Paris 2024’s Olympic Games Opening Ceremony to Take Place Along Seine

Paris 2024’s Olympic Games Opening Ceremony to Take Place Along Seine

(IN BRIEF) Paris 2024 has partnered with 42 river companies to provide boats for athletes of Olympic delegations to parade along the Seine River during the Opening Ceremony. A total of 116 Parisian and regional boats will be used, with Batorama, a tour boat company located in Strasbourg, joining the collective project. The boats will meander along six kilometers of the Seine between the Austerlitz and the Iéna bridges, showcasing the river and its ecosystem. This marks the first time the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony will take place outside a stadium. The event is set to welcome the largest number of spectators in its history.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 25-Apr-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — After unveiling the unique concept of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, which will take place for the first time outside of a stadium in the city of Paris along the Seine, Paris 2024 has announced a major collaboration with river companies which will provide their Parisian and regional boats for athletes of Olympic delegations from the five continents to parade on. As of today, 116 Parisian and regional boats have been identified to sail on the Seine on July 26, 2024. This exceptional collective commitment will ensure an extraordinary Opening Ceremony and will showcase the Seine and its ecosystem.

42 river companies and 116 boats already identified

42 river companies have agreed to commit to Paris 2024 and contribute to the world’s largest sports event: Aabysse Location, Action Public/Péniche de Paris/Navy and Company, Bateaux de Paris et d’Ile-de-France, Bateaux Mouches, Bateaux Parisiens, Batobus, Batorama, Bleu Seine, Boreas Cruise, Canauxrama, Cap Seine – Quai 55, Class’ Réception, Compagnie de la Seine/Vedettes de la Seine, Compagnie des Bateaux à Roue, Croisieurope, Diamant Bleu, Fleuve Concept/Ports de Seine/Fleuve Transactions, Henjo, Joce, Le Bateau Français, Le Bateau Paris 12, Mistral en Seine, Nouvelles Rives, One Expérience, Paris Boat Club, Paris Canal, Paris Seine, Petrus, River’s King, Sarl FFM, Seine Alliance, Seine Avenue, Seine Evénement, Seine Privée, Seinessor, Sextant/Paris yacht 1, Sous les Jupons de la Seine, Un Bateau à Paris, Vedettes de Paris Ile-de-France, Vedettes du Pont-Neuf, Weboat, and Yachts de Paris.

Batorama joins Paris 2024 to celebrate the opening of the Olympic Games

While 98% of the boats that will take part in the Opening Ceremony come from the Paris ecosystem, Paris 2024 is also committed to regional support such as from Batorama which is the leading French tour boat company outside Paris.

Located in Strasbourg, Batorama transports nearly 800,000 visitors a year to discover the must-see sites of the Alsatian capital such as the emblematic Petite France area or the European institutions.

With its experience, Batorama took part with four of its boats to join this collective project which promises to be a great show!

“Beyond a nautical and athletic story, this is a story of shared passion. What an honour for Batorama to join the fleet of the first Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games outside of a stadium. It is for us the promise of an unforgettable moment in such a symbolic setting that brings us all together: the river”, comments Isabelle BURGET – General Manager of Batorama.

On 26 July 2024, the boat owners will contribute to the magic of the ceremony

The concept, which was unveiled in December 2021, is new and ambitious. The boats will meander along 6 kilometres on the Seine between the Austerlitz and the Iéna bridges. Throughout the route, the athletes will be immersed in the emblematic scenery of the capital with the river and the historical monuments in the background, which will amaze the audience.

The Seine and boats are indissociable in the eyes of the world. It is undoubtedly the most spectacular way to cross the city and discover the rich history of the capital, which the athletes will continue to write on 26 July 2024. The boats too will write the shared history with the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games and will provide their river experience since 98% of them use this route daily, which eight million people discover every year.

As Paris 2024 has chosen to move away from the stadium for this live show, an Opening Ceremony will never have welcomed as many spectators.

“On 26 July 2024, more than a billion viewers will be turned to Paris and the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. Without the boat owners, this ambitious project of a ceremony on the Seine would not have been possible. We are very happy and grateful to be able to count on them to make the organisation of this unprecedented, exciting and we hope, the greatest ceremony in the history of the Games possible,” said Tony Estanguet, President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Paris 2024.

Didier Léandri, President of Entreprises Fluviales de France: “The Opening Ceremony is an opportunity for the riverine industry to put its values of commitment, excellence and environmental sobriety at the disposal of Olympism”.

Olivier Jamey, President of the Paris Port Community: “The Olympic Games Opening Ceremony offers the opportunity for river companies to join together as an impressive team to bring the first and most original Olympic medal to France”.

Media Contact:

media@paris2024.org

SOURCE: Paris 2024