The Paris 2024 Olympics began with a groundbreaking – and rain-soaked – opening ceremony, the first to be staged outside a stadium.
Here, we take a look at a selection of standout images from the floating parade down the River Seine and the finale at the Trocadero.
Smoke in the colours of the flag of France rises above the Pont d’Austerlitz (John Walton/PA)
France president Emmanuel Macron, left, and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach were in attendance (Mike Egerton/PA)
Spectators including British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had to take shelter from the rain (Mike Egerton/PA)
The hosts France cruise down the Seine amid the rain (John Walton/PA)
They head under a bridge filled with performers (David Davies/PA)
Lady Gaga was among the stars on show (John Walton/PA)
Shane Lowry and Sarah Lavin were Ireland’s flagbearers (Pauline Ballet/PA)
Coco Gauff and LeBron James did the honours for the United States (John Walton/PA)
The Mongolia team pulled out all the stops with their resplendent outfits (John Walton/PA)
The Eiffel Tower was lit up with the Olympic rings… (Joel Marklund/PA)
… as heavy rain fell at the Trocadero (Joel Marklund/PA)
The Great Britain team braved the elements at the Trocadero (Joel Marklund/PA)
The musicians from the French National Orchestra also took refuge (Mike Egerton/PA)
The ‘City of Lights’ still offered a spectacular backdrop (David Davies/PA)
A horsewoman wearing the flag of the IOC rides a metal horse down the Seine (Pauline Ballet/PA)
The rider at the Trocadero (Joel Marklund/PA)
She dismounts and carries the flag of the IOC (Christophe Petit Tesson/PA)
Zinedine Zidane, left, hands the Olympic torch to Rafael Nadal (Mike Egerton/PA)
A spectacular display lit up the Eiffel Tower (Joel Marklund/PA)
And the Olympic flame is lit by Marie-Jose Perec, left, and Teddy Riner (Jan Woitas/PA)
