As dust is slowly setting and while we wait for the Paralympics, i would just like to thank all those who followed those Olympics.

The months leading up to them were hectic, to say the least, even without mentioning the political turmoil, the buildup to the Games themselves was surrounded with skepticism. Everyone in France was prophesising the failure of the game, saying we’d embarrass ourselves with protests, public transportation problems, the whole swimming in the Seine clownshow, subpar infrastructure, delusions of grandeur and empty venues. We loved to hate on the Olympics preparations in Paris, and as Parisian I rued the day we’d won that hosting bid everytime I tried to get close to the Seine and had to dodge the omnipresent construction sites. The mascot was a joke for weeks… every little thing was getting flak, and we almost were hoping the government would once again make fools of themselves by missing the mark.

To sum it up, we French were grumpily running toward a train-wreck.

Then it started, and right off the bat the rugby sevens tournament success changed the mood. Even the opening ceremony’s controversies couldn’t stop the wave that took over the country. The venues were amazing, the competition was riveting and, most of all, the world was loving it and telling us how much they enjoyed it. The Olympic spirit had taken hold, and for two weeks we’ve been having a truce from what’s otherwise been a very gloomy year… we’ve been proud to host, and that also owes to foreigners not being shy about loving the spectacle. So thanks everyone, notably here on Reddit of course, for giving us a reason to appreciate our country qualities and beauty.

As we go back to our regularly scheduled political manœuvering now, I won’t forget how the entire world came to Paris to show the best it had to offer, and how, however much doubt we had initially, Paris turned out to be up to the task.

Thank you Redditors or this sub for your positive energy, thanks to the athletes of your countries for joining ours in the greatest celebration of sports in the world, and see you all in four years in LA !

Can’t wait for the city of angels to show us how grand it can make things 😊