In French, there are no goodbyes. Instead, Olympic crowds from Paris to the surfing venue in were saying “au revoir” — see you again — as drew to a close Sunday. After the 100-year wait since , no one can say when France's capital and the Olympics will next embrace.
But this much is certain: They're both emerging changed — in some ways for the better — from their summer romance. Paris' third Games — it also hosted in 1900 — have been filled with passion. French fans for two and a half weeks of sports, like parting the waters for his .
Marchand, in particular, stopped time with his feats — at other Olympic venues because spectators cheered so intensely when won again and again. Other French medal winners like judo icon and mountain biker also whipped up hometown joy. Initial grumbling about and other intense security measures that disrupted locals' lives — not to mention — gave way to choruses of “Allez les bleus!" or “France, let's go!” There were uplifting stories galore for non-French fans, too.
Quite literally in , the Swedish pole vaulter who broke his own world record in winning Olympic gold. shone, again. Having set the brave example of prioritizing mental health over competition at the 2021 Tokyo Games, she .
The Eiffel Tower peering over beach volleyball made that arena Ze Place To Be. , belting out “Hymne à l’amour” (“Hymn to Love”) from the tower's first floor, was high in emotion. Rain drenched VIPs and fans alike but didn't .