The "Iron Curtain" over Paris: on the eve of the Olympics, the city is divided into red and gray zones
In connection with the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games this Friday in Paris, security forces strictly control access to the Seine River and competition venues.
The lucky few who have access to the main waterway of the French capital find themselves among the deserted streets, usually crowded with noisy tourists.
The security zone covers almost six kilometers of the embankments of the Seine and the streets adjacent to it.
All this looks like an "iron curtain" that has descended over the center of Paris: 44,000 barriers have been installed on the streets to protect the venues of the opening ceremony of the Olympics, which made part of the city almost deserted.
Paris is delimited by two types of restricted areas – "red", where the passage of motorized vehicles is prohibited, but the movement of pedestrians and cyclists is allowed, as well as "gray". They are installed around the competition venues and are only available to athletes, locals, tourists who have booked hotel accommodation, and accredited individuals.
No vehicles, except those that have been issued special permits, are allowed here. The creation of red zones, of course, has created difficulties for drivers in the center of the French capital. To get to your destination, you have to make many detours.
For some Parisians, the temporary regulations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have become a plus: they can freely ride a bike and walk became much more pleasantly.
Calm reigns in the gray areas. The streets are almost deserted. Booksellers have closed their shops on the banks of the Seine, where stands have been set up for spectators of the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Nearby restaurants and cafes serve permanent residents and those few who have permission to enter the gray areas.
To gain access, local residents and service providers had to issue special permits in advance at the Paris Police Prefecture.
For security reasons, several metro stations have been closed in the center of the capital, including those located next to the Eiffel Tower.
Access to specially protected perimeters is possible only if QR codes are available.
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