Paris has witnessed numerous memorable moments in history – some of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 venues are a testament to that – but the sight of 85 boats carrying 6,800 athletes along the Seine towards the sparkling Eiffel Tower and the ascent of the Olympic flame into the sky on a cauldron attached to a hot air balloon is not one the French capital is likely to forget.

The City of Lights became a sports stadium on the night of the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony on Friday (26 July), the River Seine – its track, the quays – spectator stands, and the historic landmarks along the way – silent witnesses to the vibrant celebration full of flags, feathers and raindrops.

By taking the ceremony outside its traditional stadium setting for the first time in Olympic Games history, Paris 2024 invited everyone to take part in the four-hour extravaganza, created by artistic director Thomas Jolly.

Athletes jumped on boat decks in pouring rain, spectators lined the quays and bridges, ballet dancers performed pirouettes on rooftops and Parisians stepped out onto their balconies to cheer on delegations from 205 National Olympic Committees (NOC).

The river parade and artistic performances weaved through the heart of Paris towards the Trocadero where the world came together to hear the magic words from French President Emmanuel Macron: “I declare the Paris Olympic Games open”.

“Some may say, we in the Olympic world, we are dreamers. But we are not the only ones,” said International Olympic Commitee President Thomas Bach. “And our dream is coming true tonight: a reality for everyone to see. Olympians from all around the globe, showing us what greatness we humans are capable of. So I invite everybody: dream with us. Like the Olympic athletes, be inspired with the joy that only sport can give us. Let us celebrate this Olympic spirit of living life in peace, as the one and only humankind, united in all our diversity.”