Zinedine Zidane starred in a video to tee up the Olympic flame before the flares departed from the Austerlitz Bridge forming the tricolore.
A total of 85 boats then took the team delegation on a six-kilometer journey through the center of Paris, with more than 300,000 spectators on the banks of the river.
Lady Gaga rehearsing along the Seine before the opening ceremony
PA cable
The threatened rain came as the Olympic flame was transferred to the river bank to pass through the crowd.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was among those watching from the main stadium in the Jardins du Trocadero, wearing a Team GB raincoat, while others wore ponchos.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
Mike Egerton / PA Wire
The parade continues through 12 “scenes”, with dances and performances along the river each telling the story of Paris and France.
Team Great Britain hit the screens, with Andy Murray among those accompanying flagbearers Tom Daley and Helen Glover.
The Eurostar arson attack caused rail chaos
Hours before the opening ceremony Eurostar and the rest of France’s high-speed rail network were thrown into chaos after an arson attack disrupted travel to Paris.
One in four Eurostar trains was canceled on Friday and will run for the rest of the weekend after “coordinated” vandalism caused disruption ahead of the Olympics in France.
The train operator, which runs an international service from London St Pancras, confirmed 25% of its trains would no longer run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Attal said there would be “huge consequences”, with “hundreds of thousands” of people stuck trying to visit Paris for the Games or on holiday.
Eurostar said in a statement: “Due to the coordinated malicious action in France, which affects the high-speed line between Paris and Lille, all high-speed trains to and from Paris are diverted via the classic line on Friday, July 26.
“This has extended journey times by around half an hour. Eurostar expects this situation to last until Monday morning.
Passengers at the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras station
North Lucy / PA Wire
All high-speed trains to and from Paris have been diverted to slower lines and the company is asking customers to postpone their journeys if possible.
Prosecutors in Paris opened a national investigation, saying the crime carries a 15- to 20-year sentence.
French rail operator SNCF said the situation should last “at least all weekend” but that teams were already on site to inspect and begin repairs.
PA cable
Meanwhile, Gaga said it was her “ultimate honor” to perform at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
The 38-year-old wowed audiences by singing in French during her performance on Friday evening, which saw her deliver a burlesque take on French classic Mon Truc En Plume.
On X, before Twitter and Instagram, he said: “I feel very grateful to have been asked to open Paris @Olympics 2024 this year.
“I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympic organizing committee to sing a special French song – a song to honor the French people and their incredible history of art, music and theatre.
“This song is sung by Zizi Jeanmaire, born in Paris as a French ballerina, she famously sang Mon Truc en Plumes in 1961.
“The title means ‘My Thing with Feathers’. And this isn’t the first time we’ve crossed paths.
“Zizi starred in Cole Porter’s Anything Goes which was my first jazz release.
“Even though I am not a French artist, I always feel a special connection with the French people and singing French music.
“I didn’t want to create a show that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and in this important event remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth – Paris.
Flagbearers Tom Daley and Helen Glover with Team GB
John Walton/PA Wire
“We hired pom poms from the archives of Le Lido – a real French cabaret theatre.
“We collaborated with Dior to create custom costumes, using naturally formed feathers. I studied French choreography that put a modern twist on French classics.
“I trained tirelessly to learn a fun French dance, practicing some old skills – I bet you didn’t know I danced at a 60s French party on the lower east side when I started.
“I hope you enjoy this performance as much as I do. And to everyone in France, thank you so much for welcoming me to your country to sing in your honor – a gift I will never forget.
The singer thanked the competing athletes and added that it was her “highest honor” to sing for them.
Ceremonial smoke in the colors of the French flag is seen over the River Seine in Paris
AP
As the ceremony descended on the river, the ceremony paid tribute to the country’s culture and history including Les Miserables, the popular novel by Victor Hugo, which was later turned into a musical.
After a sequence paying homage to the historical epic, French heavy metal band Gojira performed at the Conciergerie, the city’s former court and prison.
Among the other performers was French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who sang while wearing a gold dress paired with gladiator boots and gold jewelry.
The celebration was met with heavy rain with the performers, including pianist Alexandre Kantorow, drenched in heavy rain during their performance.
