“Something going on in the Seine? It’s a little over 7 am Monday. Magali crosses the Tolbiac Bridge (13th century) to go to work. Boats of different sizes float one after another along the river. Nothing out of the ordinary at first glance. But a closer look shows that there are no tourists on these riverboats early in the morning.
Magali had just spotted a police van at the entrance to the bridge. But this local resident “didn’t even know” about the test. Because from 6:30 am on Monday, July 17, 39 boats – all numbered – are sailing on the river between the Pont Austerlitz and the Jena Bridge, right in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Traffic off for 4 hours
Objective: to conduct the first technical rehearsal of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games, which will take place in just over a year, on July 26, 2024. An unprecedented event that will take place outside for the first time in the history of the Games.
The organizers want to check, among other things, the maneuvers, the distance, the duration or even the video footage of this spectacle. For this, traffic on the Seine was stopped at 4 o’clock. It should open at noon.
The first pass was made between 6:30 and 7:45 am. The last boat was about twenty minutes behind schedule. Boats of all sizes turned around to return to their starting point.
Half as many boats as on D-Day
The second visit is scheduled from 10:00. A mini-rehearsal without any set design and with half as many boats as on D-Day. A total of 57 people cross the Seine on Monday: 39 represent delegations, 18 represent management (aid and first aid) and Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS). ), TV presenter of the Olympics. Added to this are the zodiacs of the Paris police department.
On July 26, 2024, 10,000 athletes will take part in the parade in 116 boats. “It already gives a small idea of what it will look like,” comments Magui from the Austerlitz Bridge. But to see the artistic visualization of this ceremony, a pensioner living nearby will have to wait more than one year. The set design, designed by director Thomas Jolly, will only be presented on D-Day.
Another headache: securing this open-air parade, which is expected to see 600,000 spectators.
Source: Le Parisien
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a keen interest in sports and have written for many different publications. I am currently working as an author at 24 News Recorder. I cover mostly sports news but also write about other topics such as current affairs and politics. I have a strong interest in social media and how it can be used to engage with audiences.
