ingredients to create dishes that are both innovative and comforting. At the bar, we learned that the hotel considers itself a specialist in gin, and the bartenders offered us some samples of the some of the gin infusions they had created.

In the mornings, there is a choice of a continal breakfast or a more lavish breakfast buffet with freshly baked pastries, artisanal breads, and a variety of cheeses and charcuterie.

Wellness and Relaxation

After a day of sightseeing, we returned to Haras for a turn in the spa, which includes a heated indoor pool and the sauna and streamroom.

This kind of detoxing and destressing was the perfect way to really feel like we were on vacation and left the real world behind.

We arrived in Strasbourg on Christmas day. At least once in the lives of any resident of France, one must visit the self-proclaimed Capital of Christmas. While there is no way to verify this subjective title, Strasbourg goes all out to convince any visitor that there is no rival to its Christmas mania.

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There are several markets scattered across the city center, which transforms into a walled fortress surrounded by police who limit access to ensure security in light of attacks on such markets across Europe in recent years. We never felt anything less than safe.

Chrìstkìndelsmärik

We began our multi-day Christmas Blitzkrieg at the Chrìstkìndelsmärik, one of the main markets where we immediately feasted on bratwurst, vin chaud, and spaetzle. We are lovers of German food and a trip to Strasbourg is always an opportunity to indulge. (More on our gastronomic adventures in the next NL.)

Au pied du grand sapin (Place Kléber)

This market serves as Grand Central, with a light and music show each hour throughout the evening around its massive Christmas tree. Located in Place Kléber, the market also has several rows of chalets selling food and holiday trinkets.

But the attraction here is the Grand Sapin which is a big deal for locals (or so the brochures tell us). As the official program states: “The public follows its journey with bated breath from the forests of the Vosges to the center of Strasbourg!”

Autour de la cathédrale

The architectural centerpiece of Strasbourg of the Notre Dame Cathedral. There is a market of chalets packed around this square, though “packed” is the keyword here. Bring a stick to beat your way through the crowds. We wedged our way through and moved on to more tranquil settings.

Le quai des délices

This sweet little market sits right on the banks of the river and is all about Christmas treats like gingerbread, sweets, and wines. Most of it is locally produced.

Village de l’Avent

This is another smaller market tucked in the oldest part of Strasbourg. It features local farmers and artisans, dubbed the Irréductibles Petits Producteurs d'Alsace. There is also a small stage that features different musicians throughout the day.

Flâner

Of course, the whole city is dressed in its Christmas best. In the end, the highlight of the Christmas adventure was just wandering the streets and marveling at the elaborate decorations.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

First, the Top 10 most streamed artists in France are all…French. With apologies to Taylor Swift, who finally has a fanbase here.

Second, the Top 10 is all rap artists. Roll over Serge Gainsbourg, and tell Edith Piaf the news.

Topping the list for the 5th straight year is Jul thanks to new hits such as La Bandite, Oh qu'elle est belle, and older hits like Sous la lune.

How huge is Jul? He was picked to light the Olympic cauldron when the torch arrived in Marseille by boat last summer.

Top 10 most listened-to artists in France for 2024:

1. Jul

2. Werenoi

3. Ninho

4. PLK

5. Tiakola

6. Gazo

7. SDM

8. GIMS

9. Dadju

10. Damso

Rap also dominated the Top 10 most listened-to albums in France

1. PLK - Room 140

2. Werenoi - Pyramid

3. Werenoi - Square

4. Gazo, Tiakola - LA MELO IS GANGX

5. SDM - TO LIFE TO DEATH

6. Werenoi - Telegram

7. Ninho - Destin

8. PNL - Two brothers

9. Tayc - Cold Flower

10. UZI - ON THE WAY

Top 10 most listened-to singles in France

1. Little Genius by Jungeli

2. Imagine by Carbonne

3. SPIDER by GIMS

4. Beautiful Things by Benson Boone

5. Gata Only by FloyyMenor

6. No attachment by KeBlack

7. MAMI WATA by Gazo, Tiakola

8. FLASHBACK by Favé, Gazo

9. Position by Franglish

10. DON'T BE SHY by GIMS

French Exports

Outside of France, the French artists getting the attention is more of a balance between the country’s traditional base of electro-pop and rap. In the former category, as usual, French DJs David Guetta and DJ Snake are in the mix, as well as oldies-but-goodies Daft Punk.

French Artists Most Listened To Around The World:

1. David Guetta

2. DJ Snake

3. Daft Punk

4. GIMS

5. Ofenbach

6. HUGEL

7. Jul

8. M83

9. Manu Chao

10. Indila

In summary, this year we were reminded that France is the world’s second-largest rap market, it has the second-best professional basketball talent, and ranks third globally in fast food consumption.

We can report back with confidence that the Plot to Americanize France is going according to plan. This reminds me: it’s almost time to buy season tickets to the next season of Paris’ professional American football team.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

The first was the Summer Olympics Games. What many assumed would be a disaster instead turned out to be a glorious triumph.

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The second came last weekend when the nation temporarily hit pause on its political squabbling to rejoice in the re-opening of the Cathedral of Notre Dame. About 5.5 years after a fire ravaged the church and captured global attention, the church celebrated with a grand unveiling that drew heads of state from around the world.

Shortly after the fire in April 2019, President Emmanuel Macron vowed that the Cathedral would be restored within 5 years — an aggressive schedule that elicited widespread skepticism. And yet, there was the president basking in the re-opening last weekend (though the Olympics and Notre Dame haven’t boosted his reputation with voters much).

He even used the occassional to stage a diplomatic coup by getting President-elect Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in the same room.

The sublime state of Notre Dame today would have seemed almost unimaginable on the day of the fire.

But what is also mostly forgotten is that seeing Notre Dame in 2024 in this condition would have seemed every bit as unimaginable the day before the fire.

In the preceding years, the various groups — religious and non-profit — that support the building had been sounding an alarm: The Gothic wonder was crumbling and in desperate need of €110 million worth of repairs. These pleas had little impact as the groups pushed to scrape together the minimum to prevent what they promised would be a catastrophe.

Consider this description in 2017 from the Friends of Notre Dame website, a group created to find international donors to fund renovations:

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame is in desperate need of conservation. No part of the building has not been subject to decay and there are several areas of concern Although the recently restored western façade is radiant, the same cannot be said of the rest of the building…Maintenance work has been carried out, but it has not been sufficient to stop the spread of conservation problems; there is no part of the building untouched by the irreparable loss of sculptural and decorative elements, let alone the alarming deterioration of structural elements….The poor state of the stonework is particularly problematic with respect to the flying buttresses. Should even one of these structural pylons fail because of the damaged stonework, the consequences would be disastrous...The famous gargoyles of Notre-Dame, all carved in the nineteenth century, and which perform an essential role of projecting rainwater away from the building, have in many places been replaced with unsightly PVC tubes because the stonework was too corroded (and thus dangerous) to leave in place.”

Given that they were in fundraising mode, there was no doubt some hyperbole. Still, the images on their website and the descriptions by third-party observers made it hard to deny that the church was facing a severe crisis.

To attract international donors, the group launched a press blitz in 2017. When The New York Times visited that year, the outlook seemed grim:

Broken gargoyles and fallen balustrades replaced by plastic pipes and wooden planks. Flying buttresses darkened by pollution and eroded by rainwater. Pinnacles propped up by beams and held together with straps.

Little of that deterioration is immediately visible to the millions of awe-struck tourists who visit the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris every year, many of them too busy admiring the intricately sculpted front to notice the wear and tear.

But on a recent afternoon, André Finot, the cathedral’s spokesman, pointed out the decay. One patch of limestone crumbled at a finger’s touch.

“Everywhere the stone is eroded, and the more the wind blows, the more all of these little pieces keep falling,” said Mr. Finot, gingerly stepping over fallen chunks of stone on the cathedral’s rooftop walkway. “It’s spinning out of control everywhere.”

That same year, Time Magazine described the situation as bleak:

One blazing hot day in early July, a staff member unlocked an old door off the choir and led TIME up a stone spiral staircase and out onto the roof, high above the crowds. Here, the site seemed not spiritually uplifting but distressing. Chunks of limestone lay on the ground, having fallen from the upper part of the chevet, or the eastern end of the Gothic church. One small piece had a clean slice down one side, showing how recently it had fallen. Two sections of a wall were missing, propped up with wood. And the features of Notre Dame’s famous gargoyles looked as worn away as the face of Voldemort. “They are like ice cream in the sun, melting,” says Michel Picaud, head of the nonprofit Friends of Notre Dame de Paris, looking up at them

What is more, some fear the problem is getting worse. “The damage can only accelerate,” says Andrew Tallon, an associate professor of art at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and an expert on Gothic architecture. Having carefully studied the damage, he says the restoration work is urgent. If the cathedral is left alone, its structural integrity could be at risk. “The flying buttresses, if they are not in place, the choir could come down,” he says. “The more you wait, the more you need to take down and replace.”

The church was not fully aware of the extent of the problem, say those at Notre Dame. Until a few years ago, the government effectively made the private areas off-limits. “There used to be about 200 old keys, so it was very, very difficult,” says André Finot, a spokesman for Notre Dame. Eventually, the government standardized the keys and allowed its tenants to climb the hidden stone staircases and access the upper levels. “We were shocked when we got up there,” Finot says.

The non-profit offered a detailed budget regarding what it believed would take to save Notre Dame (forget restoring it to a pristine state):

Part of the problem was the fuzziness about who was responsible for the repairs. The government owns the building and lets the church use it for free. However, it was technically up to the church to maintain it, though the state still chipped in. The French Ministry of Culture had been providing €2 million annually and had agreed to double that in view of the mounting problems. But it wouldn’t come close to funding the $110m needed over the next decade.

As Time reported, the government wasn’t persuaded of the urgency:

This year, authorities budgeted an extra €6 million ($6.84 million) to restore the spire. Water damage to the spire’s covering is threatening the wood-timber roof, which the medieval craftsmen built using 5,000 oak trees. The restoration will begin in the fall. But a Ministry of Culture official says Notre Dame should not expect regular help of this kind. To the government, the cathedral is just one of many old buildings in need of care. “France has thousands of monuments,” says the official, who was not authorized to speak to the media. Among them, Notre Dame is not necessarily the most pressing case. “It will not fall down,” she says.

As tragic as the fire was, it galvanized people around the world in a way that the slow-motion decay never would have.

