SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs announced their "Play Paris" initiative dedicated to Victor Wembanyama's hometown of Le Chesnay aims to inspire young athletes and create a lasting impact on the Parisian community "Play Paris" kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by the unveiling of two side-by-side outdoor basketball courts the court art incorporates elements inspired by current Spurs uniforms and the iconic Le Chesnay clock tower “The Spurs ‘Play Paris’ initiative isn't just about building a court it's about creating a vibrant hub for the community that honors Victor's journey and his commitment to giving back,” said RC Buford “This renovated space will hopefully inspire the next generation and showcase the power of sports to bring people together.” San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama meets youths as he inaugurates a basketball court San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama inaugurates a basketball court San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama delivers a speech as he inaugurates a basketball court San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama reacts as he inaugurates a basketball court and teammates pose as he inaugurates a basketball court San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama meets residents as he inaugurates a basketball court San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama poses as he inaugurates a basketball court France (AP) — Victor Wembanyama stood on the center stripe of a new outdoor court in his hometown his arms outstretched to their full 8-foot wingspan as he posed for a slew of photographers Wembanyama unveiled a gift of sorts to his hometown and the next generation on Tuesday a pair of outdoor courts — one for 5-on-5 play the other for 3-on-3 play — that were built to the specifications that he wanted and sketched out himself this started in a room with an idea,” San Antonio general manager Brian Wright said as about five dozen kids sat on the court in front of him and another 100 or so people watched from adjacent courtside seating “And I remember watching Victor going on a whiteboard and literally drawing every single detail of the court that you see today and putting his heart and soul into designing this court for the children to play on It speaks to how special you are and how special this is to you Wembanyama and the Spurs are in France this week playing a pair of games Thursday and Saturday in Paris against the Indiana Pacers And it’s often assumed that he’s from Paris but he’s from Le Chesnay — about 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of the city It was important to him to make this happen in time for the Spurs’ visit there The challenges were many: There were old courts in that space to excavate it’s not great weather for construction at this time of year building anything so close to the Palace of Versailles seems to be a bit of logistical headache it seems that Victor possesses great qualities of art and a certain capacity for persuasion,” Delepierre said Construction really got going just a couple months ago the fibers still tight together as if to show not a single shot had gone through them yet The kids peeled back a black drape to show off the center court design — a nod to both the Spurs’ logo and the Le Chesnay clock tower — and Wembanyama caught a lob for the ceremonial first dunk “It was my dream also to have these kind of courts when I was living here,” Wembanyama said Le Chesnay is a small city of about 30,000 From town hall there’s a view of the Palace of Versailles the home King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette shared in the late 18th century before he was beheaded during the French Revolution Local legend suggests Napoleon roamed the area at times even ordering that trees be planted to line the streets a certain way It is also where Wembanyama’s basketball life began to grow Local officials say the majority of residents there — the Chesnaycourtois and Chesnaycourtoise — take part in some sort of sporting activity Wembanyama created a bit of a stir in town when he brought friends in for an impromptu pickup soccer match last year some of them roaming the same field that they did as little kids There even was a filly named Le Chesnay that raced at the famed Saratoga Race Course in 2009 Kids are playing the game all the time in Le Chesnay most of them — as one would guess — wearing Spurs jerseys or T-shirts “The Spurs ‘Play Paris’ initiative isn’t just about building a court it’s about creating a vibrant hub for the community that honors Victor’s journey and his commitment to giving back,” said RC Buford The Spurs haven’t said what they spent on the project but it was a “significant” part of the estimated $500,000 budget It’s also important to note that the courts aren’t some Wembanyama tribute; the city logo and the Spurs logo are present but nothing that screams the 2023-24 NBA rookie of the year’s name Ricardo Sandoval is a Newsweek contributor based in Los Angeles Ricardo has been with Newsweek since 2024 and also writes for On SI for the Lakers Ricardo also is a staff writer for Dodgers Nation He is a graduate of California State University Northridge You can get in touch with Ricardo by emailing r.klein@newsweek.com You can also follow Ricardo on X @_RicardoSand either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama is only in his second year in the league and has already established himself as one of the top players More news: Spurs Predicted to Land $26M Big From Rebuilding NBA Team Wembanyama burst onto the scene with an incredible rookie season, and he is destined to accomplish even more in the league after winning the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year award and before the whole world knew who he was he was a kid from Le Chesnay in the Paris region That is where he grew to love the game of basketball As he and his team get ready to play a two-game series in his home country against the Indiana Pacers he was honored with a special basketball court in his hometown More news: Massive Trade Scenario Has Mavericks Adding Dynamic $23 Million Guard The NBA shared