Paris to inaugurate Paralympics with 'never seen before' opening ceremony

Just weeks after hosting the Olympics, the summer of sports in Paris begins its final chapter Wednesday with the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

More than 4,000 athletes with physical, visual and intellectual impairments will compete in 22 sports over the next 11 days.

Organizers are promising a spectacular show to open the Games. Once again it's being held outside the confines of a stadium, but unlike the Olympic opening ceremony, which featured a boat parade on the Seine River, the Paralympic ceremony is happening exclusively on land, with athletes parading down the famous Champs-Elyses to the ceremony at the Place de la Concorde.

Artistic director Thomas Jolly, who also led the opening ceremony for the Olympics, said the event will showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values that they embody", and promised performances that have never been seen before."

Organizers say more than 2 million tickets have been sold for the Paris Paralympics. Competition begins Thursday