The setting was the Conciergerie where the royal family was imprisoned during the Revolution. We visited in 2019. That was one of my favorite parts - “ca ira “ indeed!
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The hot air balloon was invented in France in 1783 by brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier.
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We actually loved it too.
I suppose our perspectives were influenced by our experiences. We love Paris and my kid is a big Francophile so we were constantly commenting on personal moments in the various locations shown.
My kid also has a theatre background (DRAMAmama) and we have a great love of the arts. We understand the “show must go on.” So while we understand the disappoint with some performances and the camera work, we were constantly discussing the challenges they were fighting with the weather and unconventional use of the Seine for the parade and impressed at the effort.
The entire production was so full of art and history and such an ambitious endeavor. We were googling people and references we didn’t get and enjoying learning more. Basically we were blown away by the vision, even though there were moments that were not as successful as hoped.
And we love the Olympics! GO USA! Go Holland! So I guess we easily forgave all shortcomings and just enjoyed the unconventional approach.
Enjoy your time in Paris, @sabaray !! Thank you for sharing a bit with us.
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Rafa fans, he plays doubles with ALCAREZ at 1pm est today! (My phone insists on capitalizing ALCAREZ!)
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Just read about the big paintings or women that rose out of water–all escapees from the Louvre. Their eyes moved to track the boats as they moved past.
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Watching this morning and wondering if rain will postpone tennis today. I was thrilled to see how France honored athletes from other nations during the opening ceremonies, particularly Rafa 
I was never a big Mauresmo fan when she was playing, but she certainly earned my respect with how she ran the longest stretch in torch relay yesterday.
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The 100 year old gentleman in the wheelchair… What is his name?
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Last night we watched the opening cremonies. What a wild ride! We both loved it. So imaginative. Spoiler alert…
Comments in no order:
- The CanCan dancers were a hilarious disaster. They definitely needed more rehearsals. We wondered if half the troupe called in sick and had to be replaced at the last minute.
- Loved the boat parade of athletes. So fun, even in the pouring rain.
- Lady Gaga is great, but I couldn’t help wonder why there wasn’t a french singer.
- Loved the mechanical horse!
- Cried at the 100 year old athlete. That was very moving.
- Loved the light show on the Eiffel tower.
- Celine Dion was amazing, but she isn’t French. Still, incredible and stunning.
- The swaying pole dancers and the whole Liberté sequence. The library scene, clever and saucy. Ooh la la!
- I didnt quite get the runway show.
- Nobody slipped in the rain.
- I stayed up late to watch the whole thing, waiting for the Phantom to reveal himself and he never did! Boo! That annoyed me.
- Didn’t dig the heavy metal elements.
- Loved the opera singers.
- National anthem was lovely.
- Zenadine Zidane…hmmm. He behaved pretty badly, cough cough, in the World Cup final. Not cool. I dont think he deserved the honor last night of carrying the torch.
I thought this was the best opening cremeony yet. Reminiscent of London 2012. Vive la France!
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Lol! We thought they might’ve started partying a bit early. 
Many of the performances apparently had no rehearsals because they were taking place on bridges and streets that couldn’t be closed for such rehearsals.
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…it was the penultimate torchbearer who stole the show: Olympic champion, Charles Coste
The 100-year-old Coste gazed upon the Olympic Torch before offering its flame to the final torchbearers…
Source: Paris 2024 Olympics: France’s 100-year-old Olympic champion participates in torch relay's final leg
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I was thinking that a mid Texas HS drill team could do a better job than they did. I started trying to figure out whether there was a pattern to how off they were.
I’ve never been to France. I was thinking that was part of my disappointment with the whole thing.
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Fun review of the ceremony:
Haha! We said the same thing!
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I meant I couldn’t tell how it’s anchored, the architecture around it.
I liked the Marie Antoinette thing!
Agree with lots of your points, but not sure I would rank this one above London. For me personally, nothing will ever top HM the Queen and James Bond. So cute and so memorable! I will put this effort just a smidge behind London.
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Re: masked torch bearer.
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Thoughts on the commentators? There were long gaps between when an artist appeared and when the commentators told us who it was. Kelly Clarkson kept saying things like “oh wow” without any further description. I know France kept the details secret. Did they not give the media cheat sheets?
I understand that they can’t keep all camera lenses clean when it is raining, but I’m surprised they didn’t do a better job. Was the rain going sideways?
I like seeing the athletes come in and stand together as individual nations at the opening ceremony and then enter en masse at the closing ceremony. I couldn’t tell how the athletes were watching the ceremony. Was it on a big screen from the boats? If so, that seems anticlimactic for them. Will the closing ceremony be in a venue or on the river as well?
As an Angeleno, I am super excited for LA28. I know organizers are watching Paris for things that went well and things that didn’t. They recently announced that swimming will be inside SoFi stadium. SoFi, along with the LA Coliseum, were supposed to both be venues for the opening ceremonies. The flame will have to be lit at the Coliseum. I assume the rest of the entertainment will occur at SoFi. But how will they do that on top of a pool?!?!
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“Traditional Katie Ledecky”’- 
! For those who missed her prelim swim.
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I wanted to see the skateboarders this morning, but the channel it was supposed to be on had a basketball game (Japan vs Germany). Maybe skateboarding was rained out? Luckily, we get Canadian tv & we were able to watch men’s gymnastics team qualifying. Those guys are ATHLETES! And Canadian tv shows everyone, which I truly appreciate.
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