via X Ahead of #NBAParis on Thursday & Saturday, Wemby’s hometown of Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt unveiled a court in his honor! ❤️🇫🇷 @wemby pic.twitter.com/MqkXYejYfn Wembanyama was seen playing with the kids in attendance and taking video selfies with them making memories for these kids that will last a lifetime The 21-year-old began his professional basketball career at the age of 15 with Nanterre 92 of the LNB Pro A in 2019 he moved to ASVEL and won the Pro A title in his only season there More news: Massive Trade Proposal Has Celtics Swapping Champion Guard for $78M Center Wembanyama signed with Metropolitans 92 and became the youngest player to win the Pro A MVP award and earned Pro A Best Defender honors while leading the league in scoring The French phenom is dazzling with his incredible combination of height, length, speed, agility, ball-handling skills, and shooting ability and range. This is why it came as no surprise when the Spurs selected him No.1 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft Wembanyama is a phenom, and he's proving that and then some as he played just over his 100th game in the NBA So far in the NBA Wembanyama is averaging 22.4 points per game and 1.2 steals while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from three in 107 games and 30.8 minutes The Spurs will take on the Pacers on Thursday and Saturday in Paris at the Accor Arena Blockbuster Trade Idea Sends Bulls' Lonzo Ball Back to LA Massive Trade Idea Has Knicks Land Elite $48M Defensive Center Lakers, Rockets Headline Potential Landing Spots For Star Guard Amid Trade Rumors For more NBA news and rumors, stay tuned to Newsweek Sports Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article Newsletters in your inbox See all Growing up in the quiet Paris suburb of Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt used to dream about having access to a basketball court where he could practice and hoop to his heart’s delight but for the young kids and athletes growing up in his hometown Wemby was back in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt to unveil two brand-new basketball courts—one for full 5-on-5 games and another for 3-on-3 matchups cost a little over $400,000 and was made possible in large part by the Spurs Give Foundation who are also launching seven youth basketball clinics as part of a “Play Paris” initiative who feel a deep-rooted connection with France and commitment to positively impact the Parisian community will continue to invest in creating safe and inclusive spaces for young athletes across the city this started in a room with an idea,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said as he recalled watching Victor going to a whiteboard and drawing every single detail of the courts Now that I have the chance and the people to help me make it happen As soon as I got the opportunity to start a project back home the 7-foot-4 Spurs star stood in the cold without a hat or scarf which feature a reimagined Spurs logo by famous local street artist that features the local Chesnay-Rocquencourt clock tower in place of San Antonio’s Tower of the Americas The colorful courts represent more than just a place to play—they’re a nod to Wemby’s roots and his journey from this quiet suburb to the NBA The celebration was witnessed by several of Wemby’s Spurs teammates who signed autographs and took photos with kids outside the gymnasium where the courts were unveiled was on hand to keep the energy up and the smiles coming “Being here is really special,” Wembanyama told the crowd “It’s incredible to see so many familiar faces—family This project came together quickly thanks to the amazing efforts of the city I always dreamed of having a place like this to play which includes an appearance at the Louis Vuitton fashion show later in the day as part of Paris Fashion Week Wembanyama’s heart remains firmly tied to his roots and now ensures that the next generation has the opportunity to pursue their own hoops dreams For more breaking news and analysis about the Spurs, follow Dusty Garza on X Join over forty thousand Spurs fans as they discuss NBA and Spurs basketball 24/7 at SpursReport on Facebook You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed But before the world knew about Victor Wembanyama Le Chesnay was helping the gentle giant find his feet By Konrad Marshall NBA star Victor Wembanyama.Credit: Wembanya Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Seventeen kilometres west of Paris rests a suburb or village – it feels like all of the above and none of the above – named Le Chesnay and the ostentatious Chateau de Versailles – but also the brutish A13 freeway and a Westfield mall – the tiny banlieue seems sleepy in its isolation It’s a weird mix of historic bourgeois structures and modern blockish pragmatism its sloping streets are shaded with rows of plane trees – planted by order of Napoleon It’s also where the great sporting hope of this French republic – notwithstanding “Magique” Leon Marchand – was born and raised Or the nickname Nike gave him: The Extraterrestrial at the Pellouard Gymanse basketball court where Victor Wembanyama learnt to play.Credit: Eddie Jim the 224-centimetre “alien” (basketball great LeBron James’ nomenclature not mine) who was last year’s No.1 NBA draft pick for the San Antonio Spurs and who is currently preparing to lift the French national basketball team into medal contention at his home Olympics starting with a quarter-final in Paris on Tuesday They say Wemby is the future of hoops First stop is the first local basketball court identified by Google Maps – Gymnase Remilly – where Hugo Zeitter These incredibly sweaty lads play for Jeunesse Arcisienne in nearby Bois d’Arcy orange and “sparkle blue” nail polish and admits he isn’t the strongest player is dropping three-pointers – nothing but net – while Plouvier does the same – all nylon I’m curious to know whether they ever came across Wembanyama here – maybe even played a sneaky game of pick-up Shooting under the midday sun in the town where Wemby grew up are (left to right) local players Hugo Zeitter who love the acclaim their home town hero has won.Credit: Eddie Jim “and