As with the Olympic Games, the Paralympics opening ceremony was held outside of a stadium for the first time in the French capital.
The main ceremony was staged at Place de la Concorde, on a perfect summer evening in the heart of the city, following a parade along the Avenue des Champs-Elysees from the iconic Arc de Triomphe.
Organisers estimated 65,000 people would be present, with spectators able to watch the parade for free before the ticketed open-air event.
The first of 11 days of sporting action takes place on Thursday as France hosts a summer Paralympic Games for the first time.
About 4,400 athletes from a record 168 delegations are set to take part in the 22 Paralympic sports, competing for a total of 549 gold medals in Paris.
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