The Cour des comptes, the nation’s auditing agency, described in a 2020 report the $824 million in donations raised for Notre Dame in 2019 after the fire as “unprecedented”:

The national fundraising drive announced by the French President the evening of the fire, and organised by the law of 29 July 2019, enabled a considerable number of spontaneous donations in the very first days. This fundraising dynamic was manifested again at the end of the year, in particular thanks to the use of diversified digital media and online payment. This exceptional outpouring of generosity from individual donors was supplemented by sponsorship contributions from companies, and these huge amounts appear to be completely unprecedented: as of 31 December 2019, 331,762 individuals had made an average donation of €196.50 and 6,012 companies provided average sponsorship €17,304.”

No more passing the beggar’s bowl.

Of course, this is not intended to recommend torching historic sites as a fundraising strategy. As we learned later, Notre Dame came perilously close to collapsing. Had that happened, the nation would have faced an unthinkable price tag for rebuilding Notre Dame.

Still, the funding problems that plagued Notre Dame before the fire are still the ones facing thousands of historic sites across France, particularly churches that are managed by local towns and cities, or private sites that are less heralded, but still have been granted official historic status. Each site is scrambling to cobble together money from a patchwork of sources —governments, non-profits, individual donors, and religious institutions. France has even launched a Patrimoine lottery to raise funds, this also is just a few crumbs compared to the larger need.

Supporters note that these sites generate enormous cultural and economic value, drawing tourists who support local economies. But that has hardly made for a compelling argument to rally the cash needed. In the wake of Notre Dame, the French government adopted a €220m program to provide extra cash for 87 cathedrals to improve fire security and perform some maintenance. Yet that was considered a mere drop in the bucket.

The real cost of restoring France’s Patrimoine is so large and complex and spread across so many actors that no one can even calculate the number.

With the government headed toward some kind of austerity budget, there’s unlikely to be much extra help coming from politicians. Meanwhile, the Fondation du Patrimoine has just launched a national marketing campaign with the slogan, “Donnons un avenir à notre passé.” (Let’s give a future to our past) The goal is to leverage the enthusiasm surrounding Notre Dame’s re-birth.

Hopefully, Notre Dame will inspire donors. But if history is a guide, it’s a challenge to mobilize people to fight a slow-motion crisis they often can’t see or feel. Even in a nation where the past is ever-present.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

Good morning to all you anarchists! For those who have been dreaming of a world without government, we appear to be headed into your Golden Age.

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Exhibit A: France. The country currently has no functioning government, and it’s not clear when — or if — it will have one again. If you missed the last season of the Great French Political Soap Opera, here’s a quick recap:

Emmanuel Macron was re-elected in 2022 despite being fairly unpopular. When his party did not get a clear majority in the legislative elections, he decided to double down and do a bunch of stuff that made him even more unpopular.

Last summer it was time for the European Parliament elections, a kind of pretend government entity that does something, but not very often and not very much. In France, the far-right Marine LePen party won the most parliament seats in a bit of a shock that was seen as a rebuke to Herr Macron.

With his government teetering, Macron announced a snap election to call voters’ bluff about the whole fascism thing. “You want to vote for fascists? I double dog dare you!”

Voters, in return, delivered him a punch in the political nuts.

A rag-tag armada of left-leaning groups cobbled together a coalition that got the most seats — but not a majority. That was a bummer for the far-righties who were totally sure they were going win the whole shebang and get to run the government.

Quick civic lessons: French voters elect a president every 5 years (Macron) who then outsources the running of the actual government to a Prime Minister. That Prime Minister typically has a majority in the National Assembly so pretty much has free rein to do whatever.

But…

A situation like last summer where no one had a majority? Almost never happens. So the left was demanding that a lefty should be PM because they had the most seats. That sounds logical, so after taking the summer to watch the Olympics and milk the political suspense, Macron naturally picked a PM from a center-right party that finished last in the voting.

Michel Jean Barnier, an elder statesman of sorts, took the PM wheel and immediately began warning of a looming fiscal crisis from all the debt-related spending that propped up the country during the pandemic. Time to tighten those budget belts. Hashtag Austerity!

The budget deficit stands at 6.1% of its gross domestic product (GDP), with the national debt reaching €3.2 trillion. That exceeds acceptable limits for Euro-zone countries, which is a giant ruh-roh.

Barnier proposed a compromise budget that would whack €60 billion. Like all good compromises, this one managed to piss off everyone.

Now, here is where we get some fun plot twists!

Marine Le Pen emerged as the central figure in this balance of power. While the lefties have the most seats, they would need at least some of her righties to vote for a motion of no confidence that would force Barnier to resign. Now, because Macron’s PM had shown some deference to her, thus bringing her closer than ever to the circle of power, she seemed inclined to NOT support such a vote.

In fact, she forced Barnier to back down from some elements of his plan, including higher taxes on energy and reduced reimbursements for some healthcare items. Meanwhile, still lacking the votes to pass the budget and with the clock ticking, Barnier invoked a bit of Parliamentary trickery to do an end-run around the Assembly — which of course ended up just digging a bigger hole.

But…in a bit of awkward timing, Le Pen’s long-delayed trial for corruption and embezzling and creating fake jobs while a member of the aforementioned European Parliament got underway last. The court made it very clear that there is a high likelihood she would be found guilty and a high probability that she would be BARRED FROM RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2027!

Fresh from the realization that she now had Zero F—ks to give, Le Pen chose chaos and decided to support the motion of no confidence.

And lo, it came to pass, that on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 331 deputies in the Assembly out of 574 (58 %) voted to kick Barnier off the government island. On Thursday, he officially resigned — and entered history as France’s shortest-serving PM as his consolation prize.

“What happens now?” you may ask. The fun part is that no one knows!

Macron addressed the country on Thursday and said he would not resign, despite calls from across the political spectrum for him to do so. He also said he would appoint a new PM sooner rather than later (maybe by Monday).

During the nationally televised speech, he defended his decision to call the snap election last summer, while giving the side eye to voters for voting in a way that resulted in a confusing situation:

However, I have to admit that this decision was not understood. Many criticized me for it, and I know many still do. It's a fact and it's my responsibility. However, no one can say that in doing so, I didn't give you back your voice. I believe it was necessary.

He also kinda sorta accepted some responsibility, but then pointed out why others were to blame:

I'm well aware that some people are tempted to blame me for this situation - it's much more comfortable. But if I have always assumed all my responsibilities, a good thing as sometimes the mistakes I may have made, I will never assume the irresponsibility of others, and in particular of the parliamentarians who have chosen in good conscience to bring down the budget and the government of France, just a few days before the Christmas holidays.

The deputies of the Rassemblement National [Le Pen] chose to vote a motion of censure that said the opposite of their program, that insulted their own voters. In doing so, they simply chose disorder, which is the only project that unites them with the far left. And this with the complicity of the rest of the New Popular Front [the left coalition that won the most seats last summer]. Not to make, but to undo, to create disorder.

Why have all these MPs done this?

They don't think about you, your lives, your difficulties, your ends of the month, your projects. Let's be honest. They're only thinking about one thing: the presidential election. To prepare for it, to provoke it, to precipitate it. And to do so with cynicism, if need be, and a certain sense of chaos.

Then, he pivoted to a call for unity:

On Saturday [today], in front of the whole world, we'll be celebrating the reopening of Notre-Dame-de-Paris to the public. The cathedral will be returned to Parisians, to all of us, to Catholics from all over the world, and to all faiths. And this work that we thought impossible, remember, all of us, on this evening in April 2019. Well, we've done it. Just as we did our Olympic and Paralympic Games. We did it because there was a clear course, a will, and because every woman and every man worked hard: public officials, civil servants, salaried employees, companions, volunteers... everyone had an essential role to play for a cause greater than all of us. It's proof that we know how to do great things, that we know how to do the impossible. And the whole world, on two occasions this year, admires us for it.

Thus, Macron remains in a real political pickle.

Compromise is not part of French political culture. His own center-right party members are pushing for a coalition on the right and refusing to work with anyone on the left. He’s consulting with other opposition groups, but the further left LFI party — the biggest part of the New Popular Front coalition — has refused to meet.

As of this morning, it’s not clear what kind of PM could be appointed and survive another vote of no confidence. Macron’s only leverage is that if a new budget is not passed soon, a whole slew of tax increases will take effect early in 2025 and some government services could be limited. In such a scenario, it’s unclear who voters will blame.

Can Macron unlock the secrets of a compromise government? Stay tuned for the next thrilling episode!

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

Just to be clear, it was entirely my fault.

In August 2021, we had a crazy summer involving moving and shipping our eldest off to university in the U.S. As the summer wound down, we wanted to squeeze in a final getaway before the rentrée in early September. So at the last minute, I planned a 4-day bike trip along the London-Paris Bike Path, or Avenue Verde London-Paris, as it is called on our side of the Channel.

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Never plan a bike trip at the last minute.

I tried to rapidly research the itinerary via the official website and various online forums for bike trips. Most of the information was rather general and no one could offer any specific guidance as to whether this route was suitable for two adults carrying packed saddlebags on their bikes and a teenager, all riding conventional bikes.

Spoiler alert: It was not.

At the time, it seemed doable considering our family had previously taken extended bike excursions in the Loire Valley and the Canal du Midi. Alas, there were several problems with the London-Paris route that were not obvious in advance.

First, I was naive about how long it would take to ride our bikes beyond the Paris metropolitan area. We had little desire to be stuck in an urban setting on bikes. Google Maps made it look like it would take an hour or so to reach the countryside. Nope. It took us 5+ hours before we were finally in something that resembled rural France. By then, any sense of fun had long since evaporated.

What would I have done differently? One can take the RER A to the furthest point west, Cergy le Haut. From there, it would have been about a 10-minute ride to the countryside. From roughly this point, it took us about 2 hours to ride the remaining 30km to our first B&B. This would have saved tremendous misery.

Second, there are two routes to take when leaving Paris. It was hard to get much information on what distinguishes one from the other. However, the Southern route is shorter, so I picked that one.

While the official site includes a guide to elevation along the routes, those numbers don’t quite capture the amount of climbing we would be doing regularly. Answer: A lot. Too much for two adults carrying overstuffed saddlebags. For most riders, this would be best done on e-bikes.

How did I screw this up so badly? Despite the charts, the severity and duration of these climbs were not clear until we were on the road. At which point, of course, we were already doomed.

This is Google Maps’ overall summary of our 4-day route:

Finally, the London-Paris Bike Path, at least on the French side, remains largely a dream, an idea for a bike path, but not one that exists in most places.

The project started more than a decade ago, but it would be generous to estimate that 15% of the path has been developed into a paved, dedicated bike path. The idea, as has been done elsewhere, is to take abandoned rail tracks and convert them to the bike path. The last 40km leading to Dieppe, the final stop on the French coast, is the longest stretch where this has been fully developed. There is also a 24.75km stretch from Chaussy to Gisors where a real path has been completed.

