This year also marks the first time that the opening ceremony will be open to all and free of charge—well, almost. Spectators won’t need to show a ticket to watch the parade form the upper platforms along the Seine. Those who want to stand on the lower docks, from the Austerlitz Bridge to the Iéna Bridge, will need a ticket, though. Everyone else should be able to follow the parade thanks to 80 giant screens and strategically placed speakers.
The Parade Route
The departure of the boat parade will take place from the Austerlitz Bridge next to the Jardin des Plantes at 7:30 pm local time, circling the two islands in the city center, Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité. The route will then continue under the eight bridges and 10 arches along the Seine’s route. From the boats, the flag-bearers and athletes participating in the two-week event will be able to admire some of the official sites of the Games, such as La Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides, the Grand Palais, and finally the Iéna Bridge, where the procession will stop in front of the Trocadéro for the final part of the ceremony.
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The Opening Ceremony By the Numbers
An estimated 1.5 billion spectators are expected to watch the Olympics opening ceremony, either from the parade route along the Seine or via TV or streaming. Approximately 94 boats will be part of the procession, each carrying participating delegations and the artists involved. All told, the boats will hold some 10,500 athletes from the 206 National Olympic Committees. Approximately 120 heads of state, monarchs, and government leaders are also expected to attend the ceremony.