Paris Museums Getting into Olympic Groove

A man stands between artworks entitled "The Biglin Brothers Racing" (L) and "John Biglin in a Single Scull" by American artist Thomas Eakins at Musee Marmottan Monet, in Paris, France, 03 April 2024. (EPA)
A man stands between artworks entitled "The Biglin Brothers Racing" (L) and "John Biglin in a Single Scull" by American artist Thomas Eakins at Musee Marmottan Monet, in Paris, France, 03 April 2024. (EPA)
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Paris Museums Getting into Olympic Groove

A man stands between artworks entitled "The Biglin Brothers Racing" (L) and "John Biglin in a Single Scull" by American artist Thomas Eakins at Musee Marmottan Monet, in Paris, France, 03 April 2024. (EPA)
A man stands between artworks entitled "The Biglin Brothers Racing" (L) and "John Biglin in a Single Scull" by American artist Thomas Eakins at Musee Marmottan Monet, in Paris, France, 03 April 2024. (EPA)

Between events, the 14 million visitors expected in Paris during the Olympics will have the opportunity to nourish their minds in thematic exhibitions listed on the official application called "La Carte des Jeux" ("The Games Map").

During the 2012 London Games, museums in the British capital suffered s significant drop in attendance but Paris is hoping visitors will combine sports and arts from July 26-Aug. 11.

"In Paris, the configuration is very different: many events take place in the city - Concorde, Invalides, Grand Palais. So people will come out of their competition and immediately be close to a cultural place," Dominique Hervieu, the director of culture at Paris 2024, told Reuters.

A number of museums are staging sports-themed exhibitions over the next few months.

The Marmottan-Monet museum will be running an "Artists and sport, 1870-1930" exhibition until September featuring Claude Monet's "Regates at Argenteuil" and works by Gustave Caillebotte and Paul Signac, an eminent yachtsman of his time.

The Louvre, the most visited museum in the world, unveils an exhibition called "Olympism" on April 24.

Two days later, the Immigration museum will show "Olympism, a history of the world", which will highlight "the struggles in favor of equality, against racism and discrimination".

Among the many other cultural events are a grand ball on June 22 at the Orsay Museum reminiscent of the one organized during the 1924 Olympics in Paris and an exhibition of old photographs in the Tuileries gardens.



Viking Ship Navigating Seafarers’ Ancient Routes Berths in Adriatic 

A full-size archaeological reconstruction of a 10th-century Viking knarr "Saga Farmann" on its years-long expedition through European rivers, channels and seas, is berthed in Port of Bar, Montenegro, July 20, 2024. (Reuters)
A full-size archaeological reconstruction of a 10th-century Viking knarr "Saga Farmann" on its years-long expedition through European rivers, channels and seas, is berthed in Port of Bar, Montenegro, July 20, 2024. (Reuters)
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Viking Ship Navigating Seafarers’ Ancient Routes Berths in Adriatic 

A full-size archaeological reconstruction of a 10th-century Viking knarr "Saga Farmann" on its years-long expedition through European rivers, channels and seas, is berthed in Port of Bar, Montenegro, July 20, 2024. (Reuters)
A full-size archaeological reconstruction of a 10th-century Viking knarr "Saga Farmann" on its years-long expedition through European rivers, channels and seas, is berthed in Port of Bar, Montenegro, July 20, 2024. (Reuters)

A replica Viking ship has berthed in Montenegro's Adriatic port of Bar on a years-long trip through European waters inspired by the Norse seafarers who set out from Scandinavia to explore, trade and conquer a millennium ago.

The ship, Saga Farmann, is a full-size archaeological reconstruction of a 10th-century Viking cargo vessel, or knarr, made from oak and pine, which was found in Norway as early as 1893 but only excavated in the 1970s.

"This is the type of ship that would travel to Iceland, or Greenland, even North America," said Linda Sten Vagnes, one of the journey's leaders.

The trip, set to end in 2026, was originally planned to follow the Norwegian coast into the White Sea off northern Russia and the Volga River, but it was rerouted to follow the rivers of Europe from West to East.

"We had to the change the route because of the war (in Ukraine)," Sten Vagnes said.

The Viking age, spanning the 8th to 11th centuries AD, saw Norsemen journey from Scandinavia aboard timber longships to stage raids, trade and settle across a wide region, including North America, using their mastery of maritime technology.

The Saga Farman's journey, which started in 2023, was inspired by the sagas about Vikings who travelled to Constantinople, capital of the-then Byzantine empire.

It took years of hard work by enthusiasts, with the support of the governments of Denmark and Norway, to make an exact copy of a knarr. The vessel was launched in 2018, said Axel Hubert Persvik, a ship builder.

"It takes a long time because most of craft we do is by hand, ... it takes many hours to build it."

At the latest leg of the trip, the 21 meters (69 ft)-long and five meters (16 ft)-wide ship sailed from the Aegean Sea into the Adriatic, said Zander Simpson, the ship's captain.

"The next stage of the trip is around Italy, Sicily ... to stay in Rome this winter, before next year's stage which will take her up the Italian coast, the French Riviera ... to Paris."

In addition to sails and oars, the Saga Farmann has four electric motors to propel it upwind and upstream. More than three tons of batteries are stored onboard where they serve for propulsion and as ballast.