Otherwise, we were either riding on local roads with a decent amount of traffic or off-road into sometimes treacherous paths like this one:

But, Chris, did anything go right? Well, yes, thank you for asking.

While booking places to stay was a scramble, all four accommodations were delightful, and I would enthusiastically recommend all of them.

Here is an overview of our itinerary, with some of the actual highlights just to show that there were some amid the wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Note: All times include rest stops, breaks for meals, etc.)

Day 1: Saint-Germaine-en-Laye to Omerville

• 57.3 km

• 7h 44m (5+hours to escape the Paris Metro area)

Here we are at the start. The good vibrations did not last.

Vigny

Théméricourt

Omerville

La Musardine En Vexin: €68.64

Located in the Vexin Regional Natural Park, the owner Antonella introduced us to the local Vexin beer and ordered us pizzas, for which we were grateful.

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Day 2: Omerville to Gornay-en-Braye

• 57.6 km

• 7h 8m

There are 19km of a developed bike bath from Bray-et-Lu to Gisors, where the old railway has been converted. Then, lots of climbing on local roads.

Les Bordeaux de Saint-Clair

Gisours

Gornay-en-Braye

Maison d'hôtes Christiane Duvauchel: €122.40

Day 3: Gornay-en-Braye to Neufchâtel-en-Bray

• 44.4 km

• 4h 34m

This was perhaps the worst of the climbing. However, in the short sections where a path had actually been developed, we could catch glimpses of what the trail might look like one day when complete. We passed several old train stations like this one that had been redeveloped into restaurants, cafes, and cultural centers.

Manoir d'Aulage: €99.80 for 1 night

This felt decadent. We had a mansion to ourselves, right along the path.

Day 4: Neufchâtel-en-Bray to Dieppe

• 35.0 km

• 2h 53m

This is what we might call the fantasy section of the London-Paris Bike Path, at least for those like us who are traveling in this direction. It is entirely paved and downhill.

Mesnières-en-Bray

La Petite Maison Dans La Prairie

Dieppe

This is the end of the road. For those going to London, this is where to catch the ferry to pick up the trail on the other side of the Channel.

As for us, we were just relieved to have survived.

Villa des Capucins: €100.00

This former convent is in a local neighborhood, but feels like it’s miles from the city once inside the gates.

Le Turbot: €111.40

Our day — and trip — ended with dinner at Le Turbot, a restaurant a short walk from the Villa that our host had recommended.

After a miserable 4 days on bikes, we ate and drank like kings and felt like we had earned every bite.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

During our summer vacation in the South, we made the 40-minute drive to Lagrasse, following a winding road through vineyards before climbing a twisting road over the hills that eventually dropped us into a valley where the town sits.

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Lagrasse’s status as a regional tourism hub was confirmed by the presence of several large tourist buses and a parking lot with a special section for campers and RV. Still, the city center hardly felt overwhelmed with visitors even at the height of tourist season in early August.

The historic city center features limestone buildings that have been well maintained, and the cobblestone streets are worth wandering in any direction without a map.

Eventually, our stroll took us into the Église Saint-Michel de Lagrasse, a Gothic structure that dates to the 14th century but has undergone numerous renovations and expansions since then.

Cathar Connection

In terms of historical hotspots, everything in Lagrasse is overshadowed by the Romanesque l’Abbaye Sainte-Marie de l’Orbieu, which dates back to 799.

The Lagrasse Abbey was one of the most powerful Benedictine abbeys of the Languedoc region in Southwestern France. The abbey is listed among the 22 official sites of the “Pays Cathare,” but there isn’t much of a link to the heretics (who didn’t believe in building things and writing). The 13th-century crusade by Northerners to wipe out the Cathars and annex the South weakened the abbey’s influence and financial status.

However, that doesn’t diminish its modern-day splendor. Beyond its architectural delights, the Abbey also serves as a cultural center, primarily for books and reading, with a book store and a rich lineup of events throughout the year.

Indeed, Lagrasse has become renowned for its thriving community of artisans, including weavers, glassmakers, potters, and numerous other designers. Turn any corner and you will discover another boutique or workshop.

Outdoors

While many of the tourists arriving plunged right into the old Medieval city center, many others headed straight to the numerous paths into the surrounding hills. Lagrasse serves as a kind of gateway into the foothills of the Pyrénées.

During a previous visit, we hiked one of those trails: “Les fesses de Charlemagne.” (the buttocks of Charlemagne) It started with a pretty stiff climb uphill for 30 minutes, but the result was spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

This time, we stayed in the valley and followed the River Orbieu west for about 45 minutes. Just outside of town, a small damn had created a popular swimming spot.

Further down, we passed small farms connected to the abbey and abundant wild blackberry picking.

Food And Drink

We arrived after lunch, so we didn’t test any of the restaurants. But walking down the main road we regretted that a bit as we watched others finish off their lunches at the several restaurants lining the boulevard.

However, I couldn’t resist a stop at the Kino Karo boutique. We had discovered Kino Karo during our epic lunch in Minerve when I ordered L’estivale aperitif: Kino Karo, sparking wine, slices of orange and lemon. I asked the waiter to describe Kino Karo, and he said it is a bitter regional spirit with a kind of citrus-y twang.

Stopping at the shop, the clerk gave us a bit of history behind the drink. In 1928, a local named André Carreau developed a quinquina spirit, an aromatized wine that is a cousin to vermouth but that used local plants to create its distinct aroma and flavor. As a business, it eventually faded away.

Then in 2020, his grandson Aurélien Carrelas resurrected the recipe and relaunched the business. The modern version gets its flavor from Haitian Bitter Orange, Ecuadorian Quinquina, and Madagascar's Cinnamon, as well as a mix of local plants.

I left with a sampler kit to experiment with later.

On our walk back to the parking lot we made a detour into La Cour Des Saveurs, which includes La Basse Cour restaurant, a coffee stand, and a local vinegar shop.

Of all the temptations, we chose Moulin de Boysède, an artisanal bakery run by the owners of a local honey farm. The sign outside promised “honey and cookies.”

We bought the cookies, which were almost gone by the time we got home. A sweet way to end the day.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

During our summer vacation in Southern France, we took a day trip to Fontfroide Abbey. The site had been on my radar because of its connection to the region’s Cathar history. But beyond its links to everyone’s favorite heretics, it’s a spectacular example of Medieval architecture.

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The abbey is at the center of Fontfroide Massif — about 4,000 hectares of rolling hills that eventually merge into the Pyrénées. It’s a jumping-off point for several hikes, though we didn’t get a chance to explore the hills because most of the routes were closed due to potential fire hazards. Still, the Mediterranean landscape makes a lovely backdrop.

Founded in 1093, Fontfroide Abbey became part of the Cistercian order in 1145, a movement known for its austere lifestyle and devotion to simplicity. This transition marked the beginning of the abbey's golden age, as it gained influence in the religious and political affairs of the region.

During the Albigensian Crusade — the crackdown against the Cathar heretics — in the 13th century, the abbey played a significant role.

As the Cathar movement spread throughout the Southern France region of Occitania, the inappropriately named Pope Innocent III condemned them as heretics. The monks of Fontfroide supposedly tried to persuade the Cathars to cease and desist in their attempts to reestablish a more pious sect of Christianity. The pope appointed Pierre de Castelnau — a Fontroide monk — as papal legate to snuff out the Cathar movement.

In early 1208, Castelnau was assassinated, allegedly by someone working for Cathar sympathist Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse. This became part of the pretext for the pope to team up with French nobles in the north to launch a bloody crusade to wipe out the Cathars and fully annex the semi-independent region. Local feelings about this still remain raw.

Fontfroide remained an influential force in Medieval Christianity, with one of its monks Jacques Fournier becoming Pope Benedict XII.

While the abbey had a good run, by the early 20th century, the monks were gone and the buildings were in an advanced state of decay. In 1908, it was bought by local art collector and painter Gustave Fayet and his wife Madeleine. Gustave devoted his life to restoring the abbey though eventually returned to painting and collecting.

Today, Fontfroide Abbey is not only a historical monument but also a cultural center. It regularly hosts concerts, art exhibitions, and wine tastings. The abbey produces wine from its own vineyards which can be sampled in its gourmet restaurant.

Mellow Vibes

To reach the abbey, we drove past dozens of the region’s vineyards to arrive at the secluded spot. A small stone bridge took us over a stream and into the outer limits of the abbey. While there were a few dozen visitors wandering about, it was still incredibly serene. The abbey’s sandstone walls have been weathered by centuries of wind and sun, but they are still in remarkable condition.

The majestic Romanesque church is the centerpiece of the abbey. With lofty ceilings, the church is otherwise a model of Cistercian architecture which reflected the monks’ devotion to a life of prayer and humility.

The sparse decoration is only interrupted with just the occasional carved image or stained-glass window.

The Cloisters

The heart of any abbey is its cloister. The square courtyard at Fontfroide is surrounded by elegant arcades, each column adorned with intricate carvings that reveal an artistic spirit long before the Fayets arrived.

Walking through the cloister, the cool shade of the arches provided some nice relief from the scorching Mediterranean sun. In the center of the courtyard, there was a garden with lavender and rosemary, a hint that Frontfroide has also become a host for various floral exhibitions.

The cloisters were once the hub of monastic life, where monks would walk in silence, read scripture, and engage in contemplative prayer. The view from each archway into the surrounding hills feels like it hasn’t changed much in subsequent centuries.

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The Rose Garden

On the far side of the abbey is a rose garden that was originally planted in the early 20th century by the Fayets. The garden, framed by the hills surrounding the abbey, is another spot where one can understand that this must have been the perfect meditative spot for those monks.

Central Courtyard

In the abbey’s early years, the central courtyard was the location of various workshops, including a forge and a bakery. The placement was strategic because its well provided access to water from an underground stream of cold water. Thus the name: “font froide” which means “cold spring.”

Like much of the abbey, it also doubles as an exhibition space for various collections.

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Modern Art Love

Since the purchase and restoration by Gustave, Fontfroide has been hosting artists and their works. When we visited, the featured exhibition was by street artist Spiktri, who creates art from reused objects.

It’s amazing to think that there was a pretty decent chance Fontfroide wouldn’t exist today. That it still manages to reflect the spirit of the couple that rescued it from oblivion by tastefully blending its architectural legacy with a celebration of modernism makes it a triumph of preservation that was well worth the detour.

Chris O’Brien

Paris, France

Minerve is a Medieval village in the Hérault Department in the Occitanie region of southern France.

