A historic boat parade down the River Seine launched the 2024 Paris Olympics with spectacular French flair Friday, as the City of Light welcomed the world's greatest athletes for a sporting extravaganza.
A show-stopping performance by Celine Dion, a flaming Olympic cauldron lifted into the night sky by hot-air balloon, and a dazzling Eiffel Tower light show brought the curtain down on a four-hour celebration of French culture, history and art.
Braving torrential rain, some 300,000 people had lined the river banks to cheer on the armada carrying competitors past the city's iconic sights: the Eiffel Tower bearing the five Olympic rings, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral.
The wildly ambitious display was the first time the Olympic opening ceremony has been staged outside the main stadium, making it the biggest-ever launch for the “Greatest Show on Earth”.
Here are some photos from the opening ceremony:
With inputs from AFP
