Jogging along Paris's historical axis offers unique experience for Olympic fans

With the Olympic Games underway, the sporting spirit is high in Paris, enticing residents and visitors to take a jog along the city's Historical Axis.

The Historical Axis runs through some of Paris’s most celebrated landmarks and squares, many of which are currently adorned with Olympic flair. Along the route are the Louvre with its Glass Pyramid, the Arc de Triomphe, the Place de la Concorde with its Egyptian obelisk, and the Avenue des Champs-Elysees with the Grande Arche at its extended end, altogether providing a unique coming-together of the past and present, blending history and modernity.

In a charming jog-along interview, Julien Gaudfroy, a French performer and musician who has lived in China and has even performed comedic routines in fluent Chinese, introduced his country's famous capital to a China Central Television reporter as the pair embarked on a delightful morning run.

Paris's axis runs east-west. Joggers can start from the forecourt of the Paris City Hall, which serves as the starting point for the marathon at the Paris Olympics.

Jogging along the axis from the City Hall, one encounters the Louvre where the Glass Pyramid is located. The structure, designed by Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, has become an integral part of the city’s landscape, despite initial resistance to its modern style.

Entering the central Tuileries Garden, visitors cannot miss the spectacular Olympic cauldron balloon surrounded by flocks of tourists where the Olympic flame was lit. The garden, with its lakeside chairs, exudes a relaxing atmosphere.

"You wouldn't normally see this view. The 2024 Paris Olympics bring this unique scene. The Tuileries Garden, together with the Louvre, has become part of it," said Gaudfroy.

Adjacent to the garden is the Place de la Concorde, where the Luxor Obelisk stands. The obelisk was brought to France as a gift in 1830 from Luxor in Egypt.

The jogging route ends at the Grande Arche, a monument and building in the business district of La Défense, which is surprisingly filled with artistic flair and numerous sculptures.

"The end of the axis is Grande Arche, or the new Arc de Triomphe. Along the way, we have seen the two arches, which echo each other," Gaudfroy said.

After more than 10 kilometers of jogging, one can head to the Market of the Red Children, which offers a variety of seasonal fruits, vegetables, seafood, and cheeses.

"The market has a unique charm. It has this lively atmosphere. Look at these walls behind us, these restaurants, and the handwritten menus. It's very Parisian," said the French performance artist.

As American writer Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."

The Olympic Games offer the world a special edition of Paris, welcoming visitors from all over the globe to explore the ancient city's blend of tradition and modernity.

Jogging along Paris's historical axis offers unique experience for Olympic fans

Long-standing challenges in Mexico's automotive industry have been exacerbated with the implementation of the U.S. tariff on imported cars, which took effect Thursday, fueling uncertainty and job losses.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on all imported automobiles.

Ciudad Juarez, one of Mexico's largest trade ports and a key manufacturing hub, is now facing even greater challenges as rising trade protectionism deepens existing pressures.

At a medal parts manufacturing factory that has been in operation for over 30 years, the workforce has drastically reduced from 60 workers to just 25 due to uncertainty about the future.

Even before the U.S. tariffs on imported cars took effect, mounting pressure had already begun to ripple through the industry, prompting many companies to suspend investment and procurement plans.

"Some 95 percent of the products exported from Chihuahua, where Ciudad Juarez is located, are industrial manufactured goods. We have held multiple meetings to discuss solutions. In fact, over the past year and a half, more than 55,000 factory workers here in the city have lost their jobs," said the owner of the factory.

The automotive industry is a key pillar of Mexico's economy, generating nearly 100 billion U.S. dollars in output. The auto parts assembly industry alone provides over 900,000 jobs for the country, while automotive assembly companies create 175,000 jobs.

According to statistics from the Mexican Association of Automotive Dealers (AMDA), over 40 percent of the components used by American auto manufacturers are imported from Mexico. Last year, Mexico produced four million cars, approximately three million of which were exported to the U.S.

Industry insiders indicate that due to the high degree of interdependence in the sector between the U.S. and Mexico, along with a shortage of skilled labor, the U.S. goal of bringing automotive manufacturing back to its shores through tariffs is unlikely to be realized in the short term.

Moreover, the established industrial chain in Mexico faces the risk of being disrupted, which will ultimately have repercussions on consumer spending and further exacerbate inflation in the long run.

"Young people from the U.S. are no longer willing to work in the manufacturing sector. I believe there will be no growth in the relocation of automotive parts and vehicles factories in the short term," said Guillermo Rosales Zarate, ADMA's executive president.

"Personally, I hope this avalanche of tariffs doesn't continue; otherwise, it will lead to more significant issues affecting the U.S. economy. If these tariffs remain in place long-term, it will be the American people who suffer the most," said Ricardo Ramos, a professor with the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez.

U.S. automotive tariffs deepen industry pressures, halt investments in Mexico