to see him now in the Olympics is amazing.” “I don’t think his appeal is local any more,” Plouvier reflects Jeremy Beauvillain is there directing an after-school program for kids complete with climbing wall and ping pong table meaning cooking classes (burritos on the menu today) or excursions to play laser tag or the analogue version: kids running in and outside with water guns His whole family was like that,” Beauvillain says through a translator trying out handball or soccer on the field outside the window “Their parents let them choose what sports really interested them – they didn’t force them into basketball.” But there is a basketball court here and that’s where Wemby started playing He suited up for the excellently and thoroughly named junior basketball club l’Entente Le Chesnay Versailles 78 Basket – or ELCVB for short and playing junior basketball in the Parisian suburb of Le Chesnay he was already six feet (183 centimetres) tall The Scorpions’ indoor court is open and empty right now The scoreboard reads “Locaux 0 – Visiteurs 0” Wembanyama mentioned this place only a week ago when interviewed by Toutes Les Nouvelles: “I have a lot of memories from this time,” he said “It’s in Le Chesnay that basketball really started for me.” I come upon a group of a dozen older gentlemen playing petanque in the shade tossing heavy steel balls onto the crushed rock aiming for the wooden ball – le cochonet (“the little one”) – with frightening precision They won’t necessarily watch when France play their final group game later against Germany (Deutschland wins easily) because in summer they play petanque by streetlight or moonlight until 3am pipes up to say that he was a basketball player once Impressive for someone standing 185 centimetres because of his outstanding vertical leap of 125 centimetres (Considering the leap record for an AFL draftee is 107 centimetres I’m going to call taureau merde on that claim.) But I do believe Sauvaget when he assesses what young Victor means to this place Deadeye petanque player Thierry Sauvaget lives in Le Chesnay “He’s a son of the city.”Credit: Eddie Jim We seek an audience without notice and are informed that he is very busy but has 10 minutes to spare before an important appointment holding court in the top-floor corner office of the Hotel de Ville (town hall) Has he met the phenom we’re here to discuss He rifles through photos on his phone for more than a minute while explaining that his daughter went to school with Victor He met him briefly when Victor was very small because Victor was always quite big – six feet (183 centimetres) tall by the time he was 12 Delepierre also met Wembanyama in April and he’s found the photo evidence on that soccer field near the petanque players Wembanyama was back for a visit and wanted to play a soccer match with his friends so the commune let him borrow the field for the day They came in a minibus with a security detail and scores of children lined up to watch “I told his mother that even with a blonde wig we’re not going to be able to hide him,” Delepierre says “It’s easy in retrospect to tell the story dwarfs Mayor Richard Delepierre on a recent visit home to Le Chesnay Delepierre points out that Wembanyama frequently says in interviews that he is from Le Chesnay – rather than Versailles has taught basketball to hundreds of local children People see her 191-centimetre frame out at the mall and can’t help but stand out at 198 centimetres “If Victor owes the beginning of his career to anyone,” says the mayor In a 2022 interview with The New York Times Wembanyama explained how he always felt like he was on a different level “I was just thinking differently than everyone I’ve always tried to be original in everything I do and it’s really something that stays in my soul: be original “And people really appreciate that he hasn’t gotten full of himself I’m curious to know if Le Chesnay had a favourite son before Victor then quickly laughs and waves “No” and says (in English) “Joke ‘People really appreciate that he hasn’t gotten full of himself The French electronic music group Air hail from here along with a star aviator from the Second World War “But one day Victor will have a statue,” Delepierre says filled with many prominent figures who are appreciative of peace and discretion He includes Wembanyama’s parents in that group Delepierre could show me their modest home or point out the old Renault they still drive “We don’t want them to be forced to leave because of the attention so we haven’t created any Olympic fan zone for Victor,” he says The young superstar centre didn’t really leave here that long ago Victor Wembanyama is only 20 years old and left Le Chesnay shortly after turning 10 an elite basketball academy 20 minutes away and now everywhere – all in a blinding flash The president of the ELCVB – Philippe Pham who was regrettably uncontactable on summer holiday (along with half of Paris) – remarked only recently on what the club saw in him back then “We won’t see another one like him for a long time.” For Olympics news, results and expert analysis sent daily throughout the Games, sign up for our Sport newsletter. or village \\u2013 it feels like all of the above and none of the above \\u2013 named Le Chesnay and the ostentatious Chateau de Versailles \\u2013 but also the brutish A13 freeway and a Westfield mall \\u2013 the tiny banlieue seems sleepy in its isolation It\\u2019s a weird mix of historic bourgeois structures and modern blockish pragmatism its sloping streets are shaded with rows of plane trees \\u2013 planted by order of Napoleon It\\u2019s also where the great sporting hope of this French republic \\u2013 notwithstanding \\u201CMagique\\u201D Leon Marchand \\u2013 was born and raised the 224-centimetre \\u201Calien\\u201D (basketball great LeBron James\\u2019 nomenclature not mine) who was last year\\u2019s No.1 NBA draft pick for the San Antonio Spurs First stop is the first local basketball court identified by Google Maps \\u2013 Gymnase Remilly \\u2013 where Hugo Zeitter These incredibly sweaty lads play for Jeunesse Arcisienne in nearby Bois d\\u2019Arcy orange and \\u201Csparkle blue\\u201D nail polish and admits he isn\\u2019t the strongest player is dropping three-pointers \\u2013 nothing but net \\u2013 while Plouvier does the same \\u2013 all nylon I\\u2019m curious to know whether they ever came across Wembanyama here \\u2013 maybe even played a sneaky game of pick-up \\u201CVictor never played here,\\u201D says Zeitter \\u201CIt was built six months ago!