It only took the first day after the launch ceremony to relaunch all Olympic opening extravaganzas. Images and metaphors and symbols abound. Thank you Antoine Dupont, France's rugby hero extraordinaire.
Thar be gold in Saint-Denis
Let's rewind to late autumn 2023 and the silence in the Stade de France when South Africans had the temerity to come over here and steal Frenchmen's jobs of parading with the rugby World Cup trophy.
France skipper Antoine Dupont was not a happy bunny after the 29-28 defeat at the Stade de France. He said the referee was not up to the job.
But Dupont was all smiles at the same venue eight months on because France are rugby sevens Olympic champions following a 28-7 wallop of defending champions Fiji.
"It's always difficult to appreciate what you've just achieved straight afterwards," said Dupont as he cradled his gold medal. "I'll have the whole summer to look back and savour what we've done."
He can look forward too. Only three more years until the next dodgy referee at a rugby World Cup.
France thrash Fiji in rugby sevens to claim first gold medal at Paris Olympics
Abridged version
Antoine Dupont's from near Toulouse. There was a family-run Hotel Dupont near a pont (bridge) in the village. We're into nominative determinism. Antoine. Bridge.
His introduction for the second-half of the final against Fiji led to another stratosphere. He set up one try and scored two others in the 28-7 rout of Fiji.
The France team – kitted out in their rather striking creamy white suits – did a snazzy dance routine as part of the celebrations. Groovy for some. A bridge too far for others.
And so farewell
The final was coach Jerome Daret's last dance with the cream of France. The 49-year-old steps away from his post after seven years in charge.
It's not been all glory. France's rugby sevens teams reached the last eight at the 2018 and 2022 rugby sevens World Cup.
Daret hinted he might stay with the French rugby federation to develop the game of sevens around France.
Sevens heaven: France win first Olympic gold in event at fan's first rugby match
Medals
France's golden boys capped a good day at the Olympic office for the hosts.
Shirine Boukli won the country's first medal with bronze in the -48kg women's judo. Luka Mkheidze took silver in the men's -60kg judo and Auriane Mallo-Breton claimed silver in the women's epee.
At the end of Day 1, the French delegation's haul had put them fourth overall in the medals table.
Voyage
What better way to forget domestic political armageddon than trips around the 6 billion-euro Olympic showcase?
President Emmanuel Macron was hither and thither of Day 1. To the Champs de Mars to watch the judokas, up to Saint-Denis for the rugger and down to Grand Palais for the fencing. The whirl.
Macron says he hopes the French will finish in the top five in the medals table. Such are his political woes that if he were to put such a statement to his parliament, there'd be disagreements. Emmanuel, you need a bridge.
