Australian team athletes wave flags on their team boat on the Seine River during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on July 26, 2024.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics made history on Friday as the first to be held outside a stadium, featuring an array of performances including superstar Lady Gaga singing in French, a fashion show on a bridge and boats carrying athletes from around the world cheering as they sailed down the Seine.
The Flotilla event, known for the spectacular and colourful displays put on by the host country, was hit by rain in Paris, but spectators lined the city’s famous riverside to catch a glimpse of the spectacle.
Starting from the Pont d’Austerlitz next to the Jardin des Plantes, the route follows the Seine from east to west, bypassing two islands in the center of Paris and passing under several bridges and arches in the City of Light. The delegation’s voyage ends at the Pont d’Iena, on the left bank of the Seine and above the Eiffel Tower, and at the Trocadero district, on the right bank, where the ceremony’s finale will take place.
Pop icon Lady Gaga’s performance came midway through the opening ceremony, as she descended a gold staircase in a pink feather headdress and behind black backup dancers. Gaga’s face was hidden, with only her feet visible, until an accompanying dancer tugged on a pair of pom-poms to reveal her face. She then sang the French version of “Mon Truc en Plume” (My Feather) as she performed a choreographed routine.
As the athletes made their way down the Seine, they also passed under a footbridge that was transformed into a fashion runway, paying tribute to Paris’ reputation as the fashion capital of the world. Neon pink shirts, high fashion gowns and avant-garde outfits made their way across the footbridge as athletes and spectators enjoyed the outdoor show.
French President Emmanuel Macron is due to address the assembled crowds as part of the evening’s ceremonies.
U.S. viewers can watch the games on NBC from midnight PST/3am EST to 3pm PST/6pm EST each day, as well as behind-the-scenes coverage and highlights of the event on daily Olympic primetime programming.
