Paris, France, July 25, 2024: The stage is set for a spectacular opening ceremony to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the “City of Love” on Friday evening, July 26.
Breaking with Olympic Games tradition and holding the opening ceremony in the heart of the city rather than inside a stadium, Paris 2024 organisers are aiming to showcase the delights of the capital and the rich French culture to the watching world.
A flotilla of 100 boats will transport the athletes 6km along the Seine and the festivities and formalities of the opening ceremony will take place in front of the Trocadero, across the river from the Eiffel Tower.
The 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees, including 44 from Asia, will be allocated their own specific boat – with the bigger delegations having their own boat and the smaller NOCs sharing the space for the sake of time and logistics.
“Thinking creatively and revolutionising the Olympic Games, yet remaining accessible to a large audience: this is the challenge met by Paris 2024,” Olympics.com said.
“Thanks to the concerted efforts of Paris 2024, the City of Paris, the French government, the IOC and the CNOSF (French National Olympic and Sports Committee), the Opening Ceremony is being remade anew. The Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games will be bold, original and unique.”
All the boats will be equipped with cameras to allow television and online viewers to see the athletes up close.
As for the spectators, 80 giant screens and strategically placed speakers will allow everyone to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this show reverberating throughout the French capital.
The river parade will follow the course of the Seine, from east to west. The parade will depart from the Austerlitz bridge beside the Jardin des Plantes at 7.30 pm Central European Time and make its way around the two islands at the centre of the city (the Île Saint Louis and the Île de la Cité) before passing under several bridges and gateways.
Athletes on board the parade boats will get glimpses of some of the official Games venues, including Parc Urbain La Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides, the Grand Palais and lastly the Iéna bridge where the parade will come to a stop before the ceremony’s finale at the Trocadéro.