During our vacation in this region wedged between Carcassonne and Narbonne, we made the short drive to Minerve at the suggestion of our host. Climbing the last winding miles gave us an impressive view of the town, which is classed among the most beautiful villages in France.

Minerve is perched on a plateau surrounded by limestone gorges that were carved over the centuries by the Cesse and Brian Rivers that encircle the village. These waterways have left behind a series of caves and rock bridges that are as much an attraction as the village.

After parking just above the village, we talked down a path into Minerve that gave us a closer view of the gorges.

Minverve is a small cluster of streets with a mix of boutiques and restaurants.

On the far side of Minerve, we walked down a stone staircase to reach the bottom of the gorge.

Once we reached the bottom, we could have turned left and followed a 9 KM route. We turned right and took a shorter path, but one that was still spectacular.

Rounding the first bend, we approached the stone bridge that leads into Minerve. Just before reaching it, we entered the “Pont Grand,” the first of a series of natural “bridges” carved into the limestone.

We walked for about an hour before re-tracing our path back to Minerve.

Cathar Country

Minerve has been on the map since at least 873. But its big historical moment came during the 13th century when it emerged as a gathering point for the religious heretics known as the Cathars.

The Cathars were real party people. These Medieval Christian extremists broke with the Roman church, which they saw as corrupt. The Cathars believed in a duality: a Good God represented by the New Testament and an Evil God represented by the Old Testament. Because the Old Evil God made everything in the world, that meant that all physical things were evil.

While they followed the teachings of Jesus, they did not believe he took physical form. Because all physical things were evil, they did not build churches or write stuff down, which means their true beliefs and legacy are a bit fuzzy. Oh, and sex and marriage were forbidden because pleasure and touching were bad bad bad. (Not super strategic for propagating your cult, but…) They were so against reproduction that they also did not eat cheese, eggs, meat, or milk because there would have been some animal sex behind all of it and killing animals was bad.

Despite their religious extremism, they have been romanticized by some because they were opposed to ownership of private property, hated war, and believed men and women were equal. They were Religious Fanatics AND they were Hippie Vegan Socialists. So whether you’re a religious extremist rooting for the apocalypse, or a New Age seeker looking for spiritual motivation, the Cathars had a little something for everyone.

Naturally, the Pope was having none of it.

He teamed up with some scheming Northern French nobles who saw this as an opportunity to seize control of the semi-independent Southern region. Thus began the first Church-sanctioned crusade. This was a pre-game warmup to the later Middle East crusades and the Spanish Inquisition.

Led by the Big Baddy Simon de Montfort, French troops laid siege to Minerve for five weeks in the summer of 1210. This included building a giant catapult on the far side of a gorge and bombarding the locals who lacked food and water.

Of course, Minverve fell and de Montfort gave the Cathars a choice: renounce their belief and accept the Pope, or else…

140 Cathars chose ‘or else’ and were burned alive at the stake. Some even reportedly threw themselves into the burning wood piles.

Hungry In Hérault

After the hiking and history, we treated ourselves to a stellar lunch at Le Relais Chantovent, a restaurant in the heart of Minerve with a terrace overlooking the gorges.

We started with 2 aperitifs:

1. L’estivale: Kino Karo (this was new to me, but it’s a local citrus-based spirit), sparking wine, slices of orange and lemon.

2. L’Hibiscus: Chardonay with a confite of hibisicus.

The menu says L’Hibiscus is the best seller, but we preferred the L’estivale.

Amuse bouche: a melon-based delight.

Entrée:

1. Fresh goat cheese of Combebelle, courgette carpaccio, pepper slurry, parmesan crumble, and oat flakes.

2. Beef tataki marinated with soybean, spring onions, and roasted seeds.

3. Vegetables, garlic cream, gazpacho of cucumber, and green pepper.

Plat Principal:

1. Slow-roasted pork (24 hours at 64 degrees), lemon condiment.

2. Slow-roasted veal medallion, cooked in the fig leaf (22 hours at 66 degrees).

3. Vegetarian plate

Dessert:

1. Chocolate fondant Valrhona, hazelnut ice cream from Piedmont,

2. Roasted nectarine, verbena-lemon sorbet, almond slices.

The Cathars wouldn’t have appreciated any of it. But we did.

Chris O’Brien

Castelnau-d'Aude

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The British press were clearly sharpening the long knives, preparing to roast the French while crowing about the success of the London 2012 Games. Throw in a last-minute Snap election that divided the country, a nation genetically predisposed to complaining, the mounting pressure — and you had all the ingredients for two weeks of chaos.

Drooling at the looming fiasco, The Telegraph of the UK promised:

In what has to rank as one of the nation’s biggest plot twists, the Paris Games 2024 was a rousing success by almost any quantitative or qualitative measure. The world saw two weeks of uncharacteristically joyful French people basking in the moment with furious pride. The French media scrambled to adjust, throwing out calls for people who fled Paris for the games and now regretted their decision to leave after seeing the iconic scenes on their TVs.

Speaking on Monday, Paris 2024 Games Director Tony Estanguet said, “I don't think it could have gone much better. I think these Games were even better (than he imagined). And yet, I remember that I was often treated as a bit of an idealist. We were crazy with this project, audacious. The first opening ceremony outside a stadium, the marathon open to the general public, breathtaking competition venues but maddeningly complex to operate.”

That joyful atmosphere reached a larger audience than expected, as NBC Universal reported record viewership boosted by a more elaborate streaming strategy. The Paris games will drive the largest ad revenue for any TV event in history, NBC told the LA Times. Since peaking with the 2012 London Games, Olympic viewership has been in steady decline. So much so that many critics were asking: Can Paris save the Olympics?

The answer seems to be resounding: Yes!

In their wildest fantasies, Paris organizers could not have dreamed of such gushing headlines in the international press:

• Paris lights the way to Los Angeles: France closes a Games marked by sporting, organizational, and social success, a reconciliation with the Olympic spirit after the Tokyo pandemic which raises the bar for the 2028 event. (El Pais)

• Paris, Uncharacteristically Giddy, Bids Au Revoir to the Olympics: A joyous Games, a cleaned-up Seine, and improvements to the region brought cheer to Parisians as they handed off the Summer Olympics to Los Angeles. (NY Times)

• Can’t borrow the Eiffel Tower, but L.A. 2028 Olympics can learn from Paris 2024 (Washington Post)

• Best Olympics of all time? Paris and London share the gold medal: The stereotype of the grumpy Frenchman went missing for 17 days as the city made the Games look more beautiful than ever. But it was the 10,000-plus athletes who put on a show to rival London 2012. (The Times of the UK)

• Paris Olympic fortnight sets a high standard for future Games: The Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which ended on Sunday night in a lavish closing ceremony, avoided the predictions of doom. 16 medal-winning summer days and nights for French athletes brought a new vision of success, both at home and abroad. (Radio France)

• Le feel-good games | Paris’s stunning vision for the Olympics wins a gold medal: The Paris games are drawing to a close on a note of ferveur olympique in the French capital. Once skeptical, the French have been won over, both by the performance of their athletes, who won more medals than at any previous Olympics, and the sheer beauty of the capital’s backdrops.” (The Economist)

“Something has come to light, and I think we've reinvigorated the Olympic Games with this edition,” President Emmanuel Macron said after the Games. “We've reinvented the Summer Games, we've recreated an enthusiasm that had been waning somewhat in recent years…I want to say how proud I am of the French men and women. There is one loser: the spirit of defeat. All those who have been telling us for seven years that it was crazy to host the Olympics. The opening ceremony on the River Seine was a security blunder, we'd never have enough medals, it would be a financial disaster, and we'd never be able to swim in the Seine...And in the end, we succeeded. We did it!”

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Sporting Results

The French finished 5th overall in medals, largely in line with expectations, though fewer Gold Medals than many had hoped. Still, the Games made swimmer Léon Marchand a global celebrity thanks to his 4 gold medals. And the French Women’s Basketball Team almost pulled off a stunning upset of the US Women’s Team.

That Mascot

Two years ago, the official Paris Games 2024 mascot was widely mocked for resembling a certain part of the female genitalia. However, the Phryge got the last laugh, proving popular with fans and viewers around the world.

According to Challengers newspaper, there were 1.5 million units of the Phryge items manufactured for the games, including stuffed toys, pajamas, hats, pens, and so on. The final sales numbers have not been released, but vendors reported strong purchasing trends, with 120,000 Phryges sold in just five days at Galeries Lafayette during the Games.

Security

With attacks on train lines just before the Games, the nation feared that predictions of chaos might be coming true. But this proved to be the only major event during the 15 days of the Games. Otherwise, a massive police presence, the controversial AI-powered video surveillance, and a strong cyber defense kept things moving smoothly. Overall, the city reported a drop in crime compared to typical periods in past years.

Transportation

“Even though everyone predicted an immense failure, we met the challenge,” said Jean Castex, head of the regional public transportation agency RATP. He has reason to boast. All the regional transportation services rallied to the cause and delivered reliable transportation through the Games.

The preparations for the Games included a recent extension of the Metro 14 line to reach the Stade de France which operated smoothly. More employees were on duty and and more trains ran more frequently, all without major problems, according to France Info. Compared to 2023, an additional 500,000 people used public transportation every day during the Games — 20% more than usual.

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La Seine

One of the most hyped storylines coming into the Games was the billion-euro effort to clean up the Seine River so that some events could be held in the famed waters. This was a nail-biter right until the end as heavy rains kept pollution levels too high until just a couple of weeks before the Games.

In the end, the waters cooperated, and the Games held the triathlon and marathon swimming courses in the Seine, creating yet another iconic image of athletes and this natural Parisian monument. Cameras captured swimmers passing the Alexander III Bridge, the Grand Palais, and the Invalides.

One cautionary note: There are still some disputed reports that a handful of athletes from Germany and Portugal became sick after swimming in the events. No official determination has been made about whether they were victims of a virus or were made ill by the water.

Tourism

The projections were bleak in the weeks leading up to the games as hotels and airlines reported large numbers of vacancies and a drop in passengers. In the end, the overall tourism numbers were strong.

According to the Paris Tourism Office, Paris hotels had an average occupancy rate of 84% during the two weeks of competition up from 74% during the same two weeks in 2023. While there was indeed a lack of international visitors, Paris recorded 11.2 tourists between July 23 and August 11 — 85% of them French.

As a result, the accommodation sector generated revenues of €652 million across France during that period — a strong showing after a weak June and early July due to weather that dampened travel.

