France bid a final and reluctant farewell to the Paris Olympics on Saturday with a parade on the Champs-Elysees followed by an evening concert. Many of France's medal winners were presented with the country's top award, the Legion d'Honneur, by President Emmanuel Macron.
Around 300 French athletes and parathletes took part in the afternoon parade which featured more nearly 10,000 people in total, including volunteers and public sector workers such as garbage collectors.
It was the ultimate way to celebrate the French athletes who took part in the Olympics and Paralympics, deemed a stunning success by Committee President Tony Estanguet and international officials.
The 46-year-old said earlier this week that he "still can't quite believe that it's over."
Estanguet said that the whole period would remain "etched in people's memories".
"This summer, France had a date with history, and the country showed up," he said.
French organisers revel in success of 'benchmark' Paris Paralympics
After months of gloom and self-doubt in the run-up to the start of the Olympics on 26 July, Paris and the country at large threw themselves into the spirit of the Games, embracing new national sporting heroes such as swimmer Leon Marchand along the way.
The French Olympic team finished with a record medals haul of 64, including 16 golds, securing fifth place on the table.
The Paralympic Games from 28 August - 8 September were hailed as "the most spectacular ever" by the head of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons.
At those events, France racked up 75 medals in total, 19 of them gold - putting the country in 8th place on the table.
In all, 187 French athletes will be decorated by President Emmanuel Macron, 120 of whom will be present at the Parade of Champions.
France delivers Macron's wish securing best Olympic medal tally in a century
Among the athletes to participate in the celebrations: rugby sevens captain Antoine Dupont, table-tennis brothers Alexis and Félix Lebrun judokas, Teddy Riner and Romane Dicko as well as fencing champion Manon Apithy-Brunet and the triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand.
Around 70,000 people signed up for free tickets to see the parade and concert set on a stage around the Arc de Triomphe.
Saturday night's concert will feature singer the mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel, who sang the Marseillaise during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on 26 July.
There is also to be an appearance by Chris, formerly of Christine & the Queens, who performed at the Paralympics opening ceremony, as well as blind Malian duo Amadou & Mariam among others.
"We want to experience the Games one last time," Sarah Lacampagne, a 31-year-old PE teacher, told French news agency AFP.
"It's important to congratulate the athletes, the volunteers one last time and to live one last moment together".
(with AFP)
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