A visualisation of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony is pictured in this undated handout obtained December 13, 2021. [Photo/Agencies]

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, 2024, will take part on the River Seine, organizers announced on Monday, breaking the long-held Summer Games tradition of a stadium procession of athletes and officials.

More than 160 boats filled with athletes and officials from more than 200 countries will sail almost 6km (4 miles) between the Pont d'Austerlitz and Pont d'Iena bridges in central Paris, with the closing ceremony scheduled to be held at the Trocadero, an expanse of gardens and fountains which overlooks the Eiffel Tower.

“One billion people will watch the ceremony. We want them to feel the best of France. It will be a unique combination of a sport and cultural moment, with the entire city turned into a vast Olympic stadium.”

Paris 2024 organizers are expecting crowds of 600,000 people for what they call the largest-ever Olympic ceremony. Part of the public will be dispersed along the banks of the Seine in ticketed stands while the rest are able to take part for free.

In an interview with AFP, Estanguet spoke of his "absolute pride" in having worked on this idea.

"For the first time in the history of the Games we're going to organize a procession of athletes bang in the middle of the city, on the Seine. We expect at least 600,000 people, that's to say 10 times more than in a stadium like the Stade de France for example. "

Competitions will also be staged in the heart of the city, including beach volleyball at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and equestrian sports at the Chateau de Versaille. Mass participation cycling and running events will also be staged on the Olympic courses during Paris 2024.

(From ChinaDaily)