Five days before the opening of the Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet, president of the organising committee, said this Sunday that Paris was ready to host the Games, despite the complaints of some residents and shopkeepers. The athletes are arriving. The quality of the water in the Seine is improving. "Paris is the first priority," he said.

Eight days from this Wednesday before the eyes of the world turn to on Paris and the Seine, Paris 2024 is revealing the names of the two men and two women who wrote the narrative of the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

The torch relay ahead of the Paris Olympics reached the French capital for the first time on Sunday, with organisers hoping to build enthusiasm for the Games among the city's sceptical residents. The flame was first glimpsed during the traditional military parade held every year on Bastille Day and then began its tour around the city from the Champs-Elysees.

After an emotional first day in Paris and an overnight stay in the Salle Saint-Jean of the Paris City Hall, which attracted 2,000 visitors, the Olympic Torch Relay resumed its tour of the French capital. In total, almost 500,000 people took part in this unprecedented two-day celebration.

The Olympic Torch finally arrived in Paris for two days of celebrations and the spirit of the Games took over the capital, giving the Parisians a taste of the festivities to come starting next week. The Torch's route lit up the historic and emblematic sites of the French capital.

The chief organiser of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, former canoeist Tony Estanguet, remains "serene" and confident amid the recent political turmoil in France.

Alexander Ekman, head of choreography and staging for the Paralympic opening ceremony, spoke about carving "a new future" through "greater inclusion" in the development of the event, which will take place on 28 August.

 According to data provided by the organising committee to the AFP news agency, over 8.6 million tickets have already been sold for the Olympic Games. This figure surpasses the record of 8.3 million tickets sold for the Atlanta Games, which until now had held the highest number.

Le Journal du Dimanche reported on Wednesday 3 July in an article signed by Clement Marna that the Olympic Games could be postponed because of the political situation linked to the dissolution of the National Assembly and the early legislative elections.

Tony Estanguet, the chief organiser of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, said on Tuesday that he was concentrating on preparations for the Games later this month rather than the political turmoil rocking France.

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, has praised the legacy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, saying that France can be "proud" of the founder of the modern Olympic Games, despite criticism of his views on women and colonialism 100 years ago.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo acknowledged on Wednesday that the possibility of France's far-right coming to power in elections later this month is causing doubts and concerns as the French capital prepares for the Olympics.

The Olympic Torch made a spectacular journey to the four corners of Martinique, known as the "Island of Flowers", revealing all that makes it so attractive, from the summit of the Montagne Pelée volcano to its lush landscapes and beaches.

After a stopover in Guadeloupe, the Maxi Banque Populaire XI set sail for Martinique. On board were a crew of French overseas athletes and Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, with the French skippers Armel Le Cleac'h and Sébastien Josse back at the helm. Swimmer Coralie Balmy, London 2012 bronze medallist, lit the celebration cauldron in Fort-de-France.

France was the scene of massive demonstrations last Saturday organised by trade unions and left-wing parties to protest against the rise of the far-right, which opinion polls suggest is on the verge of taking power. Police reportedly estimated the number of demonstrators at 250,000 nationwide, with 75,000 concentrated in Paris.