An athlete holds the Olympic torch high at the Eiffel Tower during the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, marking a historic start to the Games. © Twitter (@hardpicstennis)
Paris has witnessed numerous memorable moments in its storied history. However, the sight of 85 boats carrying 6,800 athletes along the Seine towards the sparkling Eiffel Tower and the ascent of the Olympic flame into the sky on a cauldron attached to a hot air balloon is not one the French capital is likely to forget.
The City of Lights transformed into a grand sports stadium on Friday night of the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony (26 July). The River Seine became the track, the quays served as spectator stands, and historic landmarks stood as silent witnesses to the vibrant celebration full of flags, feathers, and raindrops.
A Revolutionary Opening Ceremony
Breaking tradition, Paris 2024 hosted the first-ever Olympic Opening Ceremony outside a stadium, inviting everyone to partake in the four-hour extravaganza, masterfully created by artistic director Thomas Jolly. Athletes danced on boat decks despite the pouring rain, spectators lined the quays and bridges, ballet dancers performed pirouettes on rooftops, and Parisians cheered from their balconies, celebrating delegations from 205 National Olympic Committees (NOC).
The river parade and artistic performances wove through the heart of Paris towards the Trocadero, where the world united to hear French President Emmanuel Macron declare the Paris Olympic Games open. “Some may say that we are dreamers in the Olympic world. But we are not the only ones,” said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. “And our dream is coming true tonight: a reality for everyone to see.”
The First Parade of Nations on a River
Emerging from behind a row of pink feathered fans and dressed for a cabaret, Lady Gaga set the tone for the evening with her performance of the iconic French revue song, “Mon truc en plume.” Starting at Pont d’Austerlitz, the Parade of Nations flotilla began its six-kilometer journey west along the Seine, dipping under bridges and passing world-renowned landmarks, such as the Esplanade des Invalides, the Place de la Concorde, the Notre-Dame, and the Grand Palais, before arriving at the Trocadero opposite the Eiffel Tower.
Unity was the night’s mood as athletes from different countries celebrated on shared boats. Canada and the People’s Republic of China blended into a sea of red on the same deck, while athletes from Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, and Myanmar bridged the distance of three continents to come together on one boat.
“Dear athletes, we can’t wait to live it all with you. The joy, the tears, and the love you will put in each moment. Thank you for being here. You made it! Bravo!” said Tony Estanguet, triple Olympic champion and President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee.
A Journey Through French History and Culture
As the athletes traveled along the river, history came alive around them. Split into 12 artistic tableaux featuring 2,000 artists, the show invited spectators to iconic sites of Paris and brought them to life. The Liberty chapter featured an operatic scene from Les Miserables and a firing of cannons by the Conciergerie, flowing into a celebration of Parisian lovers in all their diversity.
Beyond the Pont Royal Bridge, the Seine became an art museum, and portrait masterpieces from the Louvre Museum half rose out of the water to greet the athletes. At the same time, a masked torchbearer traveled back in time through the real museum’s hallway to witness the theft of the iconic Mona Lisa.
A distinct French feel infused the whole ceremony. Some moments were a nod to touristic trinkets such as berets and croissants, while others saluted high-culture opera and ballet. The performance of “La Marseillaise” was particularly poignant. Mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel sang the French national anthem from the rooftop of the Grand Palais, draped in a Dior-made dress resembling the host country’s flag. At the same time, statues of 10 historical female figures rose next to the National Assembly. Reflecting change, Paris Olympic 2024 will see full gender parity on the field of play for the first time in Olympic history.
A Party for All
From solemn to jubilant, the ceremony featured a bold fashion show with a table-top runway. About 320,000 spectators enjoyed the show live from the Seine quays, not counting those watching from their living room windows. The loudest cheer was reserved for the French boat. “I hope that it’s going to give the French team a great boost from the start and that we’re going to bring back lots of medals,” said French flagbearer, seven-time Olympian Melina Robert-Michon.
The Olympic Cauldron is Lit
As the athletes made their way to the Trocadero, the Olympic flame journeyed to Jardin des Tuileries. It began with French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who handed it to Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal. A boat packed with international sports superstars carried the flame to the Louvre, from where it continued with 18 Olympians and Paralympians.
French sporting heroes Teddy Riner and Marie-José Pérec walked the flame up to the cauldron—a ring of flames attached to a hot air balloon. Once lit, the balloon rose into the sky as Edith Piaf’s “L’hymne à l’amour” played, and Celine Dion emerged on the Eiffel Tower balcony for her first live performance since announcing her illness.
The roar of cheers rose from the stands along the Seine, the Trocadero, and around the French capital as Dion, ethereal in a white glittering dress, stretched out her arms from the city’s most famous landmark, the Olympic flame soaring ever higher into the night sky.
The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony was a groundbreaking and unforgettable event, celebrating Paris’s unity, history, and culture while marking the beginning of an exciting Olympic Games. The city’s transformation into a grand stage for this historic moment left a lasting impression on all who witnessed it, setting a high bar for future Olympic ceremonies.
