Céline Dion's return to the stage draws thousands of ecstatic fans to Plenitude Arena in Paris

As the sun began to set in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Saturday, concertgoers made their way through thousands of feet of barricades, past security and into Europe's largest indoor concert venue. They wore anything from jeans and graphic T-shirts to sparkly mini skirts and floor-length gowns.

For Céline Dion, one woman wore her wedding dress.

"I cancelled the party with all my family and friends to come see Céline," said Fanny Sucheyre, who celebrated her one-year wedding anniversary at the concert.

"I said to myself, if one day I had the chance to see her, I would wear my best dress. So it's my most beautiful dress."

Fanny Sucheyre wears her wedding dress on the way into Dion's show. (Sarah Leavitt/CBC)Thousands of devoted fans travelled to Nanterre's Plenitude Arena to watch Dion return to the stage for her first full concert in six years. The show opens a sellout Paris residency after a battle with a rare neurological disorder sidelined Dion's career.

Outside the venue, fans belted out lyrics in both French and English. Several said they had loved the Canadian singer since childhood.

Inside, special edition Céline champagne glasses sold out within minutes and the lines for champagne itself stretched more than 30 metres. Even the men's washroom had snaking line ups.

"It's a dream. I haven't slept for three days. I'm 50 years old and right now I feel like I'm 15," said Guylene Richardson, heading into the arena with her daughter, both in Dion concert tees. "With [Dion's] disease, I didn't think she would come back, so it's great. I'm really happy for her. I'm happy for us."

Guylene Richardson, right, outside the arena with her daughter. (CBC News)One of the best-selling artists of all time, she announced a diagnosis of stiff person’s syndrome — which causes stiffness and muscle spasms — and disappeared from the spotlight in 2022. She broke her hiatus to perform Edith Piaf's Hymne à l'amour from the Eiffel Tower during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Dion is scheduled to perform a series of 26 concerts over the next eight months. The City of Light has buzzed with anticipation for the singer's comeback, with signs dotting the length of the Champs-Élysées or along the famed river Seine.