PARIS (AFP) — The idea had been mocked for being unduly ambitious, and the site was called out as a major security risk. France, however, was able to exhale in relief on Saturday after years of preparation: the Olympic opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Games had gone off without a hitch.
While it was a dramatic move reminiscent of President Emmanuel Macron, choosing a ceremony on the Seine instead of the more conventional venue carried significant dangers.
It was not a perfect day either. Three attacks on the French railway network’s signal equipment were first reported, causing travel disruptions for the next few days.