\\u201D he says \\u201CBut it\\u2019s so cool to have a French player \\u201Cand to see him now in the Olympics is amazing.\\u201D \\u201CI don\\u2019t think his appeal is local any more,\\u201D Plouvier reflects His whole family was like that,\\u201D Beauvillain says through a translator \\u201CTheir parents let them choose what sports really interested them \\u2013 they didn\\u2019t force them into basketball.\\u201D But there is a basketball court here and that\\u2019s where Wemby started playing He suited up for the excellently and thoroughly named junior basketball club l\\u2019Entente Le Chesnay Versailles 78 Basket \\u2013 or ELCVB for short The Scorpions\\u2019 indoor court is open and empty right now The scoreboard reads \\u201CLocaux 0 \\u2013 Visiteurs 0\\u201D when interviewed by Toutes Les Nouvelles: \\u201CI have a lot of memories from this time,\\u201D he said \\u201CIt\\u2019s in Le Chesnay that basketball really started for me.\\u201D aiming for the wooden ball \\u2013 le cochonet (\\u201Cthe little one\\u201D) \\u2013 with frightening precision They won\\u2019t necessarily watch when France play their final group game later against Germany (Deutschland wins easily) \\u201CHe was the goalkeeper,\\u201D says Bringuier \\u201CHe had no trouble blocking the ball.\\u201D I\\u2019m going to call taureau merde on that claim.) He\\u2019s a son of the city,\\u201D Sauvaget says \\u201CEveryone is counting on him in France it would be an honour for the city.\\u201D Has he met the phenom we\\u2019re here to discuss \\u201CI have,\\u201D he says through a translator \\u201Cand I\\u2019m going to prove it to you because Victor was always quite big \\u2013 six feet (183 centimetres) tall by the time he was 12 Delepierre also met Wembanyama in April and he\\u2019s found the photo evidence \\u201CI told his mother that even with a blonde wig we\\u2019re not going to be able to hide him,\\u201D Delepierre says \\u201CIt\\u2019s easy in retrospect to tell the story Delepierre points out that Wembanyama frequently says in interviews that he is from Le Chesnay \\u2013 rather than Versailles \\u201CAnd this is not just for show.\\u201D and can\\u2019t help but stand out at 198 centimetres \\u201CIf Victor owes the beginning of his career to anyone,\\u201D says the mayor \\u201CI was just thinking differently than everyone I\\u2019ve always tried to be original in everything I do and it\\u2019s really something that stays in my soul: be original so it\\u2019s inspiring,\\u201D Delepierre says \\u201CAnd people really appreciate that he hasn\\u2019t gotten full of himself I\\u2019m curious to know if Le Chesnay had a favourite son before Victor then quickly laughs and waves \\u201CNo\\u201D and says (in English) \\u201CJoke \\u201CBut one day Victor will have a statue,\\u201D Delepierre says He includes Wembanyama\\u2019s parents in that group \\u201CWe don\\u2019t want them to be forced to leave because of the attention so we haven\\u2019t created any Olympic fan zone for Victor,\\u201D he says The young superstar centre didn\\u2019t really leave here that long ago and now everywhere \\u2013 all in a blinding flash The president of the ELCVB \\u2013 Philippe Pham who was regrettably uncontactable on summer holiday (along with half of Paris) \\u2013 remarked only recently on what the club saw in him back then \\u201CIt\\u2019s like seeing a comet,\\u201D he said \\u201CWe won\\u2019t see another one like him for a long time.\\u201D results and expert analysis sent daily throughout the Games \\u2018People really appreciate that he hasn\\u2019t gotten full of himself There\\u2019s a lot of maturity in Victor.\\u2019 San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama unveiled a pair of outdoor courts on Tuesday in his hometown of Le Chesnay the other for 3-on-3 play — were built to the specifications that he wanted and sketched himself Wembanyama and the Spurs are in France this week, playing back-to-back games Thursday and Saturday in Paris against the Indiana Pacers Wembanyama is not originally from Paris; he’s from Le Chesnay — approximately 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of the city this started in a room with an idea,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said Ahead of #NBAParis on Thursday & Saturday, Wemby’s hometown of Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt unveiled a court in his honor! ❤️🇫🇷 @wemby pic.twitter.com/MqkXYejYfn — NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2025 “The Spurs’ ‘Play Paris’ initiative isn’t just about building a court Victor Wembanyama intended for the courts to be ready in time for San Antonio’s arrival Much needed to go right for the former NBA Rookie of the Year In order for Wembanyama’s dream to come true the old courts in that space had to be removed and his designs had to be approved by city officials as well considering how close the courts are to the Palace of Versailles The “Play Paris” court is officially open! pic.twitter.com/LWPThI48En — San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) January 21, 2025 Construction was finally completed on Tuesday and the kids peeled back a black drape to show off the center court design — which pays homage to both the Spurs’ logo and the Le Chesnay clock tower Victor Wembanyama even caught a lob for the ceremonial first dunk “It was my dream also to have these kinds of courts when I was living here,” he said after the unveiling “We feel like we’re coming home,” said Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were taking advantage of a break in the rainy skies to walk the grounds of the Paris France Temple on Friday Downloadable B-roll & SOTs Located less than two miles from the famed Palace of Versailles the temple is the Church’s House of the Lord in France where the faith’s highest sacraments uniting families are performed “Look at