First of its kind: Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 25 Jul 24

Paris 2024 is breaking with tradition.

The XXXIII Olympiad will ignite Paris on 26 July 2024 during an Opening Ceremony like no other.

For the first time in Summer Olympics history, the ceremony will take place outside of a stadium, with the iconic River Seine setting the scene ahead of 16 days of sporting heroics.

Here, we answer some of the biggest questions surrounding the exciting and ambitious Opening Ceremony.

What will it look like?

The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will take place along a 6km stretch of the River Seine in the heart of the city.

Spectators will watch on from the riverbanks in two 6km seating 'stadiums', one on each side of the river, with a staggering 500,000 people expected to attend.

The ceremony will also break tradition in it's format, opening with the delegation parade.

The parade will take place on the Seine itself with a flotilla of 160 boats, one for each national delegation, making their way down the 6km stretch.

Each boat will be equipped with television cameras for viewers to see the athletes up close.

The rest of the ceremony will take place at the famous Trocadéro, with the traditional speeches and Olympic protocol weaved amongst theatre, dance and circus performances.

The official place for the lighting of the Olympic Flame during the ceremony is yet to be revealed, but organisers are reportedly planning on putting the flame at the Eiffel Tower throughout the Games.

What is the route?

The 6km parade will depart from the Austerlitz Bridge, beside the Jardin des Plantes, and travel through the city from east to west.

The boats will navigate around the Île Saint Louis and Île de la Cité and pass under several bridges and gateways.

Whilst travelling, the athletes will get glimpses of some of the official Games venues such as the Place de la Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides, and the Grand Palais while being cheered on by fans.

The parade will come to a stop at the Iéna bridge, with athletes disembarking and making their way to the Trocadéro for the ceremony’s finale. 

Who is directing?

London 2012 saw the formidable Danny Boyle take the reigns and direct an Opening Ceremony like no other with 'Isles of Wonder'.

How could anyone forget her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 'skydiving' out of a helicopter with James Bond?

For Paris 2024, renowned theatre director Thomas Jolly has been entrusted with artistic direction.

Jolly is known for his revival of the stage musical 'Starmania' as well as his passion for Shakespearian tragedy and bringing a breath of fresh air to texts.

For the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, Jolly is expected to bring a level of simplicity to the event to juxtapose the ambitious nature of the large-scale project.

A mixture of theatre, opera and circus acts are rumoured to be expected, alongside stories of the everyday Parisians who grew up and work near the river.

How can I watch?

The Ceremony kicks off at 8.24pm local time, or a clever 20.24 if using the 24-hour clock.

If you're not making the journey to Paris, this translates to a 7.24pm BST start time for British TV viewers, or 7.30pm if you want to make it a round number.

Over 130 cameras are set to be placed along the route to give TV audiences the best visuals of the event, as well as images to be screened from each of the national delegation boats.

Paid spectators will be located on the lower banks of the River Seine and towards the Trocadéro while the upper banks of the river will be freely open to the public.

Approximately 80 giant screens will be located throughout the course to show the entire event for fans and athletes alike.

One thing is for certain, Paris 2024 promises an Opening Ceremony to remember.

Sportsbeat 2024

Tags