Though it wasn’t the Best of Times for everyone. “Olympic fever filled the stadiums, but emptied museums,” according to Le Monde. The Louvre experienced a 22% drop in the number of visitors between July 27 and August 11, compared to the same dates in 2023, the Pompidou Centre was down 29%, the Musée d'Orsay fell 29%, the Musée d'Orangerie dropped 31%, and the Palace of Versailles declined 25%.

Opening And Closing Ceremonies

Overall positive, though of course some silly controversies and differing opinions on their entertainment value. Still, a new standard was set with the parade of boats on the Seine River (despite the rain) for the Opening Ceremony and the mix of performances of the Closing Ceremony. Indeed, the artists chosen by the LA Games seemed greatly diminished despite being far more famous.

Artistic Director Thomas Jolly only lamented the length of the Closing Ceremony (due to the athletes’ parade and the long-winded Olympic speech), according to Le Parisien:

“I'm delighted because we're all experiencing something quite unique. We could have hoped for it, but now we're seeing it. I used to talk about 'shared humanity', but yesterday (Sunday), the image that sticks in my head is the incessant flow of athletes,” Jolly said. “From a purely artistic point of view, it was sorely lacking in rhythm…but that's also the game of a ceremony…It's like the Césars, Oscars, or the Molières ceremony. It's too long but yes, that's the principle.”

The Final Word…

Here’s what a few of my favorite French Substack-ers had to say about the Games:

David Lebovitz Newsletter

Les Olympics

Paris really knocked it out of the ballpark last night. After getting caught up in the wave of skepticism (and grumbling) by Parisians about the Paris Olympic Games, the games are almost over and I had a blast. It was capped off by attending the women’s Beach Volleyball finals, which were medal rounds. And wow—what an event, what a night, and it was incredible to watch the world’s greatest athletes compete in a stadium that was undoubtably the best spot to be in the world last night. I doubt anyone else could top it. Walking into the stadium, which was built right under the foot of the Eiffel Tower, was an unforgettable experience and I was grateful to be a part of it…

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2 years ago · 331 likes · 98 comments · David Lebovitz

“The stifling crowds never appeared in Paris. Many blame the hotels raising prices 300%, and sky-high airfares. Plus there was the usual exodus from Paris by locals for their summer vacations, which happens every August, removing thousands of people from the city, many smug that they were escaping just in time before the nightmare began.

Too bad for them. For us who stayed, Paris turned into one big party and by all measures the 2024 Paris Olympics was a hit.”

The New Paris Dispatch

The Paris Olympics Legacy? Joy.

It’s fitting that the end of the Olympic Games (the first part, anyway— the Paralympics begins August 28!) coincides with the end of summer, creeping ever closer, and all the blues that go with it. But France, and Parisians especially, have reason to remain joyous and optimistic a bit longer— the Games were a smashing success and …

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2 years ago · 27 likes · 11 comments · Lindsey Tramuta

“It’s fitting that the end of the Olympic Games (the first part, anyway— the Paralympics begins August 28!) coincides with the end of summer, creeping ever closer, and all the blues that go with it. But France, and Parisians especially, have reason to remain joyous and optimistic a bit longer— the Games were a smashing success and fostered an atmosphere of euphoria palpable even to those who were watching from afar.”

The Paris Palette

A recap of the Paris Olympics

The Paris Olympics are over and I don’t know what to do with myself…

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2 years ago · Moriah Costa

“I’ve never seen Paris more alive, yet empty. The crowds and chaos of the transport system did not happen. There were some crowds at some of the events, but no more than you’d expect at a sporting venue.”

Chris O’Brien

Castelnau-d’Aude

The Paris 2024 Games are done, and now Paris gets a small vacation before the Paralympics start later this month. But before the city turned out the lights and passed the torch to LA for 2028, the Closing Ceremony gave a variety of French musical stars the chance to step into the global spotlight:

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Victor le Masne

The official musical director for the Paris 2024 Games, he is part of the French synth-pop duo Housse de Racket. The Opening and Closing ceremonies reflected his eclectic tastes in music, from classic to pop to metal to…some songs that can’t be categorized.

Zaho de Sagazan

This 24-year-old singer-songwriter released her first album last year, “La symphonie des éclairs,” and it immediately became a massive hit. Earlier this year, it was named album of the year at France’s version of the Grammy’s. She kicked off the Closing Ceremony by singing “Sous le ciel de Paris,” the title song of a 1951 French film that Edith Piaf later covered.

Zahia Ziouani

She is one of France’s most renowned conductors. In 1998, she formed her orchestra, Divertimento Symphony Orchestra. Her life story was made into a 2022 film called Divertimento. During the closing ceremony, she conducted her orchestra in a performance of “La Marseillaise” arranged by le Masne and sung with the Maîtrise de Fontainebleau.

Pop Classics

The crowd in the stadium sang impromptu karaoke versions of 2 French cheeseball classics: Joe Dassin’s “Les Champs-Elysées”; and “Emmenez-moi” by Charles Aznavour. Warning: These are the Mother of all French Musical Earworms.

Benjamin Bernheim + Alain Roche

French tenor Benjamin Bernheim teamed up with Swiss pianist Alain Roche for an unforgettable new arrangement of “Hymne à Apollon”, which was written for the first Olympic Congress in 1893. Roche is known for playing from unusual positions, and on Sunday his piano was suspended in the air as Bernheim sang.

Mixtape: Phoenix + Angèle + Kavinsky + Air + VannDa

French Pop band Phoenix is one of France’s bigger musical exports, having been nominated for Grammy Awards and played at festivals like Coachella. Organizers gave them a 17-minute slot to do whatever they wanted. So the band invited several of their favorite collaborators to share the spotlight.

The band played their hits “Lisztomania” and “1901” in a sea of athletes to start and end the set.

They were joined on stage by Air, another “French Touch” icon, to play their hit “Playground Love.” That was followed by Belgian singer-songwriter Angèle and French DJ Kavinsky on the latter’s “Nightcall” and then Phoenix’s “If I Ever Feel Better.”

The band also had rapper VannDa join them on stage for “Funky Squaredance” and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig for “Tonight,” a recent collaboration.

Yseult

The Parisian singer-model Yseult got the final spot, performing “My Way,” the song made famous by Frank Sinatra. The original tune comes from “Comme d’habitude,” a song by Claude François, or “Cloclo,” the 60s and 70s French pop sensation. Claude’s version is a real downer, about a couple going through the motions of a dying relationship:

I get up / And I push you / You don't wake up / Comme d'habitude (As usual) / On you I pull up the sheet / I'm afraid you're cold / Comme d'habitude / My hand caresses your hair / Almost in spite of myself / Comme d'habitude / But you turn your back on me / And then I get dressed very quickly / I leave the room  

Alas, poor Cloclo dreamed of success in the Anglophone world, but never quite achieved it. His career was cut short in the late 1970s when he electrocuted himself changing a light bulb while he was taking a shower. His life story was told in the 2012 biopic “Cloclo.”

Claude’s closest brush with international success came when Paul Anka heard the tune and rewrote the lyrics into an anthem for Sinatra released in 1969. That soaring version provided a fitting closing tune for Yseult, the professional name of 29-year-old Yseult Marie Onguenet, who has indeed done it Her Way.

Her debut album, Yseult was a flop in 2015. She was angry by the lack of support from her label, Polydor, so she broke her contract, set up her independent label, and subsequently became an international star.

While the LA Game organizers assembled performers with much bigger names for their part of the Closing Ceremony, I don’t think anyone would argue that these Mega Stars were overshadowed by the performances of the French artists.

Good luck, LA 2028!

Chris O’Brien

Castelnau-d’Aude

The French Men’s Basketball Team needed to play a perfect game to defeat the U.S. Men’s Team on Saturday night to win the Gold Medal. They did not. Missed easy shots. Clanked too many free throws (10-17). Let Steph Curry transform into Steph Curry during the last two minutes as he hit 4 shots beyond the 3-point line. Each one a tiny dagger into the dreams of gold for the French.

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The roster of the U.S. Men’s Team was heavily favored to win their 5th consecutive gold medal. Though it had some close games, the lineup packed with future Hall of Famers who have collectively earned more than $2.5 billion during their careers remains an inevitable force of nature.

Still, the French believed.

In the hours before the match, thousands gathered in the plaza in front of Paris City Hall to cheer for their team, a joyful atmosphere as fans sang the Marseillaise and prayed for the upset. In the stands during the game, President Macron sat with wife Brigitte and VP First Husband Doug Emhoff and later took a selfie with Jimmy Fallon.

In losing the game and winning their second consecutive silver medal, the French men’s team had no reason to be embarrassed. The defeat was nonetheless painful, coming on their home turf. Cameras caught French superstar Victor Wembanyama — who was the No. 1 NBA draft pick in 2023 — crying and hugging his mother.

After the French team received their silver medals, the crowd burst into a spontaneous Marseillaise to honor them, making for an electrifying moment.

Video via Twitter.

Round 2

France had a chance for revenge on Sunday when the Women played the US Women’s Team for the gold. While the French team has received less global attention than the men, they are also making an impact with four players who are currently on WNBA rosters:

1. Valériane Ayayi - San Antonio Stars

2. Marine Johannès - New York Liberty

3. Gabby Williams - Los Angeles Sparks

4. Iliana Rupert - Atlanta Dream

Once again, the Paris City Hall Plaza was filled with screaming fans, hoping for the best. Inside the arena, players from both men’s teams sat in the stands to cheer for their respective teams.

This time, the French women fought harder and played better, only to lose on an absolute heartbreaker. Down by 3 with three seconds left, France rushed the ball down the court and into the hands of Gabby Williams who launched an off-balance shot that went in at the buzzer.

Alas, her foot was on the 3-point line, and so the basket only counted for 2 points. Final score: US 67 - France 66.

Le Basket

Beyond NBA rookie of the year Wembanyama, France had four other NBA players on its roster: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves; Nicolas Batum, Los Angeles Clippers; Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards; and Evan Fournier, recently with the Detroit Pistons. Three more players had prior NBA experience.

Canada (10) and (Australia (9) had more NBA players than France. But France’s place in the basketball world is on the rise.

In the 2024 NBA Draft, France became the first country outside the United States to produce three of the first top 10 picks since 1966:

• 1st Overall Pick: Hawks select Zaccharie Risacher

• 2nd Overall Pick: Wizards select Alex Sarr

• 6th Overall Pick: Hornets select Tidjane Salaun

They were joined by Pacome Dadiet and Melvin Ajinca who went respectively at No. 25 and No. 51 to the New York Knicks.

The NBA has made internationalization a key part of its business strategy, an effort that was catalyzed by the 1992 Olympic Dream Team and has now transformed the league. The last six MVP winners came from outside the U.S.

