  In the framework of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), the GCT (Gamma-ray
Cherenkov Telescope) team is building a dual-mirror telescope as one of the
proposed prototypes for the CTA small size class of telescopes. The telescope
is based on a Schwarzschild- Couder (SC) optical design, an innovative solution
for ground-based Cherenkov astronomy, which allows a compact telescope
structure, a lightweight large Field of View (FoV) camera and enables good
angular resolution across the entire FoV. We review the different mechanical
and optical components of the telescope. In order to characterise them, the
Paris prototype will be operated during several weeks in 2016. In this
framework, an estimate of the expected performance of this prototype has been
made, based on Monte Carlo simulations. In particular the observability of the
Crab Nebula in the context of high Night Sky Background (NSB) is presented.
