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.
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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.
"Saying thanks, not just to the athletes but to everyone who made these games magic, I think it's fabulous," said France's most-decorated track athlete, Marie-Jose Perec, who lit the cauldron at the start of the Games on 26 July.
"It's a beautiful way of saying goodbye because everything must come to an end and tonight it will all be over," the visibly emotional 200m and 400m triple gold medallist told reporters.
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 were awarded the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest civilian award, by President Emmanuel Macron.
Among them, judoka Teddy Riner who won his fourth Olympic title. "Thank you, thank you, it's been incredible!" Riner shouted to the cheering crowd.
He received his honour alongside swimmer Léon Marchand and Rugby Sevens star Antoine Dupont at a ceremony at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe.
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Among the athletes who participated in the celebrations: table-tennis brothers Alexis and Félix Lebrun, judoka Romane Dicko as well as fencing champion Manon Apithy-Brunet and the triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand.
Instead of making a speech, Macron recorded a poetic voiceover over images of the Olympics and Paralympics, saying it was "a summer that had already become part of French sporting legend."
Around 70,000 people signed up for free tickets to see the parade and concert set on a stage around the Arc de Triomphe.
Virtues of national cohesion
They witnessed the Olympic flame which rose up one last time from the Tuileries garden, this time tinged with blue, white and red to the tune of "The Crowd" by Edith Piaf.
The airforce did a flyover at 7pm leaving traces of blue, white and red colours in the clear skies.
Saturday night's concert featured singer the mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel, who sang the Marseillaise during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on 26 July.
There was 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".
Analysts say the Games served as a form of escapism for many French people as well as generating a rare form of national union and pride.
"Everything worked, everything functioned and French people rediscovered the virtues of national cohesion," the head of the French Olympic Committee, David Lappartient, told reporters.
(with AFP)
