The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games took place on the Seine on Friday evening, with a unique nautical parade full of surprises. Relive this logistical and artistic challenge in pictures.
Published on: 07/26/2024 – 11:19 p.m. Modified on: 07/27/2024 – 12:06 a.m.
4 mn
Parade of boats on the Seine, dancing, video projections, concert… The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games promised to be grandiose. Promise kept… despite pouring rain that forced athletes and spectators to get out umbrellas and raincoats.
Relive in pictures the highlights of this event officially marking the start of the XXXIII Olympiad.
The boat carrying the Greek delegation was the first to parade during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. © Bernadett Szabo, Reuters American star Lady Gaga performs at the start of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. She performed “Mon truc en plumes” by Zizi Jeanmaire, an iconic title of French music hall. © Amanda Perobelli, Reuters In front of the Conciergerie, the French Revolution was also in the spotlight with the revolutionary song “Ah ça ira!” in a… wild version. © Bernadett Szabo, Reuters The masked Olympic flame bearer, the central theme of the ceremony, posted above a building overlooking the Seine. © Bernat Armangue, via Reurers The Patrouille de France draws a heart in the Paris sky. © Athit Perawongmetha, Reuters On the Pont des Arts, singer Aya Nakamura performed several of her hits as well as “La Bohême” by Charles Aznavour. © Esa Alexander, pool via AFP Athletes from the French delegation enter a boat during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. © Franck Fife, via Reuters The rain invited itself into the ceremony, these spectators were equipped. © Adnan Abidi, Reuters On a mechanical horse, Floriane Issert, a non-commissioned officer in the gendarmerie, carries the Olympic flag like a cape and goes down the Seine to the Trocadéro for a sequence recalling the history of the Olympic Games. © Adnan Abidi, Reuters The flags of all the delegations arrive at the Trocadéro during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. © Edgar Su, Reuters Quebec singer Céline Dion performed “L’hymne à l’amour” under the Olympic rings of the Eiffel Tower. © Loïc Venance via Reuters Marie-José Pérec and Teddy Riner, the last torchbearers, light the Olympic cauldron during the ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, July 26, 2024. © Mohd Rasfan, AFP
