Large sections of Paris were closed off on Friday as Olympic organisers ramped up the preparations for the spectacular opening ceremony along the river Seine on 26 July.
Six kilometres of the river Seine between Pont Austerlitz to the east and the Champs de Mars have been designated for the first launch ceremony outside the main Olympic stadium.
The procession involving a flotilla of boats and around 7,000 athletes will skirt around the two islands at the centre of the city – the Île Saint Louis and the Île de la Cité – before passing under several bridges.
The cruise will take in Olympic venues such as Parc Urbain La Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides and the Grand Palais before ending near the Eiffel Tower.
“Athletes will be the heart and soul of the ceremony,” said a Paris 2024 spokesperson.
“By opening with the parade of athletes, Paris 2024 is breaking with tradition,” the spokesperson added.
“Athletes will be featured on stage during the introduction to and throughout the ceremony as part of Paris 2024’s constant aim to hold Games created for and by athletes.”
However, the closure of central riverside districts to most vehicles as well as metro stations has inflicted complications for drivers as well as residents and tourists.
“The Olympics have brought us nothing but misery,” said taxi driver Rabah Ouanes.
The 53-year-old complained on Thursday about deteriorating conditions because of construction work on the roads.
Read more on RFI English
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