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Lady Gaga sang a French cabaret song near Notre-Dame cathedral, a giant plume of blue, white and red smoke was sent high above a bridge over the Seine and a winged man played accordion as the Olympics' opening ceremony got under way in Paris on Friday.
A fleet of barges started taking athletes on a 6 km-stretch of the river, by some of the French capital's most famous landmarks, as Lady Gaga, surrounded by dancers, sang "Mon truc en plumes" (My thing made of feathers).
Huge applause rang out for the Greek boat -- the first one, by tradition -- and even bigger cheers erupted for the boat that followed, carrying a team made of refugees.
Water fountains threw up jets of water in the middle of the Seine as the boats went by, with athletes waving at the crowds, amid a huge visible police presence.
The Israel delegation got some boos, but also a lot of cheers, as it sailed by spectators, Reuters reporters saw. Chants of "Palestine! Palestine! Palestine!" rose from the crowd as the boat passed.
The French, US and Ukrainian delegations got loud cheers.
France's La Marseillaise anthem rang out as the parade passed by the Grand Palais, before the show paid tribute to women who made French history, including former minister Simone Veil.
500 dancers performed around the Pont Notre-Dame and Paris City Hall.
80 artists from the Moulin Rouge performed the iconic dance that dates back to the 1820s. 'Their pink costumes specifically designed for the #OpeningCeremony,' a tweet on the Olympic Games handle informed.
A more modern image of the country was on display when French-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura, the most-listened to French female singer in the world, sang some of her biggest hits, accompanied by the French Republican Guard's army choir.
Nakamura's performance drew some of the ceremony's biggest cheers. Rumours of her inclusion had sparked a row over French identity, with supporters saying said she represented the vibrancy of modern-day France while her detractors saying her music owes more to foreign influences than French.
'A beheaded Marie Antoinette is one of the wildest and craziest things ever at the Olympics,' one tweet read.
The ceremony comes just hours after a sabotage attack on the high-speed TGV rail network caused travel chaos across France and put the spotlight on the security risks at a time when all eyes are on the country.
The show started by depicting a fictional scenario in which the arrival of the Olympic flame goes awry, ahead of the extravagant show on the river that will kick off the summer Games.
French soccer superstar Zinedine Zidane was shown running across Paris to bring the flame, in a pre-recorded video that included him taking it onto the metro.
Spectators were treated to postcard-like depictions of France and a huge cancan line performed by Moulin Rouge cabaret dancers on the banks.
"We are super excited, it happens once in a lifetime," 17-year-old Elise Boukorrass said.
It had been raining on and off earlier in the evening in Paris and weather forecasters have predicted heavy showers, with one meteorologist even calling it a "disaster" for the open-air ceremony.
"The rain won't stop me from cheering on the Olympics - sport is everything to me and I'd do whatever it takes to watch this," said Flavia Merluzzi, 20, an architecture student.
Details have been kept secret, including who will be the last to carry the torch and light the Olympic cauldron to mark the start of the Games. The torchbearer -- their face hidden and identity concealed -- was shown jumping on the roofs of Paris.
Amid rumours that Canadian singer Celine Dion could also be part of the show, spectator Chantal Beauvais said it would be "magical" to watch her.
Also paying homage to France's fashion industry there were models doing the catwalk as part of a skit at the opening ceremony.
'The world is a stage, and Paris is a catwalk. The #OpeningCeremony is France's largest nightclub. Celebrities are showcasing young French designer talent, while DJ Barbara Butch provides the tunes. The perfect moment for the last delegations to arrive. #Paris2024,' The Olympics Games posted on their X handle.