2024 Olympic Games: How is Paris preparing?

With just six months to go until the start of the Paris Olympic Games, the clock is ticking for the organising committee. Political bickering, ongoing grumbling about ticket prices and disruption to everyday life are souring the mood in the build-up to the Paris Olympics this July -- something organisers blame on typical French pessimism. Several recent announcements have led to a spike in negative publicity for the sporting mega-event, which will draw a television audience of billions. Many Parisians were dismayed in December by news that transport ticket prices are set to double for the duration of the event and that they should work from home to free up seats on busy metros and buses. The unveiling of planned security measures led to claims some parts of the city would face Covid-style lockdowns, while controversy erupted about the environmental impact of a judges' tower at the surfing venue in French Polynesia. However, Paris 2024 organisers remain confident that sights such as beach volleyball in front of the Eiffel Tower, swimming in the Seine, or the marathon through the capital's fabled streets will lift spirits once the flame is lit on 26 July.