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“In Paris, anything can happen,” Fred Siliaix said with a laugh, and it soon became clear that he was no longer talking about diving, his Olympic medal-winning daughter Andrea or his work for the BBC, but about the ongoing partying of fans.
“This is the City of Love… This is sexy Paris!” he exclaimed. “People are meeting here, kissing, having sex, having affairs, and no one knows! You’re in France. It’s going to be fun, man. And we’re going to eat really well.”
To be clear, Sirieix wasn’t referring to the much-maligned athletes’ restaurants in the Olympic Village either, but rather the food competitions in various corners of the city, which, in his opinion, are an Olympic event in themselves. The star of First Dates and The Million Pound Menu also offered some advice for British fans who have five days left to explore the French capital before the Olympics are over.
“Paris is like an amusement park – it’s a treat for the senses,” said Siliaix, who is covering the Olympics for the BBC while watching his 19-year-old daughter compete. “You just have to walk down the street and, if you’re a little smart, you can find a nice restaurant from the outside, look at the menu, you can probably see the food on the plate, and you quickly connect the two and see if it’s a good place. Rather than follow a guide, just walk around the streets. You’ll often have a good meal and meet interesting people. I do it all the time. It’s fun – you never know where a conversation will take you.”
With more English fans than anyone in Paris except the French, Sirieix, who has lived in England since he was 20, hopes this can be a moment to celebrate and strengthen the Anglo-French axis. He cited shared history, such as how the modern Olympics was inspired by Pierre de Coubertin’s visit to Shropshire to meet William Pennybrooks, and how the Concorde was built by British and French manufacturers.
Perfect Match
“There was a spirit of collaboration and partnership here,” he said. “We designed Concorde. When I was growing up[in Limoges]Concorde was only a French plane. To the British, it was only a British plane, but it was a 50-50 split.”
“France and the UK have a very fruitful collaboration. We have been inspired by both countries and I think the Olympics is a great example of how we can work together, do things together and inspire each other.
“I’ve been here (in the UK) for 32 years. Although I’m not officially British, I feel very British. Obviously, I’m very French – my children remind me all the time: ‘Dad, why do you say that?’ It’s great to be able to share the French perspective with my fellow Brits in a way that people can relate to and understand. I can’t help but think of the London 2012 Olympics and how it brought the country together and everyone felt a sense of pride and belonging. The French want to do the same. I burst into tears at the (London) opening ceremony. I’m rooting for Team GB and Team France.”
Although it was a mostly relaxing experience, he admitted that watching his daughter, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, dive brought on a myriad of emotions.
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