Paris will launch the 2024 Olympics with a unique opening ceremony on the River Seine, featuring a 6 km floating parade.
This historic event will take place on Friday (26 July) and will be distinct from traditional stadium-based ceremonies. It will see athletes and performers travel along the Seine, passing major landmarks.
The ceremony will aim to showcase the city's iconic scenery and cultural heritage.
WHAT WILL WE SEE?
The ceremony will not take place in a stadium for the first time. Instead, dozens of boats will carry thousands of athletes and performers on a 6 km floating parade on the Seine. The parade will start from the Austerlitz Bridge, passing landmarks such as Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral and the Eiffel Tower, and passing under bridges including the Pont des Arts and Pont Neuf.
Organisers plan to use the historic monuments, riverbanks, sky, and water for a show filled with music, dance, and performance. Thomas Jolly, the artistic director, described the event as "a large fresco" celebrating Paris, France, and the Games, incorporating the parade of athletes, artistic performances, and protocol elements. The ceremony will start at 7.30pm in Paris, so 6.30pm UK time, and will last just under four hours.
WHO WILL BE THERE?
Over 100 heads of state and government will attend, and more than 300,000 spectators will watch from the riverbanks. The Paris 2024 committee stated that about 10,500 athletes would participate, with 222,000 free invites and 104,000 tickets available for purchase. Boats carrying athletes will have cameras to provide close-up views for TV and phone viewers.
WHAT ABOUT SECURITY?
The ceremony poses a significant security challenge. About 45,000 police, including special intervention forces, will be deployed. Snipers will be positioned on rooftops, and an anti-drone system will be in place. Spectators and residents will need QR code permits to access the riverbanks from 18 July. Cars will be mostly prohibited in the area, metro stations and many bridges will be closed, and no planes will fly over Paris unless part of the ceremony.
Despite the high security alert due to wars in Gaza and Ukraine and other domestic concerns, officials have stated there are no specific terror threats to the 26 July ceremony. Backup plans include moving the ceremony to Trocadéro Square near the Eiffel Tower or the Stade de France stadium if necessary. The primary risk is from a lone attacker, along with concerns about petty crime and possible protests from various groups.
In May, a man was arrested in Saint-Étienne for planning an attack in the name of Islamic State during the Olympics. In July, a right-wing sympathiser was arrested in eastern France on suspicion of plotting attacks during the Olympics.
PAST SUMMER OLYMPICS' OPENING CEREMONIES
Tokyo 2020: The ceremony was overshadowed by the Covid pandemic, with the Games postponed by a year and held largely without spectators.
Rio 2016: Brazil, constrained by finances, put on a low-key show with minimal technology, relying on the talent of its people and Carnival traditions.
London 2012: Queen Elizabeth appeared in a video with James Bond actor Daniel Craig, highlighting the nation's grandeur and eccentricities.
Beijing 2008: About one billion people watched the opening ceremony, which featured 10,000 performers, 2008 drummers, and a dramatic sky-walking finale.
(Photo credit: PTI)