PARIS: The incessant wailing of police sirens could be heard at the stroke of 12 on Friday afternoon outside the Palais des Congres. The city was on high alert. Heavily armed police personnel had started cordoning off the area close to the
River Seine
. This beautiful world city, which moves at a fast pace, had slowed down by the evening to welcome the Olympic Games home in an open ceremony.
Not restricted to the confines of a stadium for the first time in its history, the
opening ceremony
was witnessed by many more than the normal thousands. Those who were not lucky to get tickets watched the spectacle on 80 giant screens as strategically placed speakers allowed the Parisians to enjoy the magical atmosphere.
In an unprecedented move, all three Paris airports were closed as no-fly zone was imposed – from 6 pm to midnight – across northern France during the ceremony.
The attack by arsonists on highspeed French railways, leading to fire on five lines, did cause some panic and led to a sense of apprehension, However, the spirit of celebration soon took over. The preparade show started at 4 pm at St Denis, which will be the venue for athletics. Rain took centre stage for a while as media persons and spectators scrambled to look for shelter. Those with umbrellas stayed put. It was merely a distraction.
At the Trocadero, the makeshift stands slowly filled out and a festive fervour gripped everyone there as part of the history-making occasion. The river parade started at 7.30 pm and followed the course of the Seine, from east to west over 6 km. The riverside was full of spectators throughout this stretch.
It started from the Austerlitz bridge beside the Jardin des Plantes and made its way around the two islands in the centre of the city (the Île Saint Louis and the Île de la Cité) before passing under several bridges and gateways.
Greece, the hosts of the first Olympic Games, started it off followed by the refugee team under International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) flag.
Athletes on board the parade boats waved at the fans in the riverside stands and the performers on the bridges. They got a glimpse of some of the official Games venues along the way before the parade came to its finale right in front of a gloriously lit Eiffel Tower.
The Olympic flame was lit soon after that. The Games had officially begun. The opening ceremony was orchestrated by well-known stage director Thomas Jolly, who invited a stellar cast of local and international stars to celebrate the rich history and diversity of French musical culture.
There were some very big names in the lineup. Aya Nakamura, France’s most listened-to singer, performed a Charles Aznavour classic, accompanied by the Republican Guard. Queen of ballads Céline Dion performed a song by Édith Piaf. American pop sensation Lady Gaga also graced the stage.
Music flowed on a rainy Paris afternoon and the world across different time-zones stopped to celebrate a spectacle that it had been eagerly waiting for.
