Every 4 years, the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games becomes the event all eyes turn to. Regardless of people actually following the Games or not, the festivities always gather thousands of spectators and online viewers. While the Queen jumping out of e helicopter, with James Bond, in London 2012 will be a hard act to beat, Paris is taking a completely different approach to the ceremony, hosting it, for the first time in the history of the Games, outside a stadium.
The City of Paris and International Olympic Committee have decided to break tradition and host the opening ceremony on the Seine River. This, the organisers say, will allow for 600,000 spectators to watch the festivities in person, 10 times more than the capacity of an Olympic stadium. On top of the live audience, 1 billion viewers from around the world are expected to tune in, following the ceremony on television or online.
Breaking with history, the opening ceremony will be bold, original and unique.
On 26 July 2024, 160 boats will set off from Pont d’Austerlitz, 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 8 to 10 bridges and gateways before reaching its final destination at Pont d’Iéna, by the Trocadéro Square. Along the 6-kilometre route, the parade will pass by iconic Paris landmarks, as well as official Olympic venues, including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Place de la Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides and the Grand Palais.
Around 10,500 athletes, representing 206 countries, and about 120 heads of state, sovereigns and heads of government will cross through the centre of Paris. National delegation boats will be equipped with cameras to allow television and online viewers to see the athletes up close, while footage will also be projected on the 80 screens installed along the riverbanks to also give better views to in person spectators.
Once the parade reaches its destination, the final elements of the Olympic protocol as well as remaining festivities and final show will take place on ground, in the Trocadéro Square.
In another first, admission to the ceremony will be free of charge for most spectators. Those gathering along the upper quays of the river will not need to purchase a ticket, while prices for a seat in the lower quay galleries range from €90 to €2,700, all of which having been sold out on the official website. According to online media “inside the games”, several VIP tickets are expected to be put on sale as well, with prices ranging from €5,500, for the best view places on ground, and going up to €25,000, for those who want to sail on a cruise ship along the official delegations.
Organising a unique ceremony also brings unique challenges however. Ensuring security for the large number of expected participants could prove difficult for the city, concerns having been raised over the availability of police enforcement. Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin has indicated that 30,000 police officers will be deployed on each day of the Games, from 26 July to 11 August, and 35,000 for the opening ceremony. To ensure availability, police holidays have been cancelled for that period and other major events that would need policing have been postponed.
