Nothing could go wrong: The story behind the Paris Olympics cauldron balloon

Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — The night the Olympic and Paralympic Cauldron first flew over Paris, its designer Mathieu Lehanneur held his breath. The balloon lit by the Olympic torch and set off into the sky was a risk. Lehanneur told The Associated Press that was the first time it had ever been tested in its entirety. Since then, the cauldron has attracted thousands of visitors. It sits on the ground during the day and rises each evening. A petition seeks to make it a permanent monument. After all, the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be temporary, too.