Paris Olympic Games 2024

 Olympic Games 2024

We retired to Italy in reasonable financial condition, especially with the low-cost-of-living in Sicily combined with low-cost healthcare, so instead of buying that Ferrari, we'll spend some dough on fun things-to-do.

Like the Olympic Games!!!

We flew up to Paris for the weekend of the cycling road races, the men on Saturday, the women on Sunday. Once at our hotel near La Madeleine in the City of Light we got around using shared e-bikes. (More on that in a later post) so off we went to see the start.

Once they got going, so did we - over to the hill of Montmarte

And lunch! The hill was packed with people despite the racers not due to arrive here until after 4 PM. Meanwhile, we'd enjoy a roast chicken lunch with a view of the course out the window, though sadly the owner closed the place down and kicked us out (through the window!) into the throng around 4 PM. Oh well, the food was great anyway and cheap by Parisian standards!

This was the scene once we were shoved into the crowd. But the racers passed there 3 times so can you really complain? Some folks had been camped-out here since 7 AM!

Sunday's women's race called for a new plan - meet up with Marion Clignet, an old racing pal of Heather's and hang around with her international entourage for the day, hoping to scam a way into the grandstands to see the finish and the rest of the race on the big-screen. This worked out very well as the photos show, complete with a stop at the New Zealand Olympic House for some drinks and snacks mid-race. Thanks to JoAnne for that, another Olympic cyclist whose last name I forget.

After hiking (no e-bikes this time!) back to the finish area Marion escorted us past the throngs and into the grandstands to seats next to the press box. Pretty sweet, eh? Merci Marion!!!

Paris did a great job helping people get around on bicycles!

Monday night we had tix for the stadium and pole vault final among other events.

Including the world-record set by Armand Duplantis Despite having already won the gold medal he kept jumping until he set a new world record, encouraged by the silver and bronze medal winners. THAT's the Olympic Spirit!!!

Next up, track cycling. We moved to a (rather dumpy as it turned-out) hotel near the velodrome for a morning session of track racing. The track was fast, world records falling a gauche et droite as the French would say.

Records fell, helped by the heat in the indoor velodrome. It was HOT! But once inside they'd let you out to cool off without a bunch of security checks so it wasn't too bad. So "not bad" that we scored tix for the next day's morning and afternoon sessions! So we saw Kristen Faulkner win two gold medals!!!

The Brits were out-in-force. Seems to be a thing for the relatives of riders from those islands to wear t-shirts proclaiming their relationships. Regular blog readers might remember Ben Healy's dad at the Tour de France.

We had good seats for all of the sessions. There are only around 3000 of 'em so they're all pretty good.

Some fans really get into it!

Back home in Sicily we reflect on another great experience with the Olympic Spirit as we enjoy the final events on TV. Chapeau to Paris and all the volunteers and spectators. Milano-Torino 2026? We won't even have to leave Italy!!!!