France’s emergence as a major center of basketball talent has become more evident over just the past few years.

Looking ahead to next year, France’s 2025 draft class is projected to include at least one high pick in guard Nolan Traore, plus two more players who have the potential to be drafted in the first round: forward Noa Essengue and guard Noah Penda.

Many of these players were inspired by French legend Tony Parker, who won four NBA titles with the San Antonio Spurs and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year. In this past season, Minnesota center and veteran Rudy Gobert was selected as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

The surge of interest can be seen across the country, which has been primarily known for success in football (Soccer) and rugby at the international level. (Also, Judo, where the French have won 10 of their 65 medals so far this year, but that’s another story.)

As for basketball in France, the Associated Press reported: “There are about 750,000 people registered with basketball clubs in France — nearly 70,000 more than two years ago and an increase of 170,000 since 2014. And that’s just the official count. Like in the United States, plenty of hoopers just grab a ball and find a court to shoot around or play in a pickup game.”

This trend is no random accident. In the mid-1970s, France’s National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP) started an aggressive program to identify and train elite athletes in several sports, including basketball. Parker is an alumnus of this program.

France’s professional leagues also boost development. Young players don’t play at universities. Instead, they begin playing on youth teams that feed professional leagues at young ages. Wemby, for instance, began playing for a professional team at the age of 15, an experience that observers say prepares the best players for the transition to the NBA.

Beyond playing, the NBA is a cultural phenomenon in France (and in much of the world). The average person in France might not know Tom Brady, but they certainly know Michael Jordan.

That cultural currency is evolving in other ways. Sorare, a French startup that has developed an online fantasy sports league platform, struck a high-profile partnership two years ago with the NBA and the WNBA.

Le NBA À Paris

The French enthusiasm for basketball was on full display last January when the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers arrived to play a regular season game in Paris. It was the third such NBA match in Paris, and one of two international matches last season (the other was in Mexico).

The teams flew to Paris three days before the game, and their every move caused a media sensation. They organized basketball clinics, visited local youth teams, and posed for photos with fans throughout the week.

“It is a market that loves its sports and loves basketball in particular,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said in an interview with USA Today that week. “I will tell you, the Commissioner (Adam Silver) and I had meetings last year with the president of the country, Emmanuel Macron, who is a huge fan.”

In advance of the match, the NBA announced a partnership with the French Basketball Federation to launch new programs for developing elite players. The NBA also disclosed that viewership of the league in France was up 23% over the previous season, including a 26% increase in NBA League Pass subscriptions, and a 70% increase in weekly viewers of the NBA app. In addition, the NBA sells more merch in France than anywhere else in Europe and the Middle East.

"Outside of the U.S. and Canada, France has delivered more players into the NBA than any other place around the world," Tatum said in his interview. "And then you couple that with the excitement around this young fellow Victor Wembanyama who is taking the world by storm, quite frankly, I would say that we're going to Paris when interest in basketball and the NBA is at an all-time high.”

Eight months later, France’s Olympic run confirmed this progress. The reactions of the French players after the game suggest that they are not content with being also-rans to the Americans.

That young fellow Wemby reaffirmed his belief that France should be considered at the top of the world’s basketball ranks.

“The only weight on my shoulders is the responsibility to my teammates,” Wemby said in an interview on Sunday. “The weight of ambition."

“We must stop putting [the US team] on a pedestal all the time," said teammate Nando de Colo, who believes France will have the weapons in the coming years to compete with the USA for Olympic Gold.

That may be more than an idle boast.

Chris O’Brien

Castelnau-d'Aude, France

It's beginning to look a lot like the Olympics

Everywhere you go

Take a look at the River Seine, it’s mostly safe to swim in again

Now that fecal levels are so low!

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Paris mayor swims in Seine as river is cleaned up just in time for Olympics

Anne Hidalgo fulfills pledge after cleanup operation makes water quality safe enough to host events at Games. (The Guardian)

French sports minister swims in Seine ahead of Olympics

French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea Castera took the plunge and swam in the River Seine on Saturday, in a publicity moment that French authorities hope will show the capital's river is clean enough and ready to stage swimming events at the Olympic Games. (Reuters)

It's beginning to look a lot like the Olympics

Unsold mascot merch in every store

But the prettiest sights to see are the homeless that will be

Bused far away from Parisians’ front doors!

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France Is Busing Homeless Immigrants Out of Paris Before the Olympics

The government promised housing elsewhere. We followed the buses and found a desperate situation. (The New York Times)

44,000 fences lining the streets and a QR code needed to go out to eat

Are the scourge of every Colette and Jean

Share French Crossroads

Paris transformed into city of metal and QR codes as security ramps up for Olympics

Barricades and restricted zones set up as city center experiences militarisation not seen since the Second World War (The Guardian)

Hundreds of roads that are blocked and random metro stations that are shut

Are a nuisance for Chloé and Gabriel

A survival guide to Paris transport closures for the 2024 Olympics

Paris will be in the throes of Olympic fever from July 26 to August 11 for the 2024 Summer Games. Public transport routes will be revised and vehicle access will be restricted just as millions of visitors are expected in the city. Both residents and tourists are urged to review the revised routes and plan ahead. (France 24)

And Parisians can hardly wait for the Games to disappear again

Beefed-Up Olympics Security Thins Out Tourists, Squeezing Merchants

French businesses had hoped the Games would bring an economic boom, but metal fences and police checkpoints have turned some areas of Paris into dead zones. (NY Times)

It's beginning to look a lot like the Olympics

Everywhere you go

There are rooms available in the Grand Hotel, and dozens in the Ritz as well

The discounted kind that you typically can’t afford!

Paris hotels struggle with low demand as Olympics approach

Last July, the official statistics office of France, Insee, reported that hotel occupancy rates in Paris averaged 90.7%.

This means that in a hotel with 100 rooms, less than 10 would be unoccupied on any given night. However, the current numbers project up to 40 unsold rooms may be available during the 2024 Olympics. (Euronews)

Paris Hotels Slash Prices 41% From Peak to Lure Olympic Visitors

Hoteliers have given up on the dream of charging triple their normal rates. But for some, cutting prices may be too little too late. (Bloomberg)

It's beginning to look a lot like the Olympics

Soon the Opening Ceremonies will start

And what will make you cringe are the awkward songs they will sing

That make Eurovision look like art

Arielle Dombasle sings her "Olympics" hymn at Paris City Hall to welcome the Olympic Flame

Gwen Stefani x Anderson .Paak – Hello World (Song of The Olympics™) Official Video

Ahead of Paris 2024, The Coca-Cola Company has teamed up with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to celebrate the power of sport and music with a new song named ‘Hello World’.

The song was written and produced by songwriter, producer and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder. Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Gwen Stefani performs the single alongside eight-time Grammy Award-winning producer singer-songwriter Anderson .Paak. (Olympics)

It's beginning to look a lot like the Olympics

AI-driven video surveillance on every corner

But the prettiest sight to see is the machine-gun-toting police

Kicking down your own front door

At the Olympics, AI Is Watching You

A controversial new surveillance system in Paris foreshadows a future where there are too many CCTV cameras for humans to physically watch. (Wired)

With AI, jets and police squadrons, Paris is securing the Olympics — and worrying critics

A year ago, the head of the Paris Olympics boldly declared that France’s capital would be “ the safest place in the world " when the Games open this Friday. Tony Estanguet’s confident forecast looks less far-fetched now with squadrons of police patrolling Paris’ streets, fighter jets and soldiers primed to scramble, and imposing metal-fence security barriers erected like an iron curtain on both sides of the River Seine that will star in the opening show. (Associated Press)

Zut alors, it's the Olympics once more!

Chris O’Brien

Le Pecq

On July 7 the French got their act together and prevented the far-right Rassemblement National party from getting the most seats in the French National Assembly. To seize control, a party needs 289 seats for a majority in the 577-seat assembly.

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Despite polls showing Marine Le Pen’s RN likely to be the big winners of the second round of voting, the party came in third (cue sad trombone music) with just 142 seats. And so, RN poster boy Jordan Bardella — in line to potentially be prime minister — was left to lick his wounds and doom scroll through Tiktok. He declared that his party had faced an “unnatural” political alliance of “dishonor” designed to thwart the will of the French people.

@jordanbardellaDimanche, faites gagner la France. Votez. 🇫🇷

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Ensemble, French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party, finished a surprising second, with 161 seats.

However, the big shock came from the left-wing alliance, the New Popular Front, cobbled together in haste after Macron decided to dissolve the Assembly and call a snap election. The Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP) won 188 seats.

The outcome meant that the majority of the French people could rejoice that the so-called Front Républicain had held. To block the RN, parties in the center and left agreed that in races where 3 candidates qualified for the second round, any of their people who finished 3rd would drop out to avoid splitting the anti-RN vote.

This celebration lasted approximately 5 minutes.

A Republic, If You Can Keep It

The French road to a stable democracy has been a bumpy one. There was the whole French Revolution business where the king lost his head and there was a Republic for a nanosecond that was marked by mass killings and civil war and eventually an Emperor.

If you blinked, you might have missed the Second Republic which lasted about 3 years falling somewhere between the restoration of the Monarchy and the rise of a new Emperor in 1851. Following a humiliating loss in a war against Prussia, the 3rd Republic was born in 1870 and had a decent run until those Prussians — re-branded as Germans — came rolling through in 1940.

Post-Nazi invasion, the 4th Republic began and lasted until 1958. The 4th was a strong parliamentary-led system that proved dysfunctional. So the French wiped the slate clean and started over with the 5th Republic which featured a strong presidential system. Gen. Chuck De Gaulle became the first prez.

Normally in the 5th, the president wins and his party gets a majority in the legislature. A couple of times, a different party has won the majority and got to choose a prime minister, who is kind of like the Chief Operating Officer of the government (picks the ministers, etc.). Such moments are called co-habitation, a perfectly awkward label.

What has never happened is what has just happened: The president’s party did not get a majority and no one got a majority.

The fun part of this is that literally no one knows what is supposed to happen next. After all, the 5th Republic is only 50+ years old and Macron is just the 8th president. Basically, he’s the Martin Van Buren of the 5th Republic.

The French constitution doesn’t directly address the situation. There is no deadline for the president to select a new prime minister and no obligation to accept a PM put forward by the party with the most seats. The current deadline (to the extent that one exists) is July 18, when the new National Assembly meets and chooses a president of the Assembly.

However, there is no official guideline for which party even has the right to try and form a government. The only unofficial rule is that anyone named PM has to be someone who wouldn’t risk a majority No Confidence vote in the Assembly, which would effectively dissolve the government and then the whole thing starts again.

So, what to do? What to do?

