Getting My Games On In Paris (And You Can, Too)

With just one more day of Olympic competition at Tokyo 2020, some already are looking ahead to Paris 2024. 

Here in the French capital -- where I landed today after securing accréditation médias during the first week of the action in Japan -- organizers presented the penultimate session of Le Live Des Jeux or Live Games. 

Held daily since the start to Tokyo 2020, French citizens and a handful of tourists enjoyed live broadcasts via France 2, which I understand is the nation's equivalent to NBC in terms of broadcast rights. Today's telecast included a rerun of the men's basketball final during which France played Team USA. 

Built across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, the live site fills the Fountains of Chaillot with a large stage, billboard-sized monitor, VIP seating, children's sports activities for families, and an Olympian meet and greet area most returning Team France athletes took time to visit. 

At today's event, three French Olympic Team medalists and two other returning Olympians spoke to a growing crowd of fans who also lined up for athlete autographs. 

The medalists also signed a large keepsake board celebrating their gold, silver or bronze accomplishments, with about 25 French media and one blogueur Américain snapped photos. Children took turns launching lawn dart-style javelins or watching karate demonstrations presented by a local dojo. 

In a media briefing held Friday, the Paris 2024 team revealed their portion of the Tokyo 2020 Closing Ceremony, also known as the handover ceremony, will include both the formal presentation of the original Olympic Flag from one city's mayor to the other. 

Simultaneously, an estimated 500 million television viewers will see "the largest ever" banner to be unfurled on the Eiffel Tower as French air force buzzes Paris with a fleet of jets and helicopters. While I did not see the evening test run of these aircraft I certainly heard and felt the vibration from their low flyover The Trocadero while dozing at the Best Western. Racing was mon cœur!    

For souvenir-minded Olympic fans, a word about Paris pins. They don't have any! 

Well, at least there are none to be seen anywhere in the live site. 

I spoke with a Paris 2024 media representative about their retail plans, and with some intention, they also do not yet have an Olympic Store as in some other host cities by the three-year-out milestone (or much earlier). Hoping to trade a few pins or Euros for one of the stylish volunteer hats which match T-shirts of green, maroon or dark blue and red for other staff roles like sanitation, officials and security. 

The rose-colored media badge was hand-written, tempting me to request they write Steve Buscemi in place of my name. 

As stated on the event press kit, Paris 2024 invite le monde rendez-vous le 8 août. 

Paris invites the world: Rendezvous on Aug. 8

So, if you are as exhausted from NBC's Olympic coverage as I was before heading to the Atlanta airport on Friday, there's an alternative option to watch the Paris 2024 handover ceremony and events in France via this Facebook event link (for access, be sure to "Like" Paris 2024's official Facebook page). 

I'll be the guy smiling and waving while donning that pink badge. 

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver