A day with the Paralympic Flames in the four corners of Paris

As we strolled through the Parc Montsouris to savor the last moments of August in the sunshine, the day had already got off to a good start. It took an even better turn for Léa and her two children when they learned that the Paralympic flame would be making an appearance in this corner of greenery in the 14th arrondissement. "It was a surprise! We spotted the Paris 2024 Games mascot, and as we got closer, the volunteers explained that the Paralympic flame would be passing by. It was great, because we'd kind of missed out on the Olympics, which fell during our vacation."

A few hundred meters away, the top of the park offers a bird's-eye view of the Great Lawn and the armed Peace Column. At 10 a.m., Nico and Andréas, two soccer freestylers from the Street Style Society (S3) crew, take to the stage. With a ball at their feet, they dazzle young and old alike with tricks combining soccer and dance. Juggling, balancing a ball on their heads, performing numerous tricks contribute to the build-up as the Paralympic flame approaches. The relay takes place in front of an audience gathered in an arc. Then the flame continues its journey, accompanied by the security cordon.

Once the show was over, the two freestylers are back in action. Spectators are invited to try their hand at "nutmegging" the players (passing the ball between their legs). One after another, the larger competitors falter… until Victor, no taller than three balloons, triumphs. He raises his arms, the whole audience applauds: with these Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the party is just getting started.

"When I got the call to carry the Paralympic flame, I didn't hesitate!", says Baptiste, a Parisian working in Luxembourg. He is one of the eight torchbearers gathered in the Bois de Boulogne (16e) on this Wednesday morning. "I was lucky enough to carry the flame in London in 2012. I liked it so much that I applied for the Paris 2024 Games. Today, I'm very moved to be relaying the flame after Miki Matheson, a triple Paralympic gold medalist (in luge racing)!"

Beside the lower lake, under the splendid sunshine, a moment seemed to pause in time. To escort the relay runners, six mounted gendarmes of the Republican Guard and about thirty riders from the Touring Club de France (which operates its school in the forest) were summoned to create an extraordinary equestrian procession.

"The riders told us we could follow them on our bikes!" says 7-year-old Margot, sat on her mum's bike. "These are moments that will remain engraved in her memory!". A little further on, a young man follows the convoy attentively. His sister is one of the riders. "She rides Diabolo, her club competition horse. She was French vice-champion this year! She's very emotional because she's leaving the club to spend a year elsewhere, and that's hard for her! But it's a beautiful send-off!"

For this event, the horses are ridden by teachers and competition riders, explains Lucille from the Touring Club de France. "But our school welcomes all levels of riders, from 2 and a half years old to 80 and over! Riders and horses pose for this magical moment, immortalized by the many spectators. "The horses are very relaxed because they've just come back from vacation! They were in the meadows in the provinces for the summer. It's a great way for them to go back to school," smiles Lucille.

9:30 am: a small crowd of onlookers wait in the Parc Georges-Brassens. I've only seen the flame on television," says Jacqueline, a resident of the 15th arrondissement. As it passes right by my house, I couldn't miss it! A fan of the Olympic Games, from which she "didn't miss a thing for two weeks", she hopes to prolong the pleasure with the Paralympic Games.

"It's here! the little lantern carrying the flame enters the park at 9.45 am. It arrived to the sounds of a Brazilian samba, accompanied by a procession of five giant puppets! I came to see the flame, of course," explains Régis, who works near the park, " but also to enjoy the atmosphere. The Paralympic Games are an opportunity to show disability to the general public in a different, less miserabilistic, more positive way."

The torch is lit around the park's pond, before being carried for around ten minutes by the first athlete, cheered on by the crowd. The second torchbearer, waiting for him at the park exit, is a multi-medal-winning athlete: New Zealand swimmer Duane Kale won six medals, including four golds in para-swimming at the 1996 Atlanta Games. He carries a second torch as he crosses the Square des Périchaux (15th), followed by a growing crowd of curious onlookers.

"It's great to see the flame in real life," says Geneviève, who had already discovered a prototype of the torch in a museum in Saint-Étienne (Loire), not far from where it was made. "What a great idea to take it through Paris!

A large stage stands in the middle of the Place des Fêtes. This afternoon's blazing sun didn't stop the spectators who were introduced to Divertimento at the closing ceremony at the Stade de France (Saint-Denis). On this occasion, the audience can celebrate the symphony orchestra and the dynamic conductor Zahia Ziouani, who have crafted a 'Rhapsodie sportive' in the center of their neighborhood, accessible to all at no cost.

For Habib and his son Amar, having the chance to see the Paralympic flame pass by is really "the icing on the cake". They had already been able to cheer on their local baker, the Olympic torchbearer, when the flame passed through Place Gambetta (20th arrondissement) in July. Starting tomorrow, they'll be watching the first sporting events on television, "but not after September 2, as school starts again…".

Micheline is retired and lives in the west of Paris. She was strolling through the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (19th arrondissement) this morning when she heard that the Place des Fêtes was to be transformed into a concert hall! She immediately called up her friends who, like her, were moved by the documentary on Zahia Ziouani, Un temps d'avance, and didn't want to miss the event.

And then there's Jean-Christophe. This retiree from Toulouse is a Games volunteer at the Stade de France. He wants to "live the Paris 2024 Games to the full". So, on his day off, he's following the torch's journey. On Thursday, he bought tickets for the para-swimming events.

2pm. The first notes of Ravel's Bolero are heard… as the Olympic lantern appears! Then the 003 relay runner, Rémi Dard, arrives from rue Louise-Thuliez to the cheers of the crowd. After the photo poses, he climbs the steps to the center stage to the rhythm of the music. As the song comes to a close, 004 torchbearer Maëlann Giberne joins him, holding out her torch for a harmonious "Torche Kiss"!

The concert continued with Beethoven's European anthem, followed by arias by Bizet, Tchaikovsky and traditional Irish music. An inclusive show: SoundX vests, capable of translating music into vibrations, were made available to people with hearing impairments. They will also be on loan for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games.