those colors,” Elder Rasband’s wife exclaimed as she pointed to a tapestry of tulips and spring flower beds welcoming visitors the Apostle and his wife stopped to ponder the purpose of their visit in front of the marble arms of a replica Christus statue Elder Rasband embarked on a ministry to France First on his schedule was a sit-down interview with a French journalist in which Elder Rasband explained his responsibilities as a special witness of Jesus Christ and shared a copy of what he described to be one of his most cherished possessions The Apostle was carrying with him a copy of The Book of Mormon a key book of scripture embraced by the Church as a witness of Jesus Christ and a companion to the Bible Its worn pages bore the signs of years of study which Elder Rasband said to the journalist made it of invaluable worth “We believe the Bible and the Book of Mormon to be the word of God,” he explained “I brought for this interview my missionary Book of Mormon that I used over 50 years ago [1970–1972] when I was a young missionary in New York City I read this book many times; on my mission is where I gained my own belief of the Book of Mormon.” Elder Rasband expressed similar sentiments during a meeting the following day with the mayor of Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt who first toured the temple during its 2017 open house He welcomed Mayor Richard Delepierre to the visitors’ center where they discussed the temple’s impact on the region and future opportunities for collaboration with local and religious communities Mayor Delepierre expressed his admiration for its architectural workmanship and grounds He said that the sacred building has become a part of the greater community “The architectural quality of the [temple] has some of the finest of French workmanship which aided in architectural integration,” Mayor Delepierre said after his meeting with Elder Rasband we quickly saw that everything that once concerned residents [was resolved] Local church leaders also participated in the meeting who currently serves in the Europe Central Area Presidency the mayor expressed his desire to preserve religious liberties in the public sphere as part of his mayoral responsibilities “I think now is also the time to symbolically reopen the [temple’s] doors to explain the Church’s teachings which helps avoid misunderstandings that are unfortunately common in today’s world,” Delepierre said Elder Rasband said he was grateful for the mayor’s support of all faiths “He is a great friend of the Church,” Elder Rasband said ‘you ought to be a spokesman for our Church.’ He was so kind and so generous in his comments with the Church’s participation in his city.” also talked about exploring opportunities for further use of the temple’s grounds Delepierre shared that while the municipality is surrounded by wooded areas public parks are missing from the densely populated city center “The members of the community were able to come in during the open house and they want to use them more,” Elder Rasband said and that’s why he is such a positive spokesman for not only our Church but all churches.” Elder and Sister Rasband’s Special Connection to France Elder Rasband ministered to thousands of Church members and missionaries over the course of the weekend in several meetings With them he shared his family’s special connection to the French people “We almost view France as sacred for our family,” Elder Rasband said as he explained that his appreciation for the country goes back several decades to his father-in-law’s military service Sister Rasband shared that her late father was part of the Allied offensive in Normandy during World War II Twitchell landed on Omaha Beach a couple of months after D-Day in 1944 “He was grateful that he was blessed to be able to survive that day and then further into the war,” Sister Rasband explained “[My father] was impressed with the French people and their greeting love and kindness towards these Americans who came to liberate their country He instilled in our family a love for the French and their goodness.” Twitchell recorded several experiences that changed the course of his life and strengthened his children’s faith for years to come Elder Rasband shared that a bomb landed in the mud next to Twitchell but failed to explode “He recounted that as a miracle that happened to him here on French soil and I’m grateful for that miracle because it means I have my sweetheart and five children and 29 grandchildren,” Elder Rasband added “We have a great love for France for many reasons.” Elder Rasband’s connection to France extended into his professional career and then Church leadership assignments he managed a business venture located in Ribecourt he served in the Europe Central Area Presidency which oversees Church operations in France Elder and Sister Rasband will travel to Munich The apostle shared that the focus of his ministry is bringing a three-fold message to Church members “I’m going to tell them three things in every meeting that I bring from President Russell M Two: We thank them for all that they’re doing to build up the Lord’s Church and His Kingdom About the Church of Jesus Christ in France France is home to more than 38,000 Latter-day Saints across 108 congregations. To learn more about the Church’s history in the country, visit this site You are about to access Constant Contacts (http://visitor.constantcontact.com) You are now leaving a website maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints We provide the link to this third party's website solely as a convenience to you and security practices that differ from those on our website By referring or linking you to this website we do not endorse or guarantee this content If you would like to stay on the page you are viewing please click Cancel To download media files, please first review and agree to the Terms of Use Download a photo or video by clicking or tapping on it To download all photos or videos related to this article select the links at the bottom of each section Editor's note:This is the first in a periodic series of stories that will feature the Paris France Temple and the LDS Church in France culminating with the dedication