IN PICS: Paris brings in the 2020s with New Year light show

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bonne annéeNew Year

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IN PICS: Paris brings in the 2020s with New Year light show
A beam of light shoots into the night sky over L'Arc de Triomphe. Photo: AFP
The Local
[email protected]
@thelocalfrance

Close to 250,000 revellers descended on Paris to celebrate the New Year, accompanied by lavish fireworks and a light display projected onto L'arc de Triomphe. Bonne année et bonne santé!
Fireworks burst out over the famed Champs Elysées avenue bringing a glorious finale to a night when a heavy police presence kept Yellow Vest protesters largely under control. 
 

 

The emergency services began preparing early, setting up an operations centre near the centre of the celebrations. There were more than 100,000 police officers on duty. 

Photo: AFP

The Yellow Vests protestors were also organised. Here is a group below watching President Emmanuel Macron's New Year's address from a tent. 

Photo: AFP

Many revellers arrived early in the city centre to pose for photographs in front of the Eiffel Tower ahead of the festivities.  
 

Photo: AFP

By early evening, crowds were thronging along the Champs-Elysées. Close to 250,000 people came along for the party.  
 

Photo: AFP

In the build-up to the New Year's finale, they were treated to 'Fraternité', a light show projected onto L'Arc de Triomphe. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed 70 years ago, was projected onto the building. 

Photo: AFP

The Fraternité display turned the iconic structure into a St Peter's Basilica in the Kremlin, Moscow…
 

Photo: AFP

…and also to the Forbidden City in Beijing.
 

Photo: AFP

There were some small confrontations between police and Yellow Vest protestors, but largely the celebrations were peaceful. 

Photo: AFP

Revellers posed for selfies on a packed Champs-Elysées as the countdown to 2020 began. At 23.20pm, the music of the legendary British rock band Led Zeppelin began booming out.  

Photo: AFP

And that brings an end to the coverage of the festivities. Bonne Année to all!

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