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And The Winner Is…

If you are not French, then your natural reaction might be as follows: Different parties try to form a coalition that has a majority of seats. That coalition then selects a prime minister and life goes on.

Ah, but for that to happen would require one of the most taboo words in the entire French political language: compromise.

Compromise just ain’t a thang here.

Let’s look more closely at the voting numbers to understand why French politics currently resembles a barrel of monkeys. Starting with the RN, it’s true that the party fell well short of expectations in terms of the number of seats it won. But the RN won the most raw votes in the legislative election, with 33.21% in the first round and 37.06% in the second round. That didn’t translate into an equivalent number of seats due to the breakdown of districts.

The NFP won 28.21% and 25.80%, in the first and second rounds respectively, while Macron’s party won 21.28% and 24.53%. What complicates this picture between the NFP and Macron is that Republican Front: With each group having candidates drop out to block the RN, to what extent can either claim those people voted for their group?

But wait, it gets even better!

The NFP is principally an alliance of four parties: the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI), the center-left Socialist Party (PS), the Greens, and the Communist Party. In the allocation of the 188 NFP seats, LFI got 78, PS got 65, the Greens got 33, and the Communists got 9.

Because the NFP was patched together in haste, the common platform was fairly general (though certainly progressive) and the group avoided discussion before the election about who it might put forward as a prime minister.

Just moments after initial exit polls showed the left coalition would come out on top but without a majority, LFI leader and political firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon took to the podium to state unequivocally that there was ZERO chance the NFP would form an alliance with Macron’s party and that Macron needed to suck it up and ask the NFP to form a government, tout de suite.

Mélenchon has done an admirable job of resurrecting the French left in recent years. But his authoritarian demeanor rubs even many allies on the left the wrong way. Still, Mélenchon hates Macron for a living, and so he was clearly relishing the moment.

“The President of the Republic must appoint a Prime Minister from the New Popular Front,” Mélenchon said. “And then, it will be the responsibility of our adversaries not to make France ungovernable…For 7 years, we have tirelessly fought Mr. Macron's policies. We refuse any combination with the presidential camp. We will have a Prime Minister from the New Popular Front. We will be able to decide many things by decree.”

Notably, he did not appear post-election with reps from the other parties in the NFP coalition, who all held their own rallies. Eight days later, the NFP allies have not been able to agree on a prime minister candidate.

For a few hours last weekend, the LFI and Communists proposed Huguette Bello, a member of the LFI and president of La Réunion, the French island territory off the coast of Africa. But members of the Socialist Party met the suggestion with a big NOPE and Bello issued a statement withdrawing her name due to the lack of consensus.

The challenge now is that many centrists view the LFI as dangerous extremists in the same way they see the RN as dangerous extremists, and therefore refuse to support any nominee or coalition that is attached to the LFI. (Side note: the LFI’s politics may be further left, but it’s a false equivalency to paint them with the same anti-democratic brush as the RN. But that’s another newsletter.)

As former French president François Hollande, a stalwart member of the Socialist Party who was just elected to the Assembly, said in an interview: "It's impossible for an LFI personality to be appointed by the President. Even if he did, it wouldn't last three days."

However, the Socialists are still trying to make their candidate, Olivier Faure, a thing. But much like ‘fetch,’ the rest of the coalition is not having it. The intramural NFP squabbling continues with everyone blaming everyone else for refusing to, well, you know…compromise.

So, what to do? What to do?

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Come Together, Right Now, Over Me

President Macron responded to the confusion with an open letter to the French in which he declared, “No one won. No single political force obtained an absolute majority, and the blocs or coalitions that have emerged from these elections are all in the minority.”

He said the results are a “demand for change and power-sharing, requires these forces to build a broad-based coalition…I am asking all the political forces who believe in republican institutions, the rule of law, parliamentarianism, and an inclination towards Europe and the defense of French independence, to engage in sincere and faithful dialogue to build a solid majority, albeit of necessity a mixed one, for the country.”

Sounds unifying, but “believe in republican institutions” is code from the center that such a coalition would not include the left-wing loonies of the LFI or the fascists of RN.

But, Macron’s center has its own problems.

Macron’s Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who was just appointed a few months ago just after becoming old enough to drink, was caught by surprise when the snap election was called. He’s clearly unhappy with Macron. As is traditional, Attal presented his resignation after the second round of voting, though Macron asked him to hang around until a new PM is appointed.

The two frenemies got some good hang time yesterday while reviewing the military troops and then watching the traditional July 14th parade from the presidential rostrum.

They might be at loggerheads, but the fight for the post-Macron world has already begun. Attal was elected president of Macron’s centrist Renaissance group in the Assembly. What began as En Marche in 2017 and then became Renaissance is now being re-branded as Ensemble pour la République. So, everyone will need to buy new T-shirts and update their stationery.

Macron has reportedly warned his people not to get all itchy about their political futures: "If you start the 2027 campaign now, you'll be swept away.”

The press is having a field day, of course. "La Macronie sinks into a battle of the chiefs," said a headline in Le Figaro, while the newspaper Libération declared:
”It's all-out war" between Attal and Interior Secretary Gérald Darmanin as they stage a Succession-like fight to take control of Macron’s legacy and whatever husk remains of his once-promising centrist party.

The centrists are still keeping their centrist dreams alive. They are hoping that they can convince sympatico members of the center-left Socialists to break away to join the centrist party (whatever the name du jour is) and the center-right Les Republicans in a centrist coalition.

Of course, the irony of that is that this is effectively what Macron did with En Marche in 2017. He fashioned his new party as “neither left, neither right.” He promised to reform the economy, improve the social safety net, and fight climate change. In the process, he sliced off the moderate wins of the Socialists and Republicans and fashioned a new party that won a historic margin in the National Assembly.

That centrist party nearly smashed the Socialists and Republicans out of existence and seemed poised to permanently remake French politics. Alas, Macron since then has steadily drifted to the right and lost the left half of that coalition and much of the youth vote over the years. The Socialists have risen from the dead and the Republicans still have a pulse. Though both are still runners-up to the LFI on the left and the RN on the right.

The Assembly vote on July 18 may reveal just which of these players are in a position to win this season of France’s Game of Thrones.

Chris O’Brien

Le Pecq

Paris is about to throw the world’s biggest sports party and the whole nation is…totally distracted.

All eyes are on the European Cup where the French play Spain on Tuesday after the Blues limped into the semi-finals while only scoring 3 regulation goals in five games. Meanwhile, the Tour de France is bulldozing its way across the French countryside for 2 more weeks. And, of course, today there is Round 2 of the legislative elections after President Buzzkill decided to pull the plug on the National Assembly.

“The atmosphere has been gloomy,” lamented Le Parisien. "Thirty days before the opening ceremony, we should nevertheless vibrate with excitement to see the biggest sporting event in the world take place on our territory, to imagine our athletes breaking all records, to rejoice at the idea of ​​building collective memories around their exploits. Instead, political polarization is reaching new heights, eroding the sense of unity so crucial to the success of the Games, and preventing us from looking forward to what should be a great celebration.”

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Polls are showing that the far-right Rassemblement National party is fading just a bit as the other parties unite against them. Still, the specter of the nation being forced to welcome a far-right Prime Minister just as the world rolls into town has definitely dampened the mood. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is trying her best to put on a brave face, insisting that she’s not going to let politics poop on the Olympic parade she’s been planning since 2017, though she was clearly irked that Macron called the snap election on the eve of her big moment.

“The party will not be spoilt,” Hidalgo said in an interview on France 2. “I say to visitors from the world over – come over! Because Paris is a city that stands up for freedom and is a city of resistance against the extreme right.”

At the same time, Hidalgo was adamant that she would not be photographed with the man likely to be prime minister — Jordan Bardella — should the far right be in a position to form a government.

Awkward!

Cleaner Waters

Speaking of poop, the Seine River has, at long last, passed its E.Coli test as officials declared last week that pollution had finally fallen enough to make the water safe for humans.

France has spent €1.4 billion over several years, determined to make the Seine River clean enough for real humans to swim in it for events during the Olympics, including the open-water swimming competition and the swimming leg of the triathlon.

Nature has kept them in suspense all year.

Unusually high rainfall this year kept pollution levels higher than expected as organizers fretted and prayed for sunshine. Paris has built extensive new infrastructure to prevent runoff from the streets spilling into the river. But the heavy rains have overwhelmed that system at times. Those heavy rains even forced organizers to postpone a rehearsal of the opening ceremony that is supposed to take place on the Seine. Just two weeks ago, E.Coli bacteria levels remained 10 times too high to be safe for humans one month before the games.

But, the sun has come out, pollution levels have dropped, and Olympic officials are feeling relieved — for now. Whether that holds will depend on the weather.

Meanwhile, Mayor Hidalgo has said she plans to dive into the Seine for a swim sometime during the week of July 15.

Where The International Tourists Aren’t

Just as officials have been warning for the past year, the Olympics are not proving to be the international tourist magnet that many had expected.

Air France-KLM revealed last week that it projects a loss of possibly €180 million ($193 million U.S.) during the current quarter because those international tourists are steering clear of Paris during the games.

“International markets show a significant avoidance of Paris,” the carrier said in a press release. “Travel between the city and other destinations is also below the usual June-August average as residents in France seem to be postponing their holidays until after the Olympic Games or considering alternative travel plans.”

Forbes noted that the Paris tourism office “recently forecasted a 14.8% drop in foreign arrivals in July 2024 compared to the same month in 2023.” Even Emily in Paris is going to Italy this year. Ouch.

At the moment, industry data indicates that Paris hotel bookings are also falling short, with the highest occupancy rates being 77.8% for Saturday, July 27 when there are a large number of medal events. Opening night stands at 77.7%, while the rate falls to 59.8% on Sunday, 11 August, the final night competition.

In July 2023, the average occupancy rate was 81.4%, according to the national statistics agency Insee.

Still, an independent study suggested the games will have an economic impact between €6.7 billion and €11.1 billion thanks to spending on infrastructure, other French tourists, and the long-term usage of new facilities.

In Closing…

Organizers have started to tease details of the Closing Ceremony scheduled for August 11. The Olympic Artistic Director Thomas Jolly has created a show called "Records” that will be performed at the Stade de France:

Featuring over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists, this visual spectacle will bear the signature of artistic director Thomas Jolly. An original soundtrack, new interpretations, musical performances and the participation of world-renowned singers will complete the picture. Part of the show will take place in the air, while the giant sets, costumes and spectacular lighting effects will take spectators on a journey through time, both past and future.   

