After an audacious opening ceremony, France went above and beyond with the Olympic flame – lighting a vast cauldron than was attached to a hot air balloon floating over the Tuileries gardens in central Paris.

This spectacular artefact will now remain in place for the duration of the Games (and possibly after if they city’s mayor gets her way).

The flame – which is not actually burning, but rather it is a type of optical illusion using a cloud of mist and LED lights to make it appear to be on fire – is carried in a cauldron attached to a floating hot-air balloon.

A new Parisian icon is born pic.twitter.com/VW4H84258t

— Michel Rose (@MichelReuters) July 28, 2024

During the daytime, it sits just above one of the pools in the Jardin des Tuileries, and at nighttime it floats up to 60m above the ground, making it visible from a long distance.

The balloon itself is a nod to the first flight in a hydrogen-filled balloon, which took off from the Jardin des Tuileries (where the flame is currently located).

READ MORE: How many of the French references did you get in the Olympics opening ceremony?

The floating flame – known as la vasque in French – has been a huge success, particularly once people found out that it is free to visit.

However, it is still required to reserve a time slot in advance on the Olympics website. These sell out out quickly, but Olympics organisers have promised to make more available.

How can I see it?

Only 10,000 lucky people are allowed to reserve a spot online each day, with about 3,000 people allowed in at one time. The initial 100,000 tickets sold out within the first 48 hours, with each time slot offering just 15 minutes, but more are now being made available.

The site is open from 11am to 7pm, and you need to show a single-use QR code to enter. As the site is outdoors, Olympics organisers advise that people check the weather forecast before planning a visit.

The site is expected to close on August 10th, but it will reopen again the day after the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games (August 28), until the day before its closing ceremony (September 8th).

Olympics organisers told Huffpost that “online registration slots will be available each day, so we invite the public to visit the online platform daily to check availability, as well as the evenings before the next day.”

You can still continue to check the website regularly to see if tickets become available again. As of mid-morning on Tuesday, the website said “New slots will open shortly.”

How can I see it without a ticket?

During the day, it might be hard to see the flame from outside the garden, but the hot-air balloon floats up to 60 metres in the sky at night. Take-off starts around 7pm (when the area closes to visitors).

A decade in Paris and I think watching the Olympic Games Cauldron rise above the city, the Louvre and the Seine – in the form of a hot air balloon and all that symbolically represents to the French – has been one of the most magical and memorable moments 🇫🇷 #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/8WjBMvHD8t

— Chris Neri (@christianneri75) July 28, 2024

Once it is in the air, the flame is visible from “hundreds of metres away”, according to Olympics organisers.

Here are some suggestions for places that should give you a good view.

Rue de Rivoli and Place des Pyramides – If you have access to a balcony near the rue de Rivoli, then you would likely have a good view. You could also try the Place des Pyramides near the golden statue of Joan of Arc.

From Place du Carrousel – This is the traffic circle area located near the Louvre museum and its famous pyramid at the end of the Jardin des Tuileries. This spot will give you a great view directly through the gardens to the balloon, although it will likely be pretty crowded.

Atop the Arc de Triomphe – The Arc stays open every day until 11pm, though you need to purchase a ticket. From the roof of the Arc, you should get a good view of the flame.

From the Champs-Elysées – You’ll have to put yourself somewhere between the Arc de Triomphe and the Franklin D Roosevelt station, as the Place de la Concorde is being used as an Olympics venue. You can try this out, but you do risk having your view blocked partially by the stands.

Along the riverbank – If you go to the other side of the Seine, you could get a decent view of the flame from the Quai Anatole France or Quai Voltaire. 

Montmartre and Sacré-Coeur – You will certainly be moving away from the hot-air balloon, so it’ll appear smaller, but you should be able to make it out as you will get the full panorama of the capital from Sacré-Coeur. Consider bringing some binoculars.

Rooftops – This might be a good excuse for a night out at a nearby rooftop bar, or a shopping spree that involves climbing to the top of one of one of Paris’ many department stores (BHV Marais, Galeries Lafayette, Printemps) that offer panoramic views of the city. Though you might want to pack some binoculars.

Will it stick around after the Olympics?

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told the France Bleu broadcaster that she hoped that the popular hot-air balloon could find a permanent home in Paris.

She had the same goal for the Olympic rings at the Eiffel Tower, as well as the statues of 10 French women that were part of the Olympics opening ceremony last week.

“We should explore possibilities for these three symbols,” Hidalgo said. “These three artistic, symbolic and magnificent objects deserve our full attention.”

Hidalgo acknowledged, however, that any decision to keep them on display was not hers alone “so I cannot promise today that they will stay”.

READ MORE: Paris wants to keep balloon and Olympic landmarks after Games