2024 Olympics: for the first time in history, the Opening Ceremony will be along the Seine and not in a stadium

The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics is really close to being held on Friday, July 26: for the first time in the history of the Summer Olympics, the Ceremony will take place not in a stadium, but along the Seine.

In fact, the athletes’ parade will take place along the river, with each delegation on a boat, equipped with cameras to provide a close-up view for viewers. Crossing the center of Paris from east to west, 10,500 athletes will parade for six kilometers, ending the route at the Trocadero, where the other moments of the ceremony and the final performances will take place.

This ceremony will be accessible to a wide audience with no admission charge for most spectators. The upper docks along the Seine will be open for free, while access to the lower docks, from the Austerlitz Bridge to the Iéna Bridge, will require the purchase of tickets. Eighty giant screens and strategically placed speakers will allow everyone to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this unique event. The Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics will be the largest ever in the history of the Games, open to everyone: residents of Paris and its region, as well as visitors from all over France and the rest of the world.

The parade will follow the course of the Seine River from east to west. It will start from the Austerlitz Bridge, next to the Jardin des Plantes, at 7:30 p.m. local time, looping around Île Saint Louis and Île de la Cité, and passing under eight to ten bridges and arches. Aboard the boats, the athletes will be able to admire some of theiconic sites of the Games, such as La Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides, the Grand Palais, and finally the Iéna Bridge, where the procession will stop in front of the Trocadero for the concluding phase of the ceremony. On the esplanade that opens at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, official protocols will be celebrated, the Olympic flame lit, and the Paris 2024 Games officially declared open. The event will be broadcast around the world.

Photo by Florian Hulleu/Paris 2024

2024 Olympics: for the first time in history, the Opening Ceremony will be along the Seine and not in a stadium

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