Finally ! Midnight, the countdown of the last seconds of the year 2024 has just ended on the Arc de Triomphe and released a spectacular and long-awaited fireworks display. And if swarms of telephones have replaced bottles of champagne (alcohol being prohibited), the historic photo that the million spectators were waiting for is captured.
Hugs, jumps for joy or even dancing… The outpouring is there, even if a little frozen by the temperature, and is reminiscent of the joys of summer in the aisles of the Grand Palais or at the stadium Eiffel Tower, under the exploits of the fencers or the French blind football team.
Because the JOPs were inevitably on the minds of many of such a very international audience for this New Year’s Eve. “I saw the images on my TV and people repeating that Paris was magnificent. But it’s true that Paris is a magnificent city! », judges Willi, a fifty-year-old German who came to discover the capital with his wife. “We asked ourselves how to celebrate the change of year differently, we are not disappointed. Even though it’s very expensive, it’s worth it, it’s incredible,” she adds, thinking of their hotel near the Iron Lady. But always with a smile.
A crazier party without or almost no alcohol
However, upon arriving on the Champs-Elysées, Willi experienced a little disappointment. “During one of the three security searches we had to go through, they kept the three bottles of beer I had in my bag. I didn’t know it was prohibited but they made quite a harvest,” he laughs, referring to the hundreds of bottles seized at the entrance to Avenue George V (8th arrondissement).
A crazier party without or almost no alcohol. Willi, like others, found happiness at the kiosk selling cans of beer, playing on the regulations. “It’s not made of glass, I have the right,” says the seller, very happy to have won his evening, between the sale of gloves, hats and beers.
“Tchin!” », shout, in the middle of the avenue, Samanta and Stefano, a young Italian couple who have found the famous sesame. “We’ll only drink one beer from the kiosk, it doesn’t matter. The important thing was to be in this very beautiful, very romantic place,” explains the young man, arm in arm. “I saw some with plastic bottles containing alcohol,” remarks his lover. A security agent even explained to us that they were banning strollers to prevent them from being used during fights “like last year”. “People manage to smuggle alcohol and lose their minds,” he observes between two searches.
New Year’s Eve under high security
No matter, Italian lovers discover the hits of Lio or Maitre Gims which liven up the avenue before the final fireworks. “We’ve been wanting to come for New Year’s Eve for several years, finally,” Samanta finishes, delighted.
Around, some are dancing or are very happy to be in a compact crowd “to be less cold”. Surrounded by many South Americans, Colombians in the lead, Laurent and Sonia are the first French people we meet. “It’s been around ten years since we last came to celebrate New Year’s Eve on the Champs, it’s still just as beautiful here,” says the father of the family from Normandy, who also noticed the three security passages to get here .
Between a marriage proposal and the sound and light on the Arc de Triomphe, thousands of police officers, 6,000 for Paris and the inner circle for this New Year’s Eve, secure the capital. Omnipresent as in the days of the JOPs. Conversely, it was almost impossible to find a Parisian, while Cerronne’s “Supernature” once again thrilled the crowd. When we tell you that there was an air of the Olympic Games this Tuesday evening…
