French grumpiness has given way to Olympic joy

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Each time the 22-year-old swimmer Léon Marchand dives in a pool to compete, France holds its breath. And each time he wins a medal — he has won an astonishing total of five, with four individual golds — screams of joy ring out in the streets and from cafés and bars. In Olympics venues across Paris, athletes have had to pause to let the fervour pass so they can recommence their own events.

“King Léon”, as the press has anointed him, has been the breakout star of the Olympics for the French. The soft-spoken Toulouse native has inspired the public to abandon their pre-Games Gallic grumpiness and replace it with a frenzied enthusiasm for Les Bleus.

The apocalyptic scenarios forecast by many before the Games (including me) did not happen: the transport system has not collapsed, tourists are here in droves and no terrorist attacks have occurred, although prudence is in order until August 11.

The decision to hold most events at historic monuments — seen as a risky bet only weeks ago — has showcased French panache and creativity.

On Sunday, for example, around 500,000 spectators crammed into the narrow streets of Montmartre to urge cyclists up the steep hill to Sacré Coeur.

Tony Estanguet, a three-time gold medallist who heads the organising committee, and Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, turned out to be right when they urged residents not to leave for what would be a “magical” Games.

Could it be that the usually pessimistic French are happy? A qualitative poll in July before the Games found that nearly two-thirds of those polled were “indifferent” or “worried”, according to Frédéric Dabi from Ifop. But since the competition began, he says, the word “pride” has taken hold.

With the Games taking place during the normally sacrosanct summer holidays, many Parisians fled to avoid expected chaos, but some now regret it after seeing the happiness that has taken hold, according to French media.

Critics, of course, will say this is a bread-and-circus moment in which the French have been distracted from worries about inflation, creaking public services and crime. And the idyll is not likely to last, just as the halo effect that boosted then president Jacques Chirac’s popularity after France won the 1998 World Cup soon dissipated.

But for now, a good mood reigns. Even the once improbable goal set by President Emmanuel Macron for France to finish in the top five of the medals count may be within reach — it currently sits fourth behind the US, China and Australia.

A fan zone in La Villette park has rocked nightly with a young crowd celebrating the French medal winners.

On Sunday, they serenaded an unknown judoka, Benjamin Gaba, who sparked the come-from-behind victory of the French over Japan to win gold in the team judo competition. “We have Benjamin Gaba . . . You may not know him, he came out of nowhere . . . we have Benjamin Gaba,” the crowd sang as the team danced on a stage.

It is hard to believe that only a month ago, the country was in the throes of a divisive snap election called by Macron that led to a badly hung parliament, forcing the president to accept the resignation of his prime minister and the government.

After causing political chaos, Macron then called an “Olympics political truce”, in reference to the historic custom of wars being paused during the Games. Sensing it was no time for division, far-right politician Marine Le Pen and her lieutenant Jordan Bardella stayed out of a controversy over the supposedly “woke” opening ceremony.

Macron has turned into the Games’ cheerleader in chief. He embraced Teddy Riner, a fan favourite star in judo, only minutes after he climbed down from the tatami mat, as if his popularity might rub off.

The Olympic craze has spread to niche sports: in table tennis a nerdy 17-year-old named Félix Lebrun captured bronze, while a trio of BMX bikers shot to fame when they swept all the medals.

Athletes displaying medal-winning prowess, or simply grace in trying, have been a counter to France’s ambient déclinisme. The foreign visitors admiring the Paris Games have helped the French swap their dark glasses for rose-tinted ones.

leila.abboud@ft.com

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