Paris Mayor Pushes to Keep Olympic Flame Illusion Near Louvre Post-Games

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo advocates for the Olympic flame illusion, currently a popular attraction near the Louvre, to remain in place after the games. The flame, created with light and mist, draws thousands of spectators daily. Hidalgo has written to President Macron for approval, underscoring its symbolic significance.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said she hopes the Olympic flame, an illusion created with lights and suspended below a balloon, can remain near the Louvre museum after the games end.

The flame has become a fixture of the Paris Olympics, attracting hundreds of Parisians and tourists each evening in the Jardin des Tuileries park. Hidalgo has written to President Emmanuel Macron, seeking approval to keep the flame at its current location, emphasizing its symbolic significance.

The flame's designer, Mathieu Lehanneur, expressed that making it a permanent feature would be an honor. Initially unveiled on July 26 during the games' opening ceremony, the flame rises above the French capital daily, drawing thousands of visitors. EDF, the state-owned electric utility, manages the flame, which is created using a spray of mist and a powerful beam of light.

(With inputs from agencies.)