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With Euro 2024 concluded, sports fans around the globe have less than two weeks to recharge for another equally exciting event: the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics will be a unique event, featuring a parade on the picturesque Seine River in Paris. This is a special and unconventional highlight compared to previous Olympic Games, as the main stage is no longer confined to the grounds of a single stadium.
The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics will be held on the Seine River.
The parade is expected to include around 6,000-7,000 athletes from participating countries, traveling on 100 elaborately decorated boats and barges. The parade route will stretch 6km down the Seine River, offering spectators a spectacular feast of sound, light, and color.
The sight of people carrying national flags moving along Paris's iconic river promises to be an incredibly impressive and emotional moment, marking the beginning of an Olympic Games that holds much promise for all to come.
In addition, along both banks of the Seine River, millions of spectators will be immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the opening ceremony with spectacular artistic performances and grand welcoming displays.
France has prepared many impressive plans for this major event.
An unusual event occurred in the capital city of Paris in mid-July: a French government official personally swam in the Seine River, all to prove that the water quality of this famous river was suitable for Olympic athletes to compete there.
Swimming in the Seine River has been banned since 1923 due to pollution. Approximately €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) has been invested in upgrading wastewater and stormwater treatment facilities in the Paris region over the past 10 years to improve the water quality of the Seine and its main tributary, the Marne. Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, French authorities are making every effort to clean up the Seine to ensure the safety of swimmers.
To ensure security for the event, French authorities ordered a lockdown of central riverside districts, prohibiting most vehicles from entering these areas from 5 am on July 18th. Police designated these locations as "gray zones" with the highest level of security along both banks of the Seine River. Those wishing to enter these areas, such as residents or tourists with hotel reservations, required a security card issued in the form of a QR code.
To ensure security for the opening ceremony on July 26th, French Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin emphasized that the city of Paris would be temporarily divided in two, and people would not be able to cross the bridges connecting the two banks of the Seine River.
An estimated 500,000 people are expected to watch the opening ceremony live from grandstands, along the riverbank, and from apartments overlooking the area. Around 45,000 police officers will be on duty to ensure security for the opening parade, supported by thousands of soldiers and private security personnel.
Every nation with a sports delegation participating in the Games has confirmed its participation in this "one-of-a-kind" parade on the river, unprecedented in Olympic history.
The 2024 Olympics will take place from July 26th to August 11th, and are estimated to attract around 15 million spectators to the events held in stadiums built to host the international sporting event at famous locations such as the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides. French authorities have also created new Olympic VIP lanes to ensure smooth traffic flow during the Games. Many subway stations in the city center will also be closed from July 18th to July 27th, the day after the opening ceremony.
According to French media, the Paris 2024 Olympics have set a new record with 8.6 million tickets sold. This achievement has surpassed the previous record of 8.3 million tickets sold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and this number is expected to continue to increase. This shows that, to date, the Summer Olympics remain one of the most attention-grabbing sporting events.
