Olympic Games Paris 2024

Paris 2024 Olympics: What is ‘La Marseillaise’, the song of the Games so far?

By Nischal Schwager-Patel
3 min|
France rugby sevens, Paris 2024

Picture by Hannah Peters/Getty Images

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 have been defined by music as much as they have been by sports.

We heard a celebration of French music at the Opening Ceremony, from the iconic Edith Piaf song ‘L’Hymne à l’amour’ sang by Celine Dion on the Eiffel Tower, to the stellar performances of Aya Nakamura and Lady Gaga. The pre-match buildup at events have provided fan singalongs to some classics, both in French and English.

But throughout the Games, there will be one song in particular that you will be sure to hear.

‘La Marseillaise’ is the national anthem of France, written in 1792 by Claude Rouget de Lisle, three years after the French Revolution (14 July, 1789). Three years later, the song was accepted in French parliament as the first national anthem of the French Republic.

La Marseillaise is a crowd pleaser

Its opening lyrics are rousing: ‘Allons enfants de la patrie, le jour de gloire est arrivé!’ – ‘Come on boys of the country, the day of glory has come!’.

The anthem was sung from the rooftop of the Grand Palais by 28-year-old mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel during the Opening Ceremony, which the crowd spontaneously joined in with along the banks of the River Seine and around France.

It is also always played before events such as football and rugby sevens (or any team sports matches) as well as medal ceremonies where athletes from France have won gold.

This is tradition, but the French crowd have also adopted it as a chant during events to bind together and support their athletes.

Antoine Dupont and his France teammates were inspired by the crowd in men's rugby sevens final

Picture by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

French fired up by national anthem

For example, during the men’s rugby sevens final, the Stade de France burst into a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise to get behind Les Bleus. They went on to win 28-7 and claim the first gold medal for the host nation at Paris 2024.

On Day 2, it was the turn of the Grand Palais in the fencing men’s epee individual competition, with the crowd getting behind French fencer Yannick Borel in his table of 8 contest. He also went on to win 12-11 in dramatic fashion, backed by a sea of blue, white and red uniting under the French anthem.

Sport and music have always been interlinked, bringing people together and celebrating the true spirit of the Olympic Games.

As Paris 2024 unfolds over the coming days, La Marseillaise will certainly be the rousing soundtrack.

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