Three years after the official announcement, the highly anticipated day is almost here. The Paris Olympics opening ceremony is set to begin on Friday at 7:30 pm local time.
For the first time in history, the ceremony will unfold along the Seine River rather than in a stadium, drawing an audience of over 300,000 spectators.
More than one billion viewers are expected to tune in around the world.
Over 10,000 athletes from 206 delegations will glide along the river on nearly 100 boats for a spectacle lasting almost four hours.
It's a meticulous organisation that required more than three years of preparation for the multiple actors involved.
‘Whatever the weather or flow of the river, we are ready'
Whatever the weather or the flow of the Seine might be on Friday night, organisers insist they are ready for any scenario.
“The parade and the ceremony are going to go very, very well. There's nothing to worry about,” said Arnaud Daniel, the director of Sodexo Live! boats.
He is in charge of a fleet of 22 boats carrying various delegations throughout the evening.
“If the flow rate of the river goes up by a tiny bit, that's no problem, we'll just adapt the speed. We'll go from 9 kilometres an hour to 10 kilometres an hour, for example,” he told Euronews.
Organisers have been closely monitoring the Seine's flow following heavy summer rainfall, concerned that it could affect boat speed and maneuverability during the parade.
In keeping with tradition, Greece will lead the parade, while France's delegation will bring up the rear.
The other countries will parade in alphabetical order, except for Australia and the United States as they are the future hosts of the Games in Brisbane in 2032 and in Los Angeles in 2028.
An impressive feat, led by actor and director Thomas Jolly, is set to unfold. He has collaborated closely with playwrights, choreographers, and historians to create an extravagant performance that will showcase France's history, art, and culture, featuring twelve massive paintings displayed along the route.
“The inspiration for our writing was, of course, France. Its great heritage and culture, which has been rich for centuries. And Paris and this route, which borders Parisian monuments that are rich in culture and history like the Louvre museum,” said Damien Gabriac, one of the four scriptwriters commissioned to work on the ceremony.
For the past three years, Damien Gabriac, together with screenwriter Fanny Herrero (director of the Call My Agent! series), writer Leïla Slimani, and historian Patrick Boucheron, has worked around the clock to craft a narrative tailored to the capital.
“The main challenge was the city: its nature and landscape, the Seine, its current, the wind. Sometimes we imagined things that weren't technically possible. So we changed the idea and modified it. We also adapted it to the reality of the terrain, which doesn't adapt to us,” said Gabriac in an interview with Euronews.
A star-studded night featuring Snoop Dogg, Lady Gaga, LeBron James, and more…
The details of the show have been kept tightly under wraps but a few big names have been mentioned to be part of the lineup, including potential performances by Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, and French-Malian sensation Aya Nakamura.
Flag bearers for the Olympics include NBA star LeBron James for the United States, Polish hammer thrower Anita Włodarczyk, and high jumpers Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy. They will carry their respective flags three years after securing gold medals in their discipline at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The Olympic flame will be the focal point of the ceremony with more than 30 flame carriers including rapper Snoop Dogg but the final name is kept secret.
Arnaud Daniel is among the fortunate few who have had a sneak peek at the decor.
“It's going to be grandiose. It's going to be the equivalent of the Superbowl, it's insane. I invite everyone to watch the show. It's going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” insisted the director of the Sodexo Live! boats.
When asked for more information, Damien Gabriac refused to give further details: “It's like when children want to know what their Christmas present is. You wouldn't tell them what's under the Christmas tree. So I will not reveal more,” he laughed.
Over 30,000 French police officers mobilised daily
In preparation for the event, two security perimeters have been established: a red zone surrounding each of the competition sites located near the Seine, and a grey zone along the riverbanks where the ceremony will be held.
In total, more than 30,000 French police officers are mobilised every day in the capital. They are supported by law enforcement personnel from Spain, Qatar, South Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom, and other countries.
