Two weeks before Céline Dion’s first concert in Paris, “Dionmania” is reaching a new high in the capital. Outside the Royal Monceau palace hotel on Avenue Hoche, a crowd has gathered to welcome the singer.On Friday 28 August, Céline Dion arrived in Paris to begin rehearsals for the first leg of her historic series of concerts. Her schedule is tight, with 16 shows planned between 12 September and 17 October.In all, the singer has scheduled three concerts a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Each will bring together more than 30 000 spectators in a venue that has been sold out for months. A further ten concerts are also planned for May 2027.Paris, the stage for a long-awaited comebackFans turned out in force to welcome the star. It is worth noting that, apart from a performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she has not sung in France for almost ten years. Her last series of concerts dates back to 2017.Yet the love story between Céline Dion and France remains strong. In total, 15 of her 27 studio albums have been recorded in French. It is therefore no surprise that the singer has chosen Paris for her big return to the stage.Addressing the crowd that had gathered outside her hotel, she told BFM TV: “I have always felt supported from day one and this is a story that continues. It really is my second home, I appreciate you being here, thank you so much.”For six years, Céline put her performances on hold for health reasons. The star has had difficulty singing because of stiff person syndrome, from which she suffers.