Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

PARIS

Rare parachute jump over Paris the prize for hard-working trio

Something unusual will take place in Paris on Wednesday evening - three prize-winning parachutists will jump from a helicopter over the 7th arrondissement, not far from the Eiffel Tower.

Published: 24 May 2023 10:04 CEST
Rare parachute jump over Paris the prize for hard-working trio
If you go down to the Eiffel Tower in Paris tonight.... (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)

Flights below 2,000m over the capital have been outlawed since 1948, which means that this stunt required special permission from the préfecture de police de Paris.

The parachute drop is part of an awards ceremony at the École Militaire.

In a press release, the prefecture said that “on the occasion of the award ceremony of the Armed Forces Youth Prize, at the École Militaire in Paris and at the request of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, a specialised company will fly over the area and proceed to a drop of three parachutists.”

The overflight operation will be carried out by a twin-engine helicopter and is scheduled to last 1 hour and 45 minutes, between 7.30pm and 9.15pm. 

“In order to drop the parachutists over the École Militaire site, the aircraft will climb to a maximum altitude of 1,493 m in a working area located between the Île aux Cygnes, the National Assembly, the Necker hospital and the Blomet swimming pool,” the prefecture’s statement said.

The parachute jump prize is a special award for an action undertaken between a military and civilian organisation such a school, local community or an association. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

PARIS

Blades of Paris landmark Moulin Rouge windmill collapse

The blades of the Moulin Rouge windmill, one of the most famous landmarks in Paris, collapsed during the night, firefighters said on Thursday, just months before the French capital hosts the Olympics.

Published: 25 April 2024 08:07 CEST
Blades of Paris landmark Moulin Rouge windmill collapse

There was no risk of further collapse, Paris firefighters said. The reason for the accident was not yet known.

“Fortunately this happened after closing,” a Moulin Rouge official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“Every week, the  cabaret’s technical teams check the windmill mechanism and did not note any problems,” the source said, adding that there was no more information on the reason for the collapse.

“It’s the first time that an accident like this has happened since” the cabaret first opened its doors on October 6, 1889, the source said.

Images on social media showed the blade unit lying on the street below, with some of the blades slightly bent from the apparent fall.

The Moulin Rouge cabaret, with its distinctive red windmill blades, is located in northern Paris and is one of the most visited landmarks in the city.

Known as the birthplace of the modern dance form the can-can, it opened its doors in October 1889 at the foot of the Montmartre hill.

It quickly became a hit and a stop to look at its facade or catch a show inside is a must-do on most tourists’ lists of things to do in the French capital.

The accident will add to concerns of whether Paris, one of the most visited cities in the world, is ready to host the thousands more that will descent during July-August for the Olympic Games.

The only serious accident the landmark has endured was a fire that erupted during works in 1915, which forced the venue to close for nine years.

SHOW COMMENTS