François-Xavier Marit/AFP
The Olympic opening ceremony presents the host country with the opportunity to wow the world with a uniquely spectacular show.
The opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was just that - the organisers ditched the traditional ceremony, and became the first Games to hold the opening event within a city as a whole rather than in a stadium.
Thousands of athletes and performers paraded along the River Seine on a wet evening, before the night sky and the Eiffel Tower were lit up in dramatic technicolour, creating a hugely ambitious, one-of-a-kind spectacle.
Below are some of the most eye-catching photos from the night.
Paweł Kopczyński/Reuters
Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP
Mohd Rasfan/AFP
The opening ceremony began with a stunning display of coloured smoke resembling the French flag rising over the Pont d’Austerlitz.
Lars Baron/Getty Images
Fans and spectators were in keen attendance, and - for the most part - were undeterred by the wet weather.
Tingshu Wang/Reuters
Claudia Greco/Reuters
Oli Scarff/AFP
Steph Chambers/Getty Images
French President Emmanuel Macron was watching alongside President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach.
Martin Divíšek/EPA
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was also spotted watching the ceremony, seemingly well-prepared for the rain.
Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Various celebrities attended the evening, including American singer Ariana Grande with her British Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo.
Christophe Petit-Tesson/PA Media
As expected there was a heightened security presence, with tens of thousands of police deployed across the city.
Franck Fife/AFP
Teresa Suarez/EPA
Throughout the event, a mystery masked torchbearer was running and parkour-ing their way through the city on riverside rooftops.
Bernat Armangué/Reuters
Peter Cziborra/Pool/Getty Images
Fleets of team boats, with countries from all around the world, sailed down the Seine, flying their flags with pride.
British diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover bore the flag for Team GB.
Naomi Baker/Reuters
Amanda Perobelli/Reuters
Aijaz Rahi/AP
Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
Michael Reaves/Reuters
Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
Albert Gea/Reuters
Steph Chambers/Getty Images
The event was interspersed with elaborate performances of all kinds, from Lady Gaga, cabaret performers, ballet dancers, acrobats to a finale from Celine Dion on stage halfway up the Eiffel Tower.
Maja Hitij/Getty Images
Wang Dongzhen/Getty Images
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Bernat Armangué/AP
Pilar Olivares/Reuters
Ludovic Marin/AFP