Paris 2024 outlines unprecedented Opening Ceremony along Seine River

The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will open like no other before.

Organisers on Monday (13 December) outlined their plans for an unprecedented opening ceremony set against the backdrop of the host city. Instead of the traditional stadium setting, Paris 2024’s opening will follow the River Seine, with organisers expecting 600,000 to attend. It will be the first Olympic Games to open on water.

“The eyes of the world – a billion people – are on Paris, in eager anticipation of an unforgettable Olympic Opening Ceremony. The entire city has been turned into a vast Olympic stadium. The Seine represents the track, and the quays the spectators’ stands,” said Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 President.

The ceremony will highlight iconic Parisian monuments, bridges, and cultural institutions including the Notre Dame cathedral, the Louvre, and, of course, the Eiffel Tower.

A total of 162 boats will carry the delegations for the parade of nations down a 6 km course running from Pont d’Austerlitz to Trocadero.

“On 26 July 2024, a truly spectacular Opening Ceremony will mean the eyes of the world are on the city, proudly promoting the values of Olympism,” said Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo. “The ambitious project, which is the result of intensive collaboration between hundreds of players, will bring joy to Parisians, Île-de-France residents and tourists alike.”

IOC President Thomas Bach says the unique ceremony will offer a celebration of France’s Olympic heritage.

“Organising the Opening Ceremony along the Seine, the emblematic river in the very heart of the city, perfectly aligns with Paris 2024’s ambition to reinvent the Games model by opening up participation to as many people as possible,” said Bach. “This Ceremony will be an exceptional experience for all the athletes taking part, but also, and above all, for the people of Paris, for France and for the whole world.”