Paris 2024 Innovation: The unique Seine river Opening Ceremony unveiled
For the first time in history, the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games will not take place in a stadium. On 26 July 2024, exactly one year from now, thousands of athletes will parade in boats along the Seine, the river that flows through Paris, in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators. Here is what you need to know about the spectacular event.
At the Olympic Games Paris 2024, breaking will make its debut while other sports will feature revised formats and disciplines and the Opening Ceremony will have a spectacular new home. To keep you up to date, Olympics.com is bringing you everything you need to know about what’s new at Paris 2024.
With the next Olympics exactly a year away, it’s time to find out everything you need to know about the Opening Ceremony on 26 July 2024.
Traditionally held in the Olympic Stadium, this ceremony will make history by taking place on the Seine, the river that flows through Paris, the City of Light.
Eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt was on the boat of the French delegation on 25 July 2023, sailing on the Seine for the presentation of the Olympic and Paralympic torch for Paris 2024. He was impressed by the experience and talked about the thousands of spectators who would be there a year after.
“I think it’s gonna be one of the best, if not the best Opening Ceremony. Imagine everybody standing outside, across the bridges cheering people up. It was never done before…”
Paris 2024: Revolutionising the Games on the river
Paris 2024 will break new ground by bringing the sporting competition into the heart of the city, and the same will be true for the Opening Ceremony, which will take place in the heart of Paris along the Seine river.
The parade of athletes, which traditionally takes place within a stadium, will be held on the Seine, with boats for each national delegation equipped with cameras to allow viewers watching on TV and online to get a close-up view of all the action.
Winding their way from east to west, the 10,500 athletes will cross the centre of Paris - the main home of the Games, where they will showcase their sporting prowess over the following 16 days. Throughout the Opening Ceremony, athletes will appear on stage alongside performers in line with Paris 2024’s goal of hosting a Games that is created for and by the athletes.
The parade will end its 6 km route in front of the Trocadéro, where the final elements of the ceremony and the celebratory shows will take place.
“Games wide open”: Most spectators will witness the ceremony for free
In a major first, the Opening Ceremony will be open to a large audience with no admission fee for most of the spectators in the upper quays. Those wishing to watch the ceremony from the lower quays from the Austerlitz bridge to the Iéna bridge will be required to purchase tickets.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators will have the chance to attend the festivities. Some 80 giant screens and strategically placed speakers will allow everyone to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this show, which will reverberate throughout the French capital.
The Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics will be the largest held in the history of the Games. It will be open to all: local residents from Paris and its surrounding region, along with visitors from all over France and around the world.
Opening Ceremony at Paris 2024: The parade route
The river parade will follow the course of the Seine, from east to west over a distance of 6 km. It will depart from the Austerlitz bridge, beside the Jardin des Plantes, making its way around the two islands at the centre of the city, the Île Saint Louis and the Île de la Cité, then passing under eight to ten bridges and gateways. On board, the athletes will get glimpses of some of the official Games venues such as the Place de la Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides, the Grand Palais, and lastly the Iéna bridge where the parade will come to a stop before the Trocadéro for the ceremony’s final.
Other Iconic monuments crossed during the parade route
- Notre-Dame de Paris
- Louvre
- Pont des Arts
- Pont Neuf
- Pont Alexandre III
- Musée d’Orsay
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