At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, tourists have lately found a new addition to the timeless vistas of Paris: the metal stands and sand of a temporary beach volleyball stadium, ready for the Olympics.
Similar works are sprouting up at other city monuments — the grand backdrop for the summer games that start on July 26. The dash to the finish line will see organisers build eight temporary venues, or the equivalent of a roughly 70,000 seat stadium, in just four months.
Skateboarders and breakdancers will compete at Place de la Concorde, archers will let their arrows fly at Les Invalides, while equestrians will saddle up at the palace of Versailles.