The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games began in beautiful conditions, as around 4,400 athletes walked down the Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde.

Like the Olympic Games, the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in the French capital will take place outside a stadium for the first time.

The main ceremony takes place on the Place de la Concorde, on a beautiful summer evening in the heart of the city, after a parade down the Champs-Elysees from the Arc de Triomphe.

Organizers estimate that 65,000 people will attend. Visitors can watch the parade for free before the ticketed open-air event at Place de la Concorde.

The Patrouille de France air display team released blue, white and red smoke from the Tricolore under clear skies before the athletes made their appearance.