The seven-year odyssey of the Paris Olympics should reach shore after a spectacular but hopefully serene opening cruise down the River Seine on Friday at the end of a voyage that has survived rocky political moments.
Following the horse-trading to win the Games came the French infighting over how to host them.
Paris was not sure it wanted to risk another rebuff after losing its 2005 bid for the 2012 Games to a London bid that the French believed to be inferior.