French judoka Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-José Pérec, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, light Olympic flame
Celine Dion then performs partway up the Eiffel Tower
Lady Gaga, Zinedine Zidane and the Minions among those involved in breathtaking performance
Diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover Great Britain's flagbearers
Watch: Rapper Snoop Dogg carries Olympic torch through Paris
Image source, BBC SportI've just verbally expressed to the office 'what is this?'
Just when I think this night has reach its peak we see a man painted blue and reminiscent of a Smurf lying on the catwalk before breaking out into song.
How many more twists have the organisers got up their sleeve?
Kelly Cates
Presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live
Image source, Getty ImagesThese opening ceremonies are also an opportunity to learn what a city thinks is important about itself, not just what they think other people think fo them and to try and strike the right balance
This has done it so brilliantly whilst still being recognisably French, recognisably Parisian without really descending into cliches.
It has felt very modern Paris rather than cliche Paris.
James FitzGerald
BBC News reporter at the Trocadéro
Proof that England football fans don't own Freed From Desire - a singalong breaks out in the Trocadéro as the Gala hit plays.
President Macron is on his feet and the Eiffel Tower is all sparkles. The atmosphere's really livening up here now.
Jess Anderson
BBC Sport in Paris
The Eiffel Tower sparkles as France’s boat enters its final phase.
Despite the rain, it’s a pretty magical sight.
Image source, BBC SportRide On Time by Black Box is next up and then it's Be My Lover by La Bouche.
Forget the flashing dancefloor that's currently chugging down the River Seine, this is taking me back to the revolving dancefloor in Blackpool.
Euro. Dance. Central.
Three words that have just piqued my interest.
Freed from Desire by GALA gets us going.
Alistair Bruce-Ball
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live
An enormous boat for all of the French athletes. Plenty with the ponchos on, also in the dark blue blazers.
That looks like a ferry almost, making it's way down the Seine.
Harry Poole
BBC Sport in Paris
And of course, the biggest cheers of the entire evening are reserved for the French team’s arrival towards the end of the 6km route.
The chants of ‘Allez les Bleus’ begin again beneath the sea of brollies.
The rain continues to fall, there are streams of water flowing down the street, but it doesn’t matter. The Paris 2024 Olympics are well and truly HERE.
Some nations who have travelled in big numbers were left having to decide which members of the team would be allowed on their respective boat, but that's not the case for hosts France.
It's a stretch-limo of the sea with all of their athletes getting the opportunity to enjoy this experience at home.
James FitzGerald
BBC News reporter at the Trocadéro
Well, there's another contender for the biggest cheer of the evening where I'm sat - it's for the Palestine Olympic Committee.
No doubt a reference to the ongoing fighting in Gaza, which was sparked by the 7 October attacks on southern Israel by Hamas.
Well that's a kick in the teeth.
As the athletes in Paris are having to deal with the rain we've just seen those who will be involved in the surfing event just under 10,000 miles away in Tahiti.
It's beautiful sunshine and unsurprisingly they all have beaming smiles on their sun-tanned faces.
If you missed it earlier, Lady Gaga emerged from behind a pink feathery wall to get the show up and running on the banks of the River Seine.
You can see how that performance unfolded here.
Image source, Getty ImagesHere come the USA and they have enough athletes to fill a cruise ship.
NBA icon LeBron James and tennis star Coco Gauff are the flagbearers.
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
I've been forgetting where we are! This looks like a closing ceremony. The vibe and the feel is a closing ceremony - the last half an hour especially. The music, the dancing, the boats - they're jumping on the boats.
That has to be a compliment surely.
We've been going for just over two hours now.
If you weren't here when this opening ceremony started then you may have missed an appearance from French football legend Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane, who helped France win the 1998 World Cup final at the Stade de France, was seen running across the city holding the Olympic torch, before passing it on to some youngsters.
This was the video clip that got us all started tonight.
We're still in act eight - Festivity - and this one seems to have been going on for a while.
That catwalk I mentioned earlier on the Debilly footbridge is still going too.
We're running low on boats now, though, as number 199 of 205 Vietnam are introduced.
Eleanor Oldroyd
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live
A great reception for Ukraine in the yellow and blue and the plastic ponchos.
They have some serious competitors, their gymnasts are very good.
I think Ukraine will be very, very well-celebrated.
This was a scene for the youngsters with the minions from the Despicable Me films showing us their Olympic skills, which was bad news for the Mona Lisa.
Jess Anderson
BBC Sport in Paris
The French flags are waving and chants of ‘Allez les Bleus!’ break out as the France boat passes by.
The biggest cheer of the night, of course.
This city is well and truly ready for the Games to begin…
Kelly Cates
Presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live
The energy has absolutely ramped up. This has been going on for hours and it just feels like the energy levels have not dropped - if anything they've picked up.