Paris en fete: How the French warmed up to the 2024 Olympic flame

After months of concerns and complaints, the Olympic flame of the Paris 2024 games seems to have melted the facade of indifference from Parisians.

One of the nagging questions about the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was whether the locals would jump onto the Olympic bandwagon. Halfway through the journey, the answer seems to be: mais oui!

After months of concerns and complaints, the Olympic flame seems to have melted Parisians' facade of indifference.

As the women's road cycling race unfolded on the cobblestone streets near the famed Moulin Rouge, fans crowded the sidewalks donning the colours of France. Amid chants of “Vive les Bleus,” an often heard cheer for French athletes, three women wearing red berets sat on the sidewalk watching a boxing competition on their cell phones, waiting for riders to pass by.

"The atmosphere is amazing, we were not expecting this," Parisian Marine Bagono said.

Locals draw red, white and blue strips on their cheeks and drape themselves in the flag. Dancers from the Moulin Rouge join in to the carnival spirit of the games dancing their encouragements, one of them calling this moment a once in a lifetime experience.

It wasn't always a given that the Olympic spirit would take hold in the city renowned for its cool attitude.