of the temple in May France — The invited guests walked under words filled with spiritual meaning for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “Sainteté au Seigneur La Maison Du Seigneur” — “Holiness to the Lord They are inscribed over the entrance to the Paris France Temple newly completed just outside of Paris here in Le Chesnay a small city that borders Versailles on a site along Boulevard Saint-Antoine within walking distance of the beautiful gardens of the Château de Versailles stood Thursday before a crowd of 100 government church and business leaders to welcome the Mormons and their temple to France — a greeting nearly 19 years after LDS Church President Gordon B "The time has come when you deserve to have a temple among you and we'll look for a place to build one." will soon begin its monthlong public open house starting with Thursday's meeting of dignitaries featuring the warm remarks by the mayor: "We are happy to welcome you," he said in French "We will respect you as you respect us He was one of several dignitaries that also included the mayors of Versailles and Saint-Cyr-l'Ecole; Elder Neil L Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife Kathy; Bishop Gérald Caussé of the Presiding Bishopric and his wife Valérie; and former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney The Caussés raised their family nearby and were longtime church leaders in France before Bishop Caussé's current assignment and both Elder Andersen and Mitt Romney served LDS missions to France with Elder Andersen also serving three years as a mission president in Bordeaux All offered remarks in French to mark the historic occasion the anniversary of the founding of the church in 1830 The mayor of Le Chesnay noted the importance of the relationship between America and France during World War II as America helped liberate the country from German aggression He said that liberation and the development of free trade would ultimately lead to changes in the electric industry in France that then had a direct impact on the development of the temple here The site along Boulevard Saint-Antoine became available when Électricité de France decided it no longer needed the facility after October 2010 allowing Brillault and city officials to determine whether to make the site available to the LDS Church So began years of education and negotiation that resulted Thursday in the mayor thanking "all the people who changed their mind on the project starting first with myself," he said in French In an interview with the Deseret News weeks before Thursday's event Bishop Caussé noted the significant work done by the mayor he has to understand what’s happening in his city "I think we were given an opportunity which was to answer questions and just communicate to him they understand who we are and that lifts a lot of concerns." thanked the mayor and others who made the construction of the temple possible He noted how lucky the people here are to live in France rich in beauty and culture: "We love France noting his years in the country and that all four of his children speak the language He referenced "The Little Prince," by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry quoting a portion of the following in French: “And now here is my secret a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” is considered the house of God and while physically beautiful constructed by skilled craftsmen with the finest materials it is what is invisible — "his spirit and influence" — that is so beautiful to those who come here The temple features a flower-filled courtyard with a Bertel Thorvaldsen replica Christus statue as its focal point The grounds will be a place of sanctuary for the largely residential neighborhood while stained glass and windows etched with lilies will greet those LDS members worthy to enter and do the ordinance work inside this holy place Searching for peaceful environs is needed perhaps now more than ever referenced the relationship between France and the United States with the French aiding during the Revolutionary War and the United States coming to the aid of France in WWII He quoted the national motto of France: Liberté fraternity — and noted the search for peace can be found at the temple "Today we live in a divided world," he said in French He said that those of different faiths can come together "It's good to have a place where we are all children of God." The distinctive architecture of the Paris France Temple is respectful of France and the local community standards and as such is one of only four LDS temples in the world without a spire the Cardston Alberta Temple and the Mesa Arizona Temple Said Bishop Caussé: "We spent a lot of time discussing with local authorities and government architects There are a number of constraints that we have So there was a limited height and also a lot of things." But obstacles were overcome and now the public is invited to come see the temple A culture celebration featuring 1,000 youths will take place May 20 with the temple dedication scheduled for May 21 France — In the two decades from the first public mention of a possible LDS Church temple in France to this weekend’s dedication of the Paris France Temple countless numbers of people on two continents have been involved in the property a mayor and a CFO/publicist — played key roles in paving the way for what will become the 156th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the LDS Church’s first France native to be called as a general authority and who currently serves as the church’s presiding bishop; Philippe Brillault the Paris suburb where the temple is located; and Dominique Calmels a chief financial officer for a global management consulting and professional services corporation and national director for LDS Public Affairs in France for the past 17 years And all three are quick to wave off any such attention “There have been hundreds of thousands of people who have been involved in that process None of us can say ‘I did it,’ because …," said Bishop Caussé A temple in France was first publicly discussed in June 1998 Hinckley met with some 2,400 church members in Paris “The time has come when you deserve to have