Around 60 boats took part in a rehearsal on the river Seine for the opening ceremony of next year's Paris Olympics, which will be the first in history to kick off the games on water.
Just over a year from the real event, all river traffic was halted on Monday morning as dozens of boats sailed a six-kilometre route through the heart of Paris, ending opposite the Eiffel Tower.
Around 40 péniche barges played the role of the vessels that will carry athletes and performers in the river parade, accompanied by 18 boats for emergency services, organisers and broadcasters.
The real ceremony, which aims to be the biggest ever, will involve a flotilla of more than 150 boats bearing some 10,500 athletes.
It will be the first time in Olympics history that the opening ceremony takes place outside a stadium. The Paris organisers say it is part of their mission to bring sport into the heart of the city.
But the ambitious plan involves several logistical challenges.
"We need to test a new way of filming the ceremony," event director Thierry Reboul told French news agency AFP ahead of Monday's rehearsal.
French theatre director Thomas Jolly – known for his cinematic flair – is responsible for choreographing the event and is keeping the details of his plans a secret.
Some 600,000 people are expected to attend the opening ceremony in person, with around 100,000 buying tickets for prime spots and the rest watching for free from the banks of the Seine.
The Paris Olympics are set to take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024.
(with AFP)
