![François-Xavier Marit/AFP Lights and lasers fill the night sky over the Trocadero venue, with the Eiffel Tower looming in the background and audience members in the foreground, during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/24d5/live/775a1800-4b98-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp)
The Olympic opening ceremony presents the host nation with the chance to wow the world with a uniquely spectacular present.
The opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games was simply that – the organisers ditched the standard ceremony, and have become the primary Video games to carry the opening occasion inside a metropolis as an entire slightly than in a stadium.
Hundreds of athletes and performers paraded alongside the River Seine on a moist night, earlier than the night time sky and the Eiffel Tower had been lit up in dramatic technicolour, making a massively formidable, one-of-a-kind spectacle.
Beneath are a number of the most eye-catching pictures from the night time.
![Paweł Kopczyński/Reuters The Eiffel Tower is illuminated with lights and lasers and the Olympic sign with an orchestra in foreground, during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/935e/live/a83ce510-4b98-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
After a three-month journey from Greece to Paris, the Olympic torch was handed to former French footballer Zinedine Zidane, earlier than being handed on to tennis stars Rafa Nadal and Serena Williams.
![Cameron Spencer/Getty Images The torchbearer hands over the torch to former French footballer Zinedine Zidane at the Place du Trocadero during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f1c9/live/ecda81f0-4b98-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
![Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters Torchbearers Rafael Nadal of Spain, Serena Williams and Carl Lewis are seen on boat with the torch on the river Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0e69/live/d6fecdf0-4b98-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
In an epic climax, French judo nice Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-Jose Perec used the Olympic torch to ignite a cauldron powering an infinite scorching air balloon.
The large, glowing balloon then flew over the town of Paris to sign the beginning of the best present on Earth.
![Marko Đurica/Reuters A view shows the large cauldron balloon at Jardin des Tuileries before it was lit on the day of the opening ceremony.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ba23/live/d9aad3c0-4b9b-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
![Miguel Tona/EPA The torchbearers Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Riner (R) walk to light up the Paris 2024 Hot-air Balloon Olympic Cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4d12/live/0bc3e170-4b9d-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
![Jung Yeon-Je/AFP The cauldron, with the Olympic flame lit, lifts off while attached to a balloon, next to the Louvre during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6a33/live/0e193ff0-4b99-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
The opening ceremony started with a shocking show of colored smoke resembling the French flag rising over the Pont d’Austerlitz.
![Lars Baron/Getty Images Smoke resembling the flag of Team France is shown over Pont d’Austerlitz during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/3b3c/live/3f519b50-4b7e-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
Followers and spectators had been in eager attendance, and – for probably the most half – had been undeterred by the moist climate.
![Tingshu Wang/Reuters Spectators in red, white and blue wave flags](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1ba3/live/809115e0-4b7a-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp)
![Steph Chambers/Getty Images A woman wearing a cap covers her mouth with her hands. Her nails are painted with flags and symbols](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/02d7/live/59828990-4b87-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
![Oli Scarff/AFP Attendees wear rain covers as they sit in the stands in front of the Eiffel Tower](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/7cb8/live/7f28e770-4b87-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
French President Emmanuel Macron was watching alongside President of the Worldwide Olympic Committee Thomas Bach.
![Martin Divíšek/EPA A smiling French President Emmanuel Macron (R) shakes hands with IOC president Thomas Bach as they take their seats in the Trocadero](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4d68/live/bbb04740-4b7a-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was additionally noticed watching the ceremony, seemingly well-prepared for the rain.
![Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds up the hood of his rainmac surrounded by others in ponchos seated in the stands](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/40b0/live/74639a80-4b7b-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
Numerous celebrities attended the night, together with American singer Ariana Grande together with her British Depraved co-star Cynthia Erivo.
![Christophe Petit-Tesson/PA Media Under umbrellas Ariana Grande hold hands with Cynthia Erivo as they arrive at the Trocadero](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/00a2/live/2499b7e0-4b77-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
As anticipated there was a heightened safety presence, with tens of 1000’s of police deployed throughout the town.
![Franck Fife/AFP Members of the French Armed Forces in a motor boat are seen through a boat's porthole on the river Seine as they patrol prior to the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/316b/live/69b1b4e0-4b77-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
![Teresa Suarez/EPA Security forces deploy at the top of the French Parliament during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1647/live/f91590b0-4b7d-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
All through the occasion, a thriller masked torchbearer was working and parkour-ing their method by means of the town on riverside rooftops.
![Bernat Armangué/Reuters A hooded and masked torchbearer carries the Olympic flame over a building along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/15e4/live/8d5f5230-4b86-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
![Peter Cziborra/Pool/Getty Images A masked torchbearer runs atop the Musee d'Orsay with the Notre-Dame-de-Paris cathedral in the background during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/bce6/live/cb477fe0-4b8c-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
Fleets of staff boats, with nations from all around the globe, sailed down the Seine, flying their flags with pleasure.
British diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover bore the flag for Workforce GB.
![Naomi Baker/Reuters Flagbearers Tom Daley and Helen Glover, of Team GB, gesture on a boat while holding the national flag on the River Seine during the opening ceremony](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b6d8/live/0c0150b0-4b7e-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp)
![Amanda Perobelli/Reuters Team Greece wave at cheering spectators from their boat on the River Seine during the opening ceremony](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1b53/live/9cc56450-4b7a-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
![Aijaz Rahi/AP Indian athletes wave their national flags from a boat on the Seine during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/9c48/live/2c560dc0-4b87-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp)
![Michael Reaves/Reuters Athletes from Team Kenya pose for a photo prior to the Olympic opening ceremony](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/3e55/live/a0d0ac00-4b7d-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp)
![Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters Athletes from Team Spain wave Spanish flags during the opening ceremony](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/2b3a/live/5b209ea0-4b86-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp)
![Steph Chambers/Getty Images Flagbearers Yu Feng of China and Long Ma of China, wave their flag on the team boat along the River Seine](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1252/live/e2982f60-4b86-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
The occasion was interspersed with elaborate performances of all types, from Woman Gaga, cabaret performers, ballet dancers, acrobats to a finale from Celine Dion, a distant determine on stage midway up the Eiffel Tower.
![Maja Hitij/Getty Images Lady Gaga performs on a gold staircase with dancers and pink pom poms during the opening ceremony in Paris on 26 July.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ee58/live/25b80f70-4b93-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp)
![Wang Dongzhen/Getty Images Dancers in pink and white dresses perform on the riverside during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b418/live/2cd42d80-4b7e-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
![Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Tightrope walker Nathan Paulin performs on a high rope during the athletes’ parade on the River Seine near the Supreme Court during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/3f45/live/79cd6720-4b86-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp)
![Bernat Armangué/AP Smoke billows near windows as performers participate during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/3ba3/live/ca946b40-4b86-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)
![Pilar Olivares/Reuters Performers dressed in white robes stand on Pont Alexandre III during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, as a boat passes beneath](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/64aa/live/6cb67620-4b87-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)
![Ludovic Marin/AFP Canadian singer Celine Dion performs on the Eiffel Tower during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ee5e/live/407faa50-4b9a-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)