Paris 2024's novel opening ceremony was well-intentioned but London 2012 it was not... sometimes you cannot beat a stadium, writes IAN HERBERT

Paris 2024's novel opening ceremony was well-intentioned but London 2012 it was not...

sometimes you cannot beat a stadium, writes IAN HERBERT The 2024 Olympics officially opened following a ceremony on the Seine Athletes paraded down the river instead of in a traditional stadium setting Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony : Follow all the reaction By Ian Herbert Published: 23:57, 26 July 2024 | Updated: 23:57, 26 July 2024 e-mail View comments There had been a warning to France, right back when it was taking over the flame, that you can’t simply conjure up Olympic magnificence. For the Tokyo closing ceremony three years ago, plans were laid to beam a live feed of the Tricolor being hoisted up the Eiffel Tower. The idea was abandoned because the weather in Paris was so foul.

The slate grey skies did their worst again on a night in which the host city’s attempts to be different, bringing the athletes up the River Seine in a flotilla of 85 boats as interpretive dance took place on the banks, ultimately proved that you just can’t beat a stadium for an event like this. The night had its moments. Zinedine Zidane filmed in Bond mode, with the Marseillaise briefly playing, carrying the torch into the Metro system.

A sassy Lady Gaga performing an Edith Piaf number near Pont d’Austerlitz. A memorable can-can by people in pink poppy costumes. But as the torch was carried on by a rather terrifying-looking bearer who had no face, the rain tipped down on the Eiffel Tower stages w.