The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris was an immense challenge. For the first time, it was held outside a sports venue, within the city itself.

The concept had been derided as overly ambitious and the location criticized as a prime security risk. But after years of preparation, France on Saturday could breathe a sigh of relief—it had pulled off the Olympic opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Games.

Opting for a ceremony on the waters of the River Seine rather than the standard option of a stadium was a theatrical gesture typical of President Emmanuel Macron. But the gesture brought considerable risks with it.

Blue, white, and red fireworks had raised the tricolore above the Austerlitz Bridge before........

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