Though she lacks a ticket to the Games, the sounds of triumph will be her closest connection to the global spectacle. The Paris Olympics, running from 26 July to 11 August, 2024, have a unique character. Despite the prestigious title, most events will unfold not in Paris proper, but in Seine-Saint-Denis, a densely populated working-class department north of the city.

This area, known for its notorious banlieues, is home to four major Olympic venues, the athletes’ village, and other key sites. Paris's bid for the Games hinged heavily on the promise of revitalising Seine-Saint-Denis, a region marked by waves of immigration and a staggering poverty rate, where one-third of its 1.6 million residents live below the poverty line.

Mohamed Gnabaly, the upbeat mayor of Ile-Saint-Denis, an island in the River Seine partially hosting the athletes' village, is steadfast in his vision of the Olympics as a catalyst for positive change. His small municipality has acquired 7,000 tickets, ensuring nearly every inhabitant can partake in the Games. 

The island, amid a whirlwind of construction, is poised to reap long-term benefits from the Olympics, despite recent turmoil from riots triggered by police violence. "We have suffered (with all the work) but not only will this transform our town, we will be at the heart of the reactor," Gnabaly insists. "We are not going to be left out by the Games."

Not everyone shares Gnabaly’s optimism. Vigilance JO, a local watchdog group, voices concerns about the disruptive impact on daily life. Cecile Gintrac, a spokesperson for the group, highlights the stark contrast, "One part of Paris is going to be a big party while the other won't be able to go to work or get around" because of all the Olympic road closures and restrictions.

For delivery driver Moussa Syla, the thought of navigating the Francs-Moisins estate during the Games is anxiety-inducing. "It is going to be a nightmare to get around," he says. Yet, amid the scaffolding and cranes transforming Seine-Saint-Denis, there's a glimmer of hope. The Olympics are a continuation of a long-term effort to uplift the area, which began with the construction of the Stade de France for the 1998 World Cup.

High property prices in Paris and the forthcoming expansion of the metro system into Seine-Saint-Denis have attracted developers and companies like Tesla, which has relocated its French headquarters to the area. Isabelle Vallentin of Solideo, the state body overseeing Olympic projects, emphasises the necessity of overhauling the department’s decrepit housing. "Seine-Saint-Denis's extremely decrepit housing has to be overhauled," she states.

The Olympic Village, the Games' largest building project, exemplifies this transformation. Set along the River Seine on a former industrial site, it features architecturally diverse buildings powered by renewable energy. Post-Games, it will become a mixed-use neighbourhood of 2,800 apartments, with a significant portion dedicated to social housing and affordable rents, aiming to avoid the gentrification seen in previous Olympics.

Seine-Saint-Denis will also gain much-needed new swimming facilities, including the Olympic Aquatic Centre near the Stade de France. This spectacular wooden edifice will be dismantled and repurposed after the Games, reflecting the area’s commitment to sustainable development.

Dugny, another small town in the department, is set to transform with the addition of 1,400 new homes, one-third of which are intended to help residents climb the property ladder. Mayor Quentin Gesell hopes this will allow locals to remain close to their roots and families, countering the trend of outmigration. "Many of my friends who had grown up like me in Dugny have had to leave because they can neither buy here or rent," Gesell explains.

New footbridges are also being constructed, linking previously divided areas. Near the Francs-Moisins estate, a new pedestrian and bike bridge over the Saint-Denis canal will replace an unreliable rotating road bridge, significantly improving connectivity. For residents like Karene, a mother of three, this is a tangible improvement. "You have to fold up the pushchair and take the baby in the other arm. So this is really great, a real plus for the area," she says.

Despite these infrastructural strides, skepticism remains about the promised jobs. With an unemployment rate nearly a third higher than the national average, many locals like Fouad Yousfi express frustration at job fairs offering low-wage positions. "I have been to a lot of these and it's always the same," Yousfi laments. Bernard Thibault, a former union leader on the Olympics committee, acknowledges the mismatch between expectations and reality. "We have to be honest, there is probably a mismatch between what was expected of the Games and the level of unemployment and precarity we have," Thibault says.

Yet, local firms have seized some opportunities, with contracts worth €330 million awarded to businesses in Seine-Saint-Denis. Mehdi Ourezifi of Services Persos, a nonprofit securing part of the Olympic Village’s laundry contract, sees this as a victory but notes general disappointment over the economic benefits trickling down. "We are one of the winners," Ourezifi says. "But generally local companies and back-to-work schemes are disappointed."

Beyond economic and infrastructural gains, the Olympics could reshape the image of Seine-Saint-Denis. Increased police operations and a massive security presence aim to curb crime and ensure safety. However, incidents like the attack on a police station and the robbery of the Mongolian delegation head cast a shadow over these efforts.

As Seine-Saint-Denis welcomes visitors from around the globe, it aspires to rewrite its narrative. The region’s diversity and potential, rather than crime and unrest, could define its legacy. Council chief Stephane Troussel believes the Olympics have been a pivot, accelerating the department’s transformation and creating a lasting heritage. "In record time we have managed to deliver a huge amount of infrastructure, housing, roads and bridges," Troussel says. "Five or ten years from now, it will be to Seine-Saint-Denis that people will come to see the heritage of the Paris Games."

Back in Francs-Moisins, Karene hopes the Games' visibility will benefit everyone, despite concerns over organisation. "I hope it is well organised, because if it is like the football (the chaotic scenes before the 2022 Champions League Final), Saint-Denis's image will plummet again," she worries. But as the cheers from Stade de France echo through Samia Achoui’s window, a new chapter for the banlieues begins.