In pictures: Memorable moments at the star-studded Paris Olympics opening ceremony

PARIS: It was an opportunity to impress the world as Paris opened the 2024 Olympic Games with a spectacular show in the heart of the French capital. 

For the first time, an Olympics opening ceremony was held outside a stadium. Athletes sailed down the River Seine, cheered on by hundreds of thousands of people who lined the streets in torrential rain.

Lady Gaga and Celine Dion added sparkle to the four-hour extravaganza. Here are some highlights of the night, in pictures.

The historic boat parade

Thousands of athletes from around the world sailed down a 6km stretch of the river Seine from the Austerlitz bridge in the east to the Eiffel Tower, on 85 barges and boats.

The performances

The multi-location ceremony was masterminded by acclaimed French theatre director Thomas Jolly. He split the show into 12 different sections, with performers positioned on both banks of the river, the bridges and atop nearby monuments.

US pop star Lady Gaga appeared from behind a fan of pom-poms held by her dancing troupe to sing Mon truc en plumes (My Thing With Feathers), an iconic French music hall hit by the legendary Zizi Jeanmaire.

The pouring rain

But there was one thing Jolly could not plan for - the weather. Heavy summer downpours descended on Paris even as forecasts showed days of hot sunny weather ahead.

The Olympic torch 

A mix of French and international stars, including football great Zinedine Zidane, 14-time French Open champion Rafa Nadal and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams were among the last torchbearers before the cauldron was lit.

The Olympic cauldron

After a stunning light show at the Eiffel Tower, French track legend Marie-Jose Perec and three-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner lit the Olympic cauldron which