French athletes will be dressed up for the occasion wearing outfits designed by the French luxury brand Berluti featuring its “signature burnished look,” which includes a “uniquely Berluti white shirt and midnight-blue tuxedo jacket with a burnished lapel in the colors of the French flag.”

If all of this has gotten you super psyched to attend the Closing Ceremony, then here’s some good news: Only 60% of the tickets have been sold! Plenty of seats remaining, so don’t be shy.

Chris O’Brien

Le Pecq

Instead, thanks to the shocking results of the European elections in France that saw big gains for the far right, Prez Emmanuel Macron decided to gamble his entire legacy by dissolving the National Assembly and calling snap legislative elections for June 30. Since then, the nation has been experiencing a political tragicomedy that offers a new twist by the minute.

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Take your pick of comparisons to any of TV’s greatest fictional depictions of power struggles. Game Of Thrones. House of Cards. The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills. Since Macron's announcement, France has seen more political maneuvering and betrayal than an entire season of those classics.

With conventional wisdom and alliances being made and shattered at a relentless pace, it already feels like the nation has lived through an entire generation of politics in 11 days. A scorecard may not even be enough to keep up, but let’s at least try to understand where things stand as of June 20, 2024.

Ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod…

Let’s set the Wayback Machine to June 9 when the French went to the polls to vote for their members of the European Parliament. The European Parliament is a very Big Thing that is also a Non-Thing. Members meet 4 days each month for 11 months in a cavernous building erected in Strasbourg specifically for them but which sits mostly empty for about 90% of the year. Nice work, if you can get it.

Yes, the European Parliament has some responsibility and the election results matter, kinda sorta. But, it is also the perfect place to register a protest vote, if one is so inclined. And the French are so inclined. They already poked Macron in the eye by re-electing him in 2022 and then denying his En Marche party an outright majority in the subsequent legislative elections. Despite a large list of positive economic indicators, his method of bulldozing reforms into law and his strategy of trying to undercut the rising far right by moving his formerly centrist party further to the right have managed to alienate just about everyone across the political spectrum.

As the European elections approached, Macron’s team staged a lackluster campaign as the far-right Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National (RN) was clicking with a growing slice of the populace thanks to a new telegenic face.

A Kinder, Gentler Nationalism

Jordan Bardella, 28, grew up in public housing and was the descendant of immigrants, which of course makes him the perfect choice to lead the RN’s anti-immigrant crusade. He dropped out of college and was still wearing his political diapers when he began to rocket up the ranks of the RN, becoming the second-youngest MP in history elected to the European Parliament in 2019, and then President of the RN in 2022.

Bardella is a smooth operator, able to talk to The Youth as well as the Forgotten People of the Banlieues and Country Folk. He gives good TV and dresses sharp. He looks like he might have been the guest for the pilot episode of Queer Eye For The Fascist Guy.

The rightwing media Boulevard Voltaire wondered if he had become the “idol of the young” after he made an appearance in January in front of a roomful of swooning young RN voters.

Whatever the reasons, Macron’s party (dubbed Renaissance for the election) crashed and burned on election night. Bardella’s RN won 30 seats, followed by 14 for Renaissance. On the left, the Socialist Party had 13 seats, the further left La France Insoumise (LFI) had 8, and the Greens had 5, but alas could not agree on a common ticket. On the right, the center-right Republicans had 6 seats, and the further right lunatic fringe Reconquete — started by TV commentator Éric Zemmour but now led by Le Pen’s niece Marion Maréchal — had 5 seats.

As the returns were still being finalized, Macron stunned the nation — and many of his advisors — by dissolving the Assembly and calling for a new election.

I Triple Dog Dare You!

Macron is trying to call the nation’s bluff. He believes the Right’s success in the European election was a protest vote, but when faced with the prospect of actually giving them some power, voters will come to their senses. And when they do, the result will give him enough momentum for the final three years of his term.

"The rise of the nationalists and demagogues is a threat not only to our nation but also to Europe and to France's place in Europe and in the world,” he said in a national address on election night. "The extreme right is both the impoverishment of the French people and the downfall of our country. So at the end of this day, I can't pretend that nothing has happened.”

He said a new vote would be a moment of “clarification” and that the French will Do The Right Thing.

"I have confidence in you, my dear compatriots, in the ability of the French people to make the right choice for themselves and for future generations,” Macron said. “Confidence in our democracy, in giving a voice to our sovereign people, nothing is more republican.”

If he’s right, Macron will be remembered as a political genius. If he’s wrong, if Le Pen’s party emerges in a position to form a government, Macron could be forced into accepting someone such as Bardella to be Prime Minister. And in that case, Macron will be remembered for clearing a path for a party founded by Nazi sympathizers to reach the heights of political power.

The initial conventional wisdom was that Macron had lost his mind. But then the sun rose the next day. And the ensuing scramble by the other political parties to take advantage turned into the Theater of the Absurd. Everyone rushed to strike alliances with other parties to present larger coalitions, though this only revealed the deep divisions on both the left and right.

One could write an entire book recounting the political events of the past 10 days in France. But let us content ourselves by viewing the highlight reel.

Clowns To The Left Of Me

Initially, the left seemed to rally to the occasion when the 4 main left-leaning parties — La France Insoumise (LFI), the center-left Socialist Party, the Green Party, and the Communist Party — announced an agreement to form the New Popular Front Kids On The Block.

But then, Raphael Glucksmann, the dude who was the lead candidate of the Socialist Party for the EU elections, tried to torpedo the alliance by announcing a list of conditions for joining it, a list of demands that every human proceeded to ignore. And so, Mr. Glucksmann became France’s new Mr. Irrelevant.

Ah, but there was trouble afoot in the NPF. La France Insoumise leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon — an inspiring figure for some on the left for reviving the left, and despised by others for being a demagogue — reportedly began using the candidate selection process to purge LFI critics and dissidents, French journalist Cole Stangler reported. Green Party leaders decried the attempted purge and called for support of left-leaning incumbents. An LFI deputy accused Mélenchon of being an “idiot,” particularly for supporting Adrien Quatennens — who had previously been accused of beating his wife — as a candidate. Socialist Party star Carole Delga said she would support the Popular Front, but that the presence of Quatennens would “damage the union” of the left.

Finally, former President François Hollande emerged from obscurity and delivered another surprise by announcing he would be a candidate for the Assembly under the New Popular Front banner. Macron was Hollande’s Economic Minister but ditched his boss to start his own party in 2017. Meanwhile, Hollande was so immensely unpopular — with an approval rating of 8% at one point — he did not run for a second term in 2017.

Jokers To The Right

The tensions tearing at the left turned out to be nothing compared to the Gonzo response on the right. The circus started when Éric Ciotti, the president of Les Républicains, announced an alliance with Le Pen’s party — effectively shattering the tradition of a Republican Front uniting to always stop the far right.

Except, it turned out the other Republican leaders were Not Down To Clown with Le Pen’s Posse. Thus began a backlash as other Republicans said Ciotti did not speak for them and should resign. Ciotti responded by barricading himself in party offices until other party officials finally found keys to get in. The party announced that Ciotti had been fired, and Ciotti said that he had not been fired, and the two sides went to court to sort things out.

Things got so out of hand that Twitter briefly suspended the party’s account because it was unclear who was in control. Eventually, Ciotti claimed that 62 candidates allied with him and supporting the RN were on the ballot.

Whatever the breakdown, it’s clear that the far-right damn has been breached. The elections happen in 2 rounds, with top candidates advancing and setting off another scramble to vote strategically in case there is not a choice you like. If there is a Far Right candidate in Round 2, this is typically when people call for the Republican Front by voting for anyone but the extreme candidate.

But, the leader of the Republican’s European Parliament members said he would vote for the RN candidate, adding: "With Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, we share 90-95% of the same ideas."

Meanwhile, on the Right Side of the RN, Le Pen’s niece Marion Maréchal announced that her Reconquete party would consider an alliance with Aunty and open talks with Bardella. She revealed this during a live press conference with Reconquete founder Eric Zemmour standing on stage and giving her a Whatcha talkin’ 'bout Willis look because clearly it was the first time he was hearing this.

Zemmour, who founded Reconquête, went on TV to declare that Maréchal had set "the world record of betrayals" and said the Le Pens had always been out to get him.

Stuck In The Middle With You

This brings us back to Macron, whose strategy has been mainly to point to the left and point to the right and say they are two types of extremes and must be stopped. His followers have tried to label the Popular Front as antisemitic because many of its members have been supporters of Palestine.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who is leading the campaign for Macron’s party, said in a radio interview: "There's the alliance led by (hard-left) LFI, there's the alliance led by the (far-right) RN -- extremes that would be a disaster for the country.” Macron’s tourism minister emphasized this non-choice by declaring she would vote not for either a left or right candidate in a 2nd round matchup.

Though he didn’t explicitly endorse a party, French Soccer MegaStar Kylian Mbappe said he was "against extremes and divisive ideas," adding: "Today we can all see that extremists are very close to winning power and we have the opportunity to choose the future of our country. I hope I will still be proud to wear this shirt after July 7."

An even more unexpected proclamation came from French Super YouTuber Squeezie — normally an a-political figure — who called on his 19 million subscribers to vote against the RN.

Bardella responded to Squeezie on Instagram (as one does these days), criticizing "multimillionaires responding to the very noble profession of influencer engage 'apolitically' against millions of French people, by copying/pasting the arguments as crude as they are mendacious from La France Insoumise." He also suggested that Squeezie was bitter about being surpassed as France’s Top YouTuber by “Tibo InShape.” (who has not endorsed anyone.)

Poll Positions

The campaign has already claimed its first casualties: Pollsters. “Some pollsters have had to reimburse staff for canceled or delayed holidays to cope with the extra workload,” a source told the AFP.

The unusual nature of the election and the blurry nature of alliances is making polling difficult. (French pollsters are historically quite accurate.) However, one early poll gave the RN the lead in voting intentions with 30%, the Popular Front in second with 25%, and Macron’s party in third with 20%.

A Financial Times poll suggested that in the first found voting for 577 seats, the Far-Right leads in 362 seats, the Popular Front leads in 211, and Macron’s party leads in JUST 3 SEATS! (None in mainland France.) In the second round, the poll projects that the Left and Right candidates would face off for 536 seats, with Macron’s party only left to compete in 41 races.

Bardella has said he would only accept the role of prime minister if his party wins a clear majority of seats. The left has not named a prime minister candidate should it be in a position to form a government.

In 2017, Macron’s insurgent party won a historic legislative majority with 350 seats. By creating a new Centrist party, it appeared he had smashed the remains of the traditional left and right parties. Seven years later, it looks like they are set to return the favor.

Chris O’Brien

Le Pecq