Paris’s stunning vision for the Olympics wins a gold medal

THE PARIS games are drawing to a close on a note of ferveur olympique in the French capital. Once sceptical, the French have been won over, both by the performance of their athletes, who won more medals than at any previous Olympics, and the sheer beauty of the capital’s backdrops. The sight of BMX freestyle riders in the air above the Place de la Concorde, or triathletes finishing before the golden-domed Invalides, wowed spectators at home and abroad. So when Paris hands over the Olympic flame to Los Angeles, the host in 2028, at the closing ceremony on August 11th the city will transfer both a sporting symbol and a challenge.