Carried away by the crowd

The events kicked off just a few days ago and it’s amazing to see the incredible enthusiasm inspired by the Olympic Games Paris 2024, of which Groupe BPCE and its companies are Premium Partners… with the home crowd fired up by the incredible results achieved so far by the French athletes. But that’s not all!

Breathtaking!

Suddenly, the Place de la Concorde in central Paris erupted with excitement for the BMX final… Anthony Jeanjean, a cyclist supported by Banque Populaire du Sud, fell at the start of his first run… but then, as he went on his final run, the square came alive as Jeanjean managed to claw his way back and claim a bronze medal.

Just a few hundred meters away in the Champ-de-Mars Arena, the judo events were being held in an absolutely electric atmosphere. Every day, the strains of the Marseillaise echoed down from the stands, the inspiring national anthem that lifted the flagging spirits of Amandine Buchard, supported by Ostrum Asset Management, to enable her to win a magnificent bronze medal.

Just a stone’s throw away on the other side of the Seine in the Grand Palais, the sabre fencers Manon Apithy-Brunet and Sara Balzer, supported respectively by CASDEN Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne Grand Est Europe, won gold (for the former) and silver (for the latter), buoyed up by the crowd to an extent rarely seen in the Olympic Games, just like the French women’s epee team with Coraline Vitalis, supported by BRED Banque Populaire, who claimed the silver medal for the team event while Léo Bergère, a triathlete supported by the Caisse d’Epargne Côte d’Azur, won bronze in the triathlon.

And, in the Paris La Défense Arena, the matches played in tennis, handball and basketball are subject to constant interruption – or triumphant disruption – by the chants and yells of spectators in support of a French athlete after a particularly impressive athletic feat… What on earth is going on?

For months, the comments of the naysayers were chiefly audible but, at the same time, silent in the shadows, there existed the world of sport, the 16 million or so licensees (in addition to all the occasional practitioners) who’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time… Of course, nothing is perfect – how could it be otherwise? – but these Olympic Games, overall, are absolutely astounding, as much for the atmosphere as for the show provided by the athletes; the venues are majestic, including those housed in more traditional setting, and the scenography is magnificent.

Making history

Foreign visitors at all Olympic venues are impressed and thrilled by the atmosphere they encounter in the stadiums. For them, and for the whole world, the sporting events are transfigured by the sublime beauty of their settings. Images of the equestrian events at the Château de Versailles are literally breathtaking, and never before has archery enjoyed such a setting… without mentioning beach volleyball! And then, of course, there’s the soaring glass roof of the Grand Palais and the sight of the fencing finalists walking down the steps of the grand staircase…

In the evening, the Parc de la Villette in northeastern Paris is full of visitors, having already attracting more than 210,000 people to the 15 Olympic houses, including, of course, Club France, the nec plus ultra venue for the celebrations of all the French medalists, the place where the party never stops! With all the different medal celebrations, meetings with athletes, broadcasts of events, sports initiations and concerts… the place is constantly abuzz with energy. At the stand run by the Group, four thousand people a day are welcomed to take part in quizzes, have their photos taken with the celebrated Paris 2024 Olympic or Paralympic Torch, win goodies or discover collector’s items dressed up in the colors of our brands…

Many people familiar with previous Olympic Games are clear about it: Paris 2024 is making Olympic history! It’s true that the Barcelona Games in 1992 and the Sydney Games in 2000 created an extraordinary atmosphere of fraternity and celebration, and it’s equally true that we’re still a long way from the closing ceremony, but Paris 2024 has everything it takes to make it the finest Games in History, and Groupe BPCE is proud to be part of it!

To learn more about which athletes, para athletes, and teams supported by Groupe BPCE companies are present at Paris 2024: