PARIS, France (AFP) — Celine Dion was on Saturday set to make her long-awaited return to the stage in Paris after years battling a rare neurological disorder, with anticipation among fans reaching fever pitch.

Just hours before she was scheduled to perform her first full concert in six years, the 58-year-old French Canadian singer greeted admirers outside her luxury hotel a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe.

The cheering crowd chanted “Celine! Celine!”, as the beaming star blew kisses and made a heart shape with her hands.

The opening show scheduled to begin at around 8 pm Saturday marks a major milestone in Dion’s comeback after Stiff Person Syndrome forced her to cancel shows and left her struggling to perform.

Around 30,000 fans were expected to pack the Plenitude Arena on the western edge of Paris for the sold-out opening night of Dion’s 26-show run.

The show’s setlist has been kept under wraps.

“She’s a legend, she’s iconic,” said Chloe Rydquist, who travelled from London with her wife, Katy, to see Dion.

The French capital spared no effort in welcoming Dion, drawing thousands of fans from across the world, including some who flew in from as far away as the French Polynesian island of Tahiti.

For days Paris played host to costume contests, giant karaoke parties and tribute cruises on the Seine.

On Friday, the iconic cauldron rose above the Tuileries Garden, echoing the diva’s surprise appearance up the Eiffel Tower to perform “Hymn to Love” by Edith Piaf during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024.

A lyric from the song, “I’d go and fetch the moon if you asked me to”, along with the singer’s first name, was projected in big letters onto the balloon.

“Paris is just as magical as ever,” Dion said on Instagram.

The suburban train station serving the arena has been temporarily renamed “Celine.”

– ‘Very emotional’ –

Chloe and Katy Rydquist paid around 1,500 pounds ($2000) for their tickets. They said seeing Dion back onstage was worth the price.

“It’s going to be very emotional for her and for everyone,” said Katy.

They “didn’t know if she was ever going to come back, so if you can get there, you get there,” she added.

The star’s residency is projected to generate hundreds of millions of euros in economic benefits.

“Celine Dion. Will she save the 2027 budget?” daily Liberation said on its front page, in a nod to France’s economic woes.

She kicks off her 26-date residency with 16 sold-out shows in September and October, before returning for another 10 next May.

Fans who missed out on tickets have found other ways to catch a glimpse of their idol.

Dion has regularly stepped outside the Royal Monceau hotel to greet waiting fans, at times breaking into song and dance with them well into the early hours.

On Friday, hundreds turned out for a free singalong in the city’s northeast, swaying and warbling along to some of Dion’s best-known tunes.

“I really wanted to go to her concert, but I didn’t get a ticket, so I thought I might as well have a massive karaoke session, sing all her songs again and have a good time,” said Eva Ingelaere, 24.

Over her four-decade career, Dion has sold around 260 million albums in English and French, with hits including “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” and “Because You Loved Me”.

– ‘I’m ready’ –

Dion’s return caps a remarkable journey back to the stage after years of uncertainty over whether she would perform again.

In December 2022, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare and incurable autoimmune disorder that can cause severe muscle stiffness and agonising spasms.

Dion has described the condition as making her feel as though she is being strangled, with cramps so intense they have left her with broken ribs.

The illness forced her to cancel concerts, but Dion remained determined to perform again.

In 2024, she spelt out her ambitions for a full comeback.

“I’m going to come onstage because I’m ready,” she told NBC at the time.