Paris Olympic Games set for historic Opening Ceremony on River Seine

Instead of familiar images of athletes marching out along an athletics track, guests and viewers will be treated to a colourful river parade through the heart of the French capital of Paris.

The Seine, the city's main water artery, will substitute for the traditional track, the quays will become spectator stands, while the setting sun reflecting off famous Parisian landmarks will provide the backdrop for the event.

This outdoor concept also makes Paris 2024 the largest Opening Ceremony in terms of audience and geographical coverage.

Athlete's parade route

The parade route along the Seine is a visual journey through Parisian history and architecture.

The Austerlitz Bridge next to the Jardin des Plantes is the starting point for the flotilla, which will then continue west for six kilometres along the Seine, passing under historic bridges and by iconic landmarks, such as the Notre-Dame and the Louvre, as well as some Games venues, including the Esplanade des Invalides and the Grand Palais.

Grouped on the boats with their national teams, the athletes will ultimately arrive opposite the Trocadero - the esplanade across from the Eiffel Tower - where the official protocols will be carried out, the Olympic cauldron lit, and the Paris 2024 Games officially declared open.

Almost 100 boats carrying an estimated 10,500 athletes will float along the Seine during the parade. The larger of the 206 National Olympic Committees represented in the parade will have boats to themselves, while the smaller ones will share boats.

Camera equipment set up on the decks will allow spectators to see the athletes up close and witness their emotions.

Live entertainment

While most of the entertainment acts remain under wraps, based on the hints so far, we can expect a show on a grand scale with an eclectic mash-up of the old and the new. Speaking to the media in January, Jolly said that he wants to showcase the contrasting cultures of France, be that opera or rap, thus bringing together all the pieces that form the nation's diverse cultural identity.

For his part, ceremonies choreographer Maud Le Pladec promised that every bridge along the parade route will have dancers on it. Le Pladec will lead 400 dancers out of the total 3,000 artists who are set to take part in the Paris 2024 Opening and Closing Ceremonies, all decked out in one-of-a-kind costumes by Daphne Burki.

The French television presenter serves as the costume director for the show, leading a team of hundreds of dressmakers, hair stylists and makeup artists. Burki's focus on sustainability also means there will be many vintage and upcycled pieces used in the ceremonies, mixed in with newer creations.

A unique event for all fans

Almost 600,000 people will be able to enjoy the Opening Ceremony in person. True to its slogan, "Games Wide Open", Paris 2024 tried to make the event accessible to as many people as possible by taking it outside of the traditional stadium setting.

There were 222,000 free tickets available to watch the parade from the upper banks of the Seine, in addition to 104,000 paid tickets on the lower quays. This marks the first Opening Ceremony where most spectators will not pay an admission fee â- another historic milestone for Paris 2024.

Those in Paris who could not get tickets will be able to watch the Opening Ceremony on 80 giant screens set up throughout the city.

An additional 1.5 billion people from around the world are expected to tune into the television broadcasts of the ceremony.

Via olympics.com

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