A breathtaking spectacle for the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

On Friday 26 July from 7.30pm, the well-kept secret of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be revealed. This grandiose evening, orchestrated by director Thomas Jolly, will showcase a France proud of its history and cultural heritage. The dancers and artists, who have been rehearsing for 200 days, will perform on the Seine for a show lasting nearly four hours and promising to be unforgettable.

A tribute to French history and heritage

Starting at 7.30pm, the ceremony will take place between two of Paris’s iconic bridges, from Austerlitz to Iéna, over a distance of 6km. Twelve artistic tableaux, designed by Thomas Jolly and his team, will highlight the universal history of France. The creative team includes personalities such as historian Patrick Boucheron and novelist Leïla Slimani. These tableaux will be revealed to the 320,000 spectators in attendance and to a billion television viewers around the world.

A new look for the Parade of Athletes

The traditional parade of athletes will be replaced by a procession of bateaux-mouches on the Seine. Eighty-five boats will carry 6,800 athletes from 205 delegations, offering a unique opportunity to see stars such as LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Prestigious artists and iconic stages

Nearly 2,000 artists and 1,800 costumes will be mobilised to bring the ceremony to life. Parisian landmarks such as Notre-Dame and the Louvre will serve as stages for spectacular performances, including BMX acrobatics and dancing on Parisian rooftops. Renowned artists such as Aya Nakamura and Juliette Armanet will also be taking part, accompanied by musicians from the Republican Guard and the French Army Choir.

A majestic finale

The evening will culminate with the arrival of all the boats and the Olympic flame at the Eiffel Tower at around 10.45pm. After speeches by Tony Estanguet and Thomas Bach, Emmanuel Macron will officially declare the Games open at 11pm. The French flag bearers, Florent Manaudou and Mélina Robert-Michon, will take the athletes’ oath, marking a solemn moment in the ceremony.

Unprecedented security

To ensure the safety of this extraordinary event, nearly 45,000 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilised, and airspace will be closed within a 150km radius of Paris. The Paris ring road will also be heavily disrupted, or even closed, to guarantee the safety of participants and spectators.

The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games promises to be a memorable event, celebrating France’s rich history and heritage while innovating with shows on the Seine. An exceptional moment not to be missed, broadcast live on France 2.