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Bold, grandiose and avant-garde: the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Games had millions of spectators spellbound. Packed with references to France's history, as well as nods to clichés that suit us so well, the show was sprinkled with iconic moments. So much so, in fact, that it made us want to revisit some of Paris' most famous landmarks.
Porte des Lilas-Cinéma station
A clip featuring Zinedine Zidane carrying the Olympic flame in the Paris metro has been released to launch the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Games.
Credit
Capture écran / France TV
The "fake" metro station at Porte des Lilas
Credit
JF MAUBOUSSIN / RATP
Zinedine Zidane narrowly missing the opening ceremony because of a transport problem? If this bit made Parisians chuckle (along with the rest of the country), did you know that the scene was filmed in the capital's best-guarded metro station? Closed since 1939, the Porte des Lilas-Cinéma station has since carved out a special place for itself in the French film industry, serving today as a set. It was notably used during the filming of Bande de filles, À bout portant and Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain.
Where can you see it? Closed to the public, this empty station connecting lines 3bis and 7bis is accessible during the "Journées du Patrimoine" (Heritage Days) in September.
Trivia: During filming, Zinedine Zidane shared his excitement about taking the Paris metro for the first time!
The Barye Square staircase (Paris Centre)
American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga performs on the stairs of Square Barye (Paris Centre), during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Credit
Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images
Square Barye (central Paris)
Credit
Sophie Robichon/Ville de Paris;
Lady Gaga revisited Zizi Jeanmaire's "Mon truc en plumes" with a delicious American accent. A magnificent tableau that got the ball rolling, brimming with feathers, glamour, and French extravagance, delighted audiences worldwide. The choreography opened with an ultra-fatal step-down. Dressed in gold, these stairs are none other than those of Square Barye, created in 1938. This charming garden covers almost 3,000 square meters and was awarded the Ecocert "Espace vert écologique" label in 2007.
Where to see it? 2, boulevard Henri IV, at the end of the Ile de la Cité (Paris Centre)
Trivia: For this three-minute number, Lady Gaga and her troupe rehearsed for two months.
La Conciergerie (Paris Centre)
French heavy metal band Gojira performs at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Credit
Buda Mendes / Getty Images
La Conciergerie (Paris Centre)
Credit
Guillaume Bontemps/Ville de Paris;
Undoubtedly one of the most striking and daring moments of the ceremony! After following the footsteps of the revolutionaries who left their mark on French history, magnificently portrayed by Eugène Delacroix in his famous painting La Liberté guidant le peuple, we were treated to a decapitated Marie-Antoinette singing "Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira!", a revolutionary song written during the French Revolution.
And what better way to symbolize popular discontent than with some metal? Perched on the façade of the Conciergerie, French death metal band Gojira set fire to the historic building overlooking the Ile de la Cité (central Paris). The Conciergerie was originally a courthouse before being turned into a prison for the Parliament of Paris at the end of the 14th century. It now houses a memorial chapel built in 1815 on the site of the former Queen of France's cell.
Where to see it? 2, boulevard du Palais, on the west side of the Ile de la Cité (central Paris)
Trivia: Marie-Antoinette spent her last days in the Conciergerie, before being guillotined.
Pont des Arts (6e)
Aya Nakamura performs at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Games.
Credit
Getty Images
Pont des Arts (6th)
Credit
Jean-Baptiste Gurliat/Ville de Paris;
On July 26, a gust of fresh air swept over the famous footbridge spanning the Seine. And with good reason! In a magnificent gold Dior gown, star Aya Nakamura treated herself to a musical moment as unexpected as it was memorable, with the Garde républicaine and the French Army choir, revisiting Charles Aznavour's hit For me, formidable. A daring choice that honored the innovative character of the capital's first metal bridge, built in 1801.
Where to see it? Between quai de Conti (6th arrondissement) and quai François-Mitterrand (central Paris)
Trivia: To keep everything under wraps until the last moment, Aya Nakamura, along with the Garde Républicaine, the French Army Choir, and the dancers, had to practice on an alternate road, which was marked to match the bridge's dimensions.
La passerelle Debilly
Artists and models on a podium along the Debilly footbridge, during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Credit
Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The Debilly footbridge from the Eiffel Tower (7th)
Credit
Guillaume Bontemps / Ville de Paris
On July 26, the Passerelle Debilly transformed into a vibrant catwalk, a massive dance floor, a wild feast, and a performance space celebrating all minorities, bringing an electric atmosphere to the capital. The event featured performances by singer Philippe Katerine, drag queens Nicky Doll and Piche, dedicated DJ Barbara Butch, voguing icon GG Palmer, paralympic fencer Beatrice Vio, transgender model Raya Martigny, waacking expert Josepha Madoki, and dancers Fauve Hautot and Romain Guillermic.
Nestled between the Pont d'Iéna and the Pont de l'Alma, the 120-metre-long, 8-metre-wide Debilly footbridge was built in 1899 for the 1900 Universal Exhibition and, like the Eiffel Tower (7th), was meant to be dismantled after the event. However, the City of Paris decided otherwise, and in the end kept it, making a few modifications over the years.
Where to see it? Between voie Georges-Pompidou and quai Jacques-Chirac (7th district)
Trivia: Contrary to popular belief, the painting that inspired this scene is not Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, but The Feast of the Gods, by Dutch painter Jan van Bijlert.
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