Page 1/3
History, Paris Olympics, Sports
Ceremonies, medals and all that stuff
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games must take place on the Seine*. An exceptional fact because, since the restoration of the modern Olympics, this event generally takes place in a stadium. The medals, for their part, will be three in number (gold, silver, bronze). But do we know that the rewards have not […]
History, Paris Olympics, Sports
Chariots of Fire
In 1900 in Paris, the British completely dominated tennis, both individually and in doubles, notably by fielding the very first woman medalist at the Olympics. But it is within 鈥渕ixed鈥� teams that they establish themselves in polo. The notion of 鈥渘ation鈥� is not yet fixed at the Games and athletes from several countries can compete […]
Asterix at the Olympics
Asterix is 鈥嬧�媋 small cartoon character, symbol of Gallic resistance against the Roman invaders. During one of his adventures, he found himself propelled to Olympia, the historic cradle of the Games. Many years later, during the Olympics organized in 1900 in Paris, French athletes particularly distinguished themselves. It must be admitted that they made up […]
Tarzan at the Olympics
From their first participation (at the Athens Olympics in 1896), American athletes imposed their supremacy, with 11 gold medals. In 1900, the very large proportion of French athletes propelled them to the top of the ranking, but in 1924, it was again the USA which had the greatest number of victories and an overwhelming majority […]
Games for everyone?
Low-class competitors were not the only ones to suffer a form of ostracism during the Olympic Games organized in Paris in 1900 and 1924. Women and people of color were also subject to particular treatment, with some being surprised of their prowess, with others openly criticizing their participation in the Games. And in this matter, […]
Did you say 鈥減opular鈥�?
In 1900, the types of sports (recognized or not by the IOC*) indicated a divide between the participants, the audiences and the places where the competitions took place. Paris is thus, in a way, 鈥渃ut in two鈥�: elite sports in the West and popular sports in the East. Line 1 of the metro, inaugurated for […]
My 6 Favorite Museums From Around the Globe
As a history student and a world traveler, one of my absolute favorite things to do in any place that I visit is go to a museum. And though this list may seem like a strange set of museums from disparate places around the world, well, that is exactly what it is. I have by […]
Olympic or not?
Of the 477 events organized in Paris in 1900 as part of the International Physical Exercise Competitions*, only 95 were subsequently approved by the IOC. Whoever wants to claim the title of 鈥淥lympic sport鈥� cannot claim to be. Looking at contemporary rankings, it must be admitted that certain disciplines do not fail to amaze. Among […]
Paris, Olympic city
Historically, Parisian heritage sites have been the setting for sporting competitions. Once again, the 2024 Olympics will rely heavily on these spectacular environments to create unique settings. But a few months before the launch of the event, certain points still remain to be resolved. Will the 鈥渃ity of lights鈥� rise to the challenge? A bullfight […]
Paris invaded by the Olympics
If the Olympiads of the Republic were confined to the Champ de Mars at the end of the 18th century, the second edition of the modern games, much more ambitious in 1900, struggled to find its place in a city cluttered by the Universal Exhibition and used places not particularly dedicated to sport. In 1924, […]
And Paris invented the modern Olympics
If the ancient Olympics were designed in Greece in the 8th century BC, the modern Olympics were indeed held at the baptismal font in Paris. On November 25, 1892, in the large auditorium of the Sorbonne, Pierre de Coubertin called for the restoration of the Olympic Games. Two years later, in the same place, the […]
![5/7/1924, inauguration of the Olympic Games at the Colombes stadium [opening ceremony].](/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1924_summer_olympics_opening_ceremony_6-400x200.jpeg)
The Olympic Games in Paris: The Big Reunion
In 2024, Paris (France) will host the Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11, and the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8. Not really a great first for the French capital since the Olympics will be organized there for the sixth time. Six times ? Some may be surprised And yet… The […]