a temple among you,” he said “and we’ll look for a place to build one.” He also remembers traveling as a youth with his parents to the closest LDS temple for French Mormons And he remembers dreaming as a young boy about when France might have its own temple Neither as a young boy nor years later with the 1998 temple mention could he imagine a future path of LDS leadership running alongside — even intertwining with — the development of a temple in Paris which was formally announced in October 2011 with construction beginning the following August Consider his LDS leadership roles — President Caussé as president of the Paris France Stake from 2001-07 with his involvement ranging from helping to identify potential property sites to personally driving President Hinckley around Paris first as a France-based Area Seventy in 2007 then as a General Authority Seventy in 2008 spending much of the next four years as part of the church’s Europe Area His current title of Bishop Caussé has come with two different positions within the Presiding Bishopric which administers the LDS Church’s temporal affairs and operations he was called to serve as first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric Bishop Caussé self-describes it as being “indirectly involved,” adding that as a member of the Presiding Bishopric “I was blessed to attend the last of the process Andersen of the LDS Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles sees him as much more involved He highlighted the relationship between the bishop and Brillault and there was a feeling that if Gérald Caussé says something And he (the mayor) came to trust us as a church,” Elder Andersen said “Gérald Caussé is a man of integrity and of intelligence and is respected here He has been unbelievably important in its creation.” Calmels said of Bishop Caussé: “He’s excellent to help conduct the project because of his position in the church.” Gérald and Valérie Caussé lived on Missionary Street (Rue des Missionnaires) a three-minute walk from what would become the temple site “I never would have imagined that would be the place for the temple But the Lord made miracles happen,” he said “when there are so many miracles happening And what of Bishop Caussé’s boyhood dreams of a future temple in France “I think the temple we have now is much better than any of my dreams,” he said and it’s more beautiful than anything I have dreamed of.” The southwestern Paris suburb of Le Chesnay was not an early choice to host an LDS temple with the church first identifying possible land in Saint-Cloud and later Villepreux LDS leaders had to contend with public uncertainties has admitted he initially had concerns and doubts when church officials contacted the city about possibly turning property previously leased by an electrical utility company into a Mormon temple site “He had heard all kinds of things,” Bishop Caussé said he has to understand what is happening in his city … I was very impressed that he would just tell us ‘I want to learn what kind of church you are.’“ Saying “we’ll find out by ourselves,” the mayor assigned two city council members to do a survey of the Mormons and their church attending meetings and interviewing neighbors of the Paris France Stake center in neighboring Versailles Brillault invited LDS representatives to listen “And the report was quite positive,” Bishop Caussé said ‘this is the closest church to the church of Jesus Christ that we have ever heard of.’ They were impressed there were so many similarities between our church the mayor says that he did not have any choice so it’s very interesting to see how he works.” Elder Andersen said Brillault expanded his trust in Bishop Caussé to include the church “He’s been very involved in this project,” he said and he has been willing to do what other mayors were never willing to do.” we’ve tried several times and unless we have the backing of the mayor Reunited again at a special gathering at the temple site last month the mayor greeted the apostle with a question: “Do you remember the prayer we had in my office?” that perhaps they might have a prayer with the mayor recalling that Brillault — a Roman Catholic — responded with a stunned look The mayor was told he needn’t say anything and Elder Andersen expressed appreciation for the mayor and his city and he’s been a true friend of the church,” Elder Andersen said “I told him (last month) in a private meeting that when we’re all before the bar of God Dominique Calmels’ cellphone ringtone — the unmistakable theme song of “Mission: Impossible” — could suggest his heavy personal workload or perhaps the challenging task of protecting and forwarding the Mormon image in the French media it’s Mission: Possible for the national director of LDS public affairs in France which came 17 years ago just after his release as a Paris stake president who started in public affairs a year before he did Calmels’ profession is chief financial officer for Accenture Add to that his 28-month tenure on the tax and fiscal advisory team helping former France prime minister Francois Fillon in his recent presidential campaign along with Calmels’ numerous involvements with several think tanks and financial-consulting groups He has directed local LDS public affairs efforts — “systematically,” as he says — through numerous opportunities and challenges with a French media that sometimes comes off critical and other times sarcastic And trying to develop long-term relationships with the media can be difficult since Calmels estimates more than 75 percent of the French media he works with are freelance journalists and not salaried beat reporters Calmels reached out to Olympics reporters from France traveling to Utah for the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games Despite initial pushback — “these are not your (Mormon) Olympics,” journalists said — he found success in providing beneficial conference calls and press kits for Utah-bound French media the French media caught wind of the LDS Church eyeing property for a temple site and with it came all sorts of questions and concerns fortunate opportunity to explain who we are adding “I would say the opponents helped us because we progressively