PARIS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A human-shaped robot set the pace on Paris's Champs-Elysees on Sunday as hundreds of Chinese and French artists welcomed the Chinese Year of the Horse, blending ancient tradition with futuristic flair on one of the world's most famous avenues.
The robot, walking steadily at the head of a parade of around 800 performers, turned, paused and waved to spectators in time with the music, prompting cheers and raised smartphones as crowds lined the boulevard.
Organizers said about 100,000 residents and tourists gathered along the Champs-Elysees to watch the 2026 Chinese New Year parade, filling the avenue with a festive Spring Festival atmosphere.
The event, co-organized by the Champs-Elysees Committee and the China National Tourist Office in Paris, highlighted growing cultural exchanges between China and France, combining time-honored customs with contemporary creativity.
The robot, invented by a Chinese company and supplied by French technology firm INNOV8 Group, quickly became one of the most talked-about features of the parade, adding a light-hearted technological twist to the festivities.
"It carries strong symbolic meaning," said Stephane Bohbot, chief executive of INNOV8 Group. He added that new technologies could be integrated into these celebrations and show how technology can improve people's lives.
The millennia-old Spring Festival is also about the future and future generations, he noted.
Behind the robotic usher came traditional dragon and lion dance troupes. Their pounding drums echoed along the avenue as performers conveyed wishes of good fortune, prosperity and vitality.
The procession also featured a wide range of traditional Chinese cultural traditions, including more than a hundred participants dressed in elegant hanfu (traditional Chinese attire), the Yingge folk dance from south China's Guangdong Province, Mongolian dance, martial arts and tai-chi demonstrations.
Didier, a resident who came with his family, said it was his first time seeing a Chinese New Year parade on the Champs-Elysees. "The dance performances in traditional costumes were especially unforgettable," he told Xinhua.
Marc-Antoine Jamet, president of the Champs-Elysees Committee, said the parade has become a clearly identified cultural rendezvous on the avenue, noting that the horse symbolizes auspiciousness in both Chinese and French cultures.
Jeanne d'Hauteserre, mayor of the 8th arrondissement of Paris, said she was delighted to see residents and visitors celebrating together.
The parade has brought a strong festive atmosphere and a unique cultural experience to the district, further enriching Paris's diverse cultural life, she added. ■
