Two years after the Paris 2024 Olympics concluded, the event’s most memorable symbol remains a fixture of the Parisian nightscape. The luminous cauldron, suspended from a massive glowing balloon, continued to make regular appearances throughout the summer, delighting spectators and visitors alike.
On a warm August evening, crowds gathered on the lawns between the Louvre Museum and the Tuileries Garden, waiting hours before the scheduled launch. By 9:30 p.m., a quiet reverence fell over the assembled thousands as the balloon began its slow ascent from the Tuileries grounds.
As the floating structure rose several hundred feet into the air, bobbing gently overhead, the crowd erupted into applause. Many attendees pulled out their phones to capture photos and videos of the spectacle, though some, like reporter Hannah Bloch, chose to simply witness the moment without a screen.
Bloch, writing for NPR’s Far-Flung Postcards series, compared the experience to the magic of the giant red balloon from the classic French film
That Tintin reference was spot on. It really does feel like something out of a storybook.
Skeptical about the crowds, but the visuals are undeniable. A perfect marriage of engineering and art.
Does anyone know if the schedule changes in winter? I’m visiting next month and want to be sure it’s still running.
Two years later and it’s still the best free show in Paris? Wish they’d keep it for a decade.
It’s genuinely magical. I went last night and it felt like time stood still as it rose.