The Paris Paralympics begin on Wednesday with a stunning opening ceremony, as the city continues to revel in the success of the recently concluded Olympics.
A new generation of Paralympians will compete alongside seasoned veterans across many of the same venues that hosted the Olympic events. Eighteen of the 35 Olympic venues will be repurposed for the Paralympics, which run until September 8. Among them is the Grand Palais, lauded for its hosting of fencing and taekwondo under its ornate roof.
La Defense Arena returns to host 141 gold-medal events in para-swimming, while the Stade de France will again be the venue for track and field events.
The Games will officially open with a ceremony in Place de la Concorde, the historic square in the heart of Paris where skateboarding and other urban sports were showcased during the Olympics. This marks the first time a Paralympic opening ceremony will be held away from the main stadium, following the trend set by the Olympic ceremony on the River Seine.
The Paralympic flame, lit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England—the birthplace of the Games—was brought to France through the Channel Tunnel, symbolizing the enduring legacy and spirit of the Paralympics.
