Videos Tom Cruise jump, karaoke at the Stade de France, show in Los Angeles… The 15 sequences that marked the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games

That’s it, it’s over. After fifteen days of joys and tears, medals and setbacks, sweat and fervor, The Paris 2024 Olympic Games ended on Sunday, August 11, with the closing ceremony who dazzled the 70s 000 spectators present at the Stade de France. A three-hour show, once again imagined by director Thomas Jolly, 270 artists and performers, a 2-hour stage 400 m2 lit by 1 040 projectors… And then, at 9:10 p.m., the flame went out. Here are the 15 sequences to remember from the ceremony which officially launches the Los Angeles Olympic Games in four years.

Zaho de Sagazan opens the ceremony

From the Tuileries Gardens, in the heart of the Louvre, Zaho de Sagazan opened the show by singing Under the Parisian sky. L’artist who has already lit up the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival with his cover of Modern Love by David Bowie was accompanied by the Handel-Hendrix Academy Choir.

Léon Marchand turns off the cauldron

He had been announced a little too quickly as the French flag bearer for the closing ceremony. Here is Léon Marchand, in a dark tuxedo, making his appearance in the Tuileries Gardens, right next to the cauldron. She ended up went out when the four-time Olympic swimming champion grabbed the miner’s lamp containing the flame.

“La Marseillaise” moves the public

The Marseillaise rang out in the Stade de France as the blue-white-red flag was raised into the sky. The national anthem was performed by army choirs accompanied by the Divertimento orchestra, originally from Seine-Saint-Denis.

As in the opening ceremony on July 26, it was a revisited version of The Marseillaisesigned Victor le Masne. A less martial version, more focused on emotion, than the original composed in 1792 by Rouget de Lisle.

The French delegation makes its entrance

Amidst cheers from the audience, The French delegation set the Stade de France alightled by the two flag bearers. On the left, the Olympic mountain bike champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot ; on the right, the rugby player Antoine Dupont crowned with the Blues of rugby sevens. Look closely at the ninth second : the scrum-half of Stade Toulousain and the French team is not far from biting the dust of the Stade de France.

Karaoke brings the Stade de France to life

When will karaoke be included in the Olympic disciplines? ? Because we didn’t just shout about Johnny Hallyday between two sets of beach volleyball, there was also a little song in the Stade de France on Sunday evening. The athletes were first treated to Take me away of Charles Aznavour. Then The Champs-Elysées by Joe Dassin. Then We Are The Champions of Queen. But on the “ambient meter”, many more success for Freed from Desire de Gala, this hit from the 1990s which has had an incredible second life since Euro 2016.

The “Golden Voyager” arrives on stage

Night has fallen on the Stade de France, and we are transported to another space-time, in a world that is at once dark, deserted and mysterious. The starting signal for Recordsthe show directed by Thomas Jolly, which plays on the double meaning between French (the incredible performances) and English (the recording side). In the lead role, Arthur Cadre, the 31-year-old Breton dancer-contortionist. The show’s designer, Damien Gabriac, explained that he had thought of a record made in France sent into space in the late 1970s as the basis for the story of the “Golden Voyager”the hero of this story.

You will also have recognized the “Yamakasi” from the opening ceremony. He is the one who receives the Greek flag (In other words, the “Golden Voyager” is supposed to rediscover the Olympic spirit).

Alain Roche plays the piano vertically

If you liked the burning piano at the opening ceremony, you must have enjoyed… the suspended piano at the closing ceremony. It was indeed tied in the air that pianist Alain Roche performed the anthem of Apollo, rediscovered in 1894 and whose score is kept at the Louvre Museum. Note that the pianist’s costume is partly made from VHS cassette reels.

Phoenix, Kavinsky, Angèle and Air put on a show

And suddenly, like a half-time atmosphere of the SuperBowl. Lhis notes from Lisztomania, from the pop group Phoenix, woke up the Stade de France. So much so that athletes took the liberty of also going up on stage, which was not planned in the program. It took a message from the speaker for everything to be put back in order. DJ Kavinsky then took over the music for the film Drive, in a duet with the Belgian singer, Angèle.

Music lovers will then have recognized the Versailles group Air, with its hit Playground Love. It is also at this time that plSeveral athletes left the ceremony after being removed from the stage, journalists present at the scene reported.

Tony Estanguet salutes “a wave that submerged the entire country”

The president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee spoke to close the Olympic Games. Tony Estanguet spoke “a wave that submerged the whole country” : “We wanted fervor, we had passion. We wanted to dream, we had Léon Marchand. We saw ourselves as a people of die-hard grumblers, we woke up as unleashed supporters who no longer want to stop singing!”

At his side, Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, also made a speech. “Thank you for allowing us to believe in a better world for all ! We know that the Olympics cannot create peace, but they can create a culture of peace that inspires the world.”said the former fencer as a final touch. The Swiss has indeed announced that he will not seek a new mandate in spring 2025.

Anne Hidalgo passes the Olympic flag to Los Angeles

At 11:30 p.m., all eyes suddenly turned to Los Angeles. As is tradition, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo handed the Olympic flag to Thomas Bach, who in turn handed it to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. A handover orchestrated around a show of about fifteen minutes. This is the beginning of the show made in USA.

Artist HER performs American anthem

She appeared wearing her trademark dark glasses. So it was HER who had the difficult task of performing the American anthem live. at the closing ceremony. The 27-year-old artist sang The Star-Spangled Banner after the presentation of the Olympic flag to the mayor of Los Angeles.