were able to explain more and more about the temple and what happens in the temple.” its temples and its gospel tenets in a dozen lines of a newspaper article Calmels planned to provide the media short an early message was to explain to reporters how Mormon couples in France would be required to drive 5-6 hours to the closest temple in Frankfurt to participate in a 20-minute temple marriage ceremony and then to make the long return trip home you need a temple in France,’” Calmels said “’You need your temple because it doesn’t make sense to drive 10 hours for a religious rite.’” Another simple message was that the temple would not be the first Mormon building in France that the LDS Church already has 110 chapels it maintains and finances by itself and that a temple is different from a regular meetinghouse without the late Saturday and all-Sunday traffic and meetings Calmels led a parallel training of local stake and ward leaders again with simple messages and responses to questions where in 15 minutes you’re trying to explain all the gospel all the commandments and everything in 15 minutes,” he said “Nobody will join the church listening to that.” The biggest onslaught of media attention came with the 2012 and 2016 U.S Calmels handled more than 260 requests from French journalists who were particularly interested in missionaries proselyting and the cities and towns where Romney had been as a missionary And they wanted to talk to the current missionaries “It’s good to talk to the missionaries — I love them if a missionary speaks of the church’s Primary program the French press may call that manipulative Or if a missionary mentions he or she isn’t allowed to watch TV or call home regularly the French press call out the restrictions and question if the church is a cult or a sect The result was a training program for most of the missionaries in France’s two LDS missions — debriefing on how the French press works and how to answer suggesting some messaging and talking points “We focused on what missionaries do and why they’re on a mission,” he said “We want to be sure they will be welcomed by the public when they ring their door and make sure nobody will push them out Said Bishop Caussé of Calmels: “He has been a man who helped a lot He’s contributed a lot to the understanding of what is a temple and what is the church about Calmels has developed strong relationships with segments of France’s government that deal with religion and religious matters including officials with the Ministry of the Interior and the prime minister’s office as well as with key legislators One drawback with the governmental relations — the Paris France Temple open house was scheduled during a time when campaign laws restricted government officials and candidates from making many types of public visits and appearances It severely diminished the number of government representatives who were able to visit the temple and grounds in April and May Calmels has seen the perceptions of Mormons and the LDS Church improve over his public affairs tenure “We’ve seen journalists coming to us over the past three to four years with a much better understanding of the church,” he said Victor Wembanyama is savoring every moment of his homecoming As focused and mature as Victor Wembanyama has proven over his first season and a half in the NBA, the 21-year-old phenom is not missing the opportunity to soak in a trip to his native France for the San Antonio Spurs “I'm going to enjoy this week for sure regardless of thick how intense my schedule is going to be,” the Le Chesnay native said Wemby started his professional career in his home country and has already represented France in the Olympics. Leading up to two games in the French capital against the Indiana Pacers, Wembanyama is savoring every aspect of this homecoming the way they answered to all I wanted to show them and help them discover,” the Spurs' leading scorer said of touring his teammates around his homeland “It means everything because that's the best gift they could give me I'm trying to give it back to them and help them enjoy their time here as much as they can.” -Wemby on having his #Spurs teammates in France Full thoughts ⬇️#GoSpursGo #PorVida #NBAParis pic.twitter.com/lA7wk00Dow — Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) January 23, 2025 but his hometown of Le Chesnay is a suburb of Paris which is set to host the the 2025 NBA Paris Games on Thursday and Saturday it's helped that the Spurs organization has made it a point to immerse themselves in France They officially launched their “Play Paris” with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and youth basketball clinic at a new outdoor basketball court in Le Chesnay Honoring Victor’s journey from Paris to the NBA “Play Paris” is a program built to inspire the next generation provide access to play and create a lasting legacy within the community The Spurs' generational young talent is fully on board “It just reminds me of that responsibility that we have to do our best to make that impact positive just bringing emotions to people and bringing it together is an incredible thing I try to share these moments with fans as much as I can.” Wembanyama admitted that his throwing himself into the community serves him well too The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year believes the support will extend to his team's contests vs As the Silver and Black look to break a three-game losing streak the two match-ups will be considered home games “Both games are definitely going to feel like home games with the crowd with us I think,' Wemby continued I don't need to have any expectations It's support that extends well beyond Wembanyama's home country to his new hometown When the Spurs tip-off against the Pacers for the second time some fans in Texas will have marked their calendars for two official game watch parties taking place in San Antonio (at the team's headquarters titled the Frost Plaza at The Rock at La Cantera) and Austin on Saturday Hector Ledesma has been covering the Spurs in San Antonio since 2005 An award-winning journalist born and raised in San Antonio Hector has worked across all types of television and radio platforms