The New Zealand Herald

Girded for the Games

Owners of businesses that focus on tours and cultural experience­s are banking on earlysumme­r visitors to soften the blow that might come from a drop-off during the Games, after the Paris Tourist Office reported that participat­ion in cultural activities was down by 15 per cent during the London Olympics.

Fat Tyre Tours, a leading bike tour company, will run special Olympics-themed tours in early summer, then pivot to bike rentals during the Games to compensate for an expected drop in tour bookings.

Jane Bertch, a co-owner of La Cuisine Paris cooking school, which offers English-language classes in a location near City Hall, said she had noticed a sharp drop in bookings for late summer, but will “run as many classes as possible”.

Rising to the challenge

The Olympic crowds will bring appetites for Paris’ renowned cuisine, but for months, restaurate­urs have been worried that restrictio­ns on motorised vehicles in security zones around the city’s 25 competitio­n venues could curtail deliveries. City officials have calmed some of those nerves.

“We don’t want restaurant­s to close during this monumental event because they’re worried about deliveries,” said Gregoire Ambroselli, a cofounder of the food logistics start-up Choco, during an Olympics-related conference in March.

Now, armed with more clarity on how to adapt to delivery challenges, most restaurant­s and bakeries report they will stay open during the Games, with one big caveat: Many plan to take a break between the closing ceremony, on August 11, and the start of the Paralympic­s, on August 28.

Maslow, a soaring, centrally located vegetarian restaurant facing the Seine, wouldn’t dream of closing, given its proximity to the Olympic action. But that decision comes with some unease. “We’re staying positive because the energy will be incredible, but we’re a bit worried about how hard it will be for our staff to get to work,” said executive chef Mehdi Favri, who is also a co-owner.

Commuting has ranked high among businesses’ concerns. However, locals have faced similar hurdles getting to work before. In 2019, trains across France and public transport in Paris were severely disrupted for nearly two months during a nationwide pension reform strike, forcing workers to walk or cycle long distances.

Andre´ Terrail, the owner of the Michelinst­arred restaurant La Tour d’Argent, which overlooks the Seine, doesn’t think the Olympic commutes will be quite that complex but admits such challenges, in general, are the price of doing business in Paris. “It’s going to be complicate­d. We’re all going to be running around. But it’s also going to be amazing,” he said. “If other host cities have found solutions, so will we.”

Etheliya Hananova, a co-owner and sommelier at the contempora­ry French restaurant Comice, is perhaps the most enthusiast­ic about the summer ahead — enough to remain open seven days a week for three weeks to August 10.

“It’s one of the biggest events in the history of Paris. We’re here to be part of the welcoming committee,” she said.

The scaling-back of the opening ceremony on the Seine has given a reprieve to the antique bookseller­s, or “bouquinist­es”, that line its banks and many plan to stay open. Shoppers will also be able to browse department stores such as Galeries Lafayette, Printemps and Le Bon Marche. For those seeking something unconventi­onal, the Saint-Ouen flea market will sprawl out as usual, offering antiques, vintage clothing and more.

Outside the tourist areas, popular restaurant­s and bars such as Holybelly, Folderol, Kubri, Abricot, Le Mary Celeste and Fulgurance­s aim to draw visitors seeking a break from the crowds. “We’ve decided to open six days a week,” said Rebecca Asthalter, a co-owner of Fulgurance­s. Likewise, independen­t boutiques such as Landline, which sells home goods in a residentia­l neighbourh­ood east of the Bastille, are hoping travellers branch out to calmer parts of the city.

Back in the thick of the action, Marin Montagut, an artist and illustrato­r who sells hand-painted table accessorie­s, stationery, silk scarves and candles from an apothecary-style boutique near the Luxembourg Gardens, is planning a Paris-inspired display of his wares. “I’m looking at this like it’s the World’s Fair. I want to honour the city and be open to all,” he said. “If I’m not optimistic during this period, when will I be?”