The number of people likely to attend the opening ceremony of Paris Olympics has halved after a revised estimate was provided by French Interior minister Gerald Darmanin said on Wednesday.
The figure, which was around 600,000 in May 2023, has dropped down to about 300,000.
Despite France being on high terrorism alert, the opening ceremony will be a six kilometre parade along the River Seine on July 26.
"The idea is that there will be 100,000 people on the lower quays (with paying tickets) and more than 220,000 people on the upper quays (with free tickets)," Darmanin told French TV channel France 2.
"Then there are all those who live there and who will be able to rent, have parties along the Seine."
The Paris Games offer 32 sports, including four newcomers: surfing (in distant Tahiti), sport climbing, breaking and skateboarding.
15 million spectators will attend the Olympics (July 26 to August 11) and Paralympic Games (August 28 to September 8), according to forecasts by the Paris tourist office, with around 12 percent, or two million coming from abroad, including 1.5 million for the Olympics, many of them British and American.
Security is to be bolstered by 15,000 military personnel and, at Olympic venues and fan zones, between 17,000 and 22,000 private security guards.
30,000 volunteers will welcome and seat spectators, provide information, assist athletes and help with the forecast 6,000 anti-doping tests.
