Paris Olympics to begin with opening ceremony along the Seine on TSN

PARIS — Olympic champions Maude Charron and Andre De Grasse held the Maple Leaf high as Canada's Olympic delegation sailed its way into the Paris Games during a sodden, sprawling opening ceremony that marked a return to spectacle after the COVID-muted Games in Tokyo and Beijing.

The flag-bearers led a delegation of nearly 200 athletes representing Canada in a scenic, if rainy, trip down the Seine River on Friday as part of the Games' unique opening ceremony.

French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Games open three hours into the ceremony, kicking off a light and laser show at the Eiffel Tower.

The ceremony ended with Canadian superstar Céline Dion, who delivered an emotional rendition of "Hymne à L'Amour" at the base of the Eiffel Tower as nearby a glowing golden hydrogen-filled gas balloon carrying the Olympic cauldron lifted slowly into the sky above Paris. It was an epic comeback for Dion, who hasn't performed publicly since revealing her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome in December 2022.

Earlier, rain began steadily beating down as the boat carrying Canada’s athletes made its way through the parade.

The Canadians gamely stood on the top level of their vessel — a Bateaux Mouche, famed for ferrying tourists up and down the Seine — waving at the crowd despite the increasing downpour.

The City of Paris took centre stage during a six-kilometre boat procession that highlighted landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre before ending their journey at the Trocadéro.

Canada shared a boat with Chile and China, but the Canadian athletes were easy to spot in bright red Lululemon bomber jackets. Later, a smaller group donned clear rain ponchos and could be seen dancing in the rain — a welcome celebration after a first few days in Paris overshadowed by a drone spying scandal that saw Canada Soccer suspend its women's national team head coach.

Manitoba taekwondo athlete Skylar Park said after the ceremony that being on the boat with Canada's flagbearers and the other athletes was "one of the coolest days ever." "Seeing all the Canadian flags and how excited people were, there was just so much pride to represent our country in that moment and to be at the Olympics and be in that moment that I've dreamed of for so long," she said. Skateboarder Fay De Fazio Ebert, who at 14 is the youngest member of the Canadian delegation, said she had “no words” to describe the experience, despite the sore feet and soggy clothes.

De Fazio Ebert said her favourite parts were seeing Eiffel Tower light up and feeling the energy of her fellow athletes.

“I got goosebumps,” she said. “Like wow, I’m at the Olympics. I’m an Olympian.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not make the trip to France. Instead, Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough led the Canadian diplomatic delegation at the ceremony.

The show started with spectators watching a video on giant screens mounted along the Seine where various people carried the torch through Paris.

Cheers were heard along the banks as a boat emerged on the water, with the torch being held by a young boy. As the boat passed under a bridge, it erupted in red, white and blue clouds.

Fans, many covered in plastic rain ponchos, braved inclement weather to come out in droves for the celebration — a stark contrast to the empty stands in Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022.

Paris organizers described Friday’s opening ceremony as the largest in Games history and the first one held outside of a stadium, allowing more than 300,000 spectators to take in the spectacle. Paris also chose to break from tradition by holding the athlete’s parade at the beginning of the ceremony, and by having them make their grand entrance along the Seine River rather than the typical stadium march. The day got off to a rocky start when France's high-speed train network was targeted Friday morning by co-ordinated disruptive acts, including arson and graffiti. Outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said the actions had "a clear objective" of blocking the high-speed train network.

Stands along the river slowly filled about two hours before the ceremony, with many fans holding umbrellas to keep dry. Police sirens and whistles blared in the distance, another sign of the ever-present security that will permeate the city throughout the Games. Measures included closing the Charles de Gaulle Airport and restricting airspace above the festivities.

Many spectators dressed in the red, white and blue of the French flag or had the image painted on their faces. Others waved their own country's banner from the stands.

On the water below, tour boats and floating restaurants moored to the river's banks played host to elaborate parties.

Lady Gaga was the first performer, singing Zizi Jeanmarie's “Mon Truc en Plumes” after the first round of delegations was announced.

She sat down at a piano and played a few notes before dancers affixed a giant white peacock-like tail to her back.

As crowds gathered along the Seine waited to see the athletes, scenes of an unknown torch bearer adventuring through the city played on the massive screens, interspersed with footage of performances taking place along the route.

The show included an opera singer, a ballerina on a rooftop, dancers replicating the inner workings of a machine and a headless Marie Antoinette next to thrashing hard rock guitarists.

A number of global athletic stars, past and present, were on hand to participate in the final leg of the torch rally and lighting of the flame. French former soccer star Zinedine Zidane handed the Olympic flame to Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal at the Trocadero, who departed in a speedboat along with sporting legends Serena Williams, Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci.

After weeks of secrecy and speculation, the ceremony concluded with Marie-José Pérec and Teddy Riner, each three-time Olympic champions in sprinting and judo, respectively lighting the flame.

— With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2024.