Le Parisien: ‘It’s hard to say goodbye’Closing ceremony receives mixed reviews
Le Parisien’s front page summed up the Olympic Games with one word: “Merci” across a picture of the Eiffel Tower’s revolving beacon alighting on the balloon and cauldron. “The incredible 15 days of Paris Games closed last night in beauty at the Stade de France. It owes its success to the tireless work of the organisers, to their crazy vision and the mobilisation of thousands of volunteers,” it wrote, adding inside: “It’s hard to say goodbye.”
The paper was less enthusiastic about the closing ceremony. “In the end, the athletes paraded during the closing ceremony but were overshadowed in favour of the decor. We spent a good part of the evening not really understanding what was happening. And we weren’t the only ones. The athletes who had stood quietly after their traditional parade were firmly asked to leave …” It said the evening was finally boosted by Tom Cruise.