Olympic blues as closures kick in to set the Seine for Paris 2024 opening gala

The opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics will end at the Eiffel Tower after thousands of athletes voyage six kilometres along the river Seine in a flotilla of boats. AP - Thomas Padilla

Large sections of Paris were closed off on Friday as Olympic organisers ramped up the preparations for the spectacular opening ceremony along the river Seine on 26 July.

Six kilometres of the river Seine between Pont Austerlitz to the east and the Champs de Mars have been designated for the first launch ceremony outside the main Olympic stadium.