Paris White Elephant

The Elephant of the Bastille (French: Éléphant de la Bastille) was a monument in Paris which existed between 1813 and 1846. Originally conceived in 1808 by Napoleon I, the colossal statue was intended to be created out of bronze and placed in the Place de la Bastille, but only a plaster full. As the Olympic torch lands in Marseille, we ask whether Paris and its suburbs will benefit from the Olympics investments in infrastructure and be able to overcome the 'white elephant' syndrome.

PARIS (AP) - The world's capital of romance intends to make the Olympic Games desirable again. After decades of waste, excess and grotesque behavior by other Olympic hosts, Paris is promising a return to reason with more sober games in 2024. No more white elephant venues that start to decay as soon as the Olympians leave town.

Future hosts of the Olympics are being urged not to build any new venues for the Games as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) looks to avoid "white elephants". As the Olympic torch lands in Marseille, we ask whether Paris and its suburbs will benefit from the Olympics investments in infrastructure and be able to overcome the 'white elephant' syndrome. Mark Owen speaks to Sylvain Bersinger, chief economist of Asterès, a consulting group that gives advice to businesses in the public sector.

#Olympics #Paris []. After decades of waste, excess and grotesque behaviour by other Olympic hosts, Paris is promising a return to reason with more sober games in 2024. No more white elephant venues that start to.

Victor Hugo once described it as "melancholy, sick, crumbling," a far cry from Napoleon's big plans for an elephant monument at the Place de la Bastille. As the Olympic torch lands in Marseille, we ask whether Paris and its suburbs will benefit from the Olympics investments in infrastructure and be able to overcome the 'white elephant' syndrome. Mark Owen speaks to Sylvain Bersinger, chief economist of Asterès, a consulting group that gives advice to businesses in the public sector.

10:25And I think that many people in France 10:28will enjoy the game everywhere in the country, 10:30even if you can't afford to come to Paris and to have a ticket, 10:34because all the French people, 10:37or anyone in the world who loves sport, 10:40will see the Games. Henri Matisse The Nightmare of the White Elephant (Le Cauchemar d l'éléphant blanc) from Jazz 1947 Not on view.