Three explosions occurred near the Stade de France in Paris resulting in four deaths, including the three suicide bombers. The explosions happened at 21:16, 21:19, and 21:53.

The first explosion near the stadium was about 20 minutes after the start of an international friendly football match between France and Germany, which French President Hollande was attending.

The first bomber was prevented from entering the stadium after a security guard patted him down and discovered the suicide vest; a few seconds after being turned away, he detonated the vest, killing himself and a bystander.

Ten minutes after the first bombing, the second bomber blew himself up near the stadium. Another 23 minutes after that, the third bomber’s vest detonated nearby; according to some reports, that location was at a McDonald’s restaurant.

At approximately 21:40, a mass shooting and hostage-taking occurred at the Bataclan theatre on the boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement.

The American band Eagles of Death Metal was playing to an audience of around 1,500 people.

The gunmen took up positions on the mezzanine and opened fire on the crowd. The attack lasted 20 minutes, and witnesses also reported seeing the attackers throw hand grenades into the crowd.

Survivors escaped via the emergency exit into the street or made their way onto the roof, with some taking refuge in toilets and offices; others lay still on the floor pretending to be dead.

According to surviving eyewitnesses, the terrorists walked among those who were lying down, kicked them and shot them in the head if there was any sign of life. 

Around 22:00, the attackers took 60–100 concertgoers hostage as police gathered outside the venue. They threatened to decapitate a hostage and throw the corpse out of the window every five minutes.

Starting at 22:15, the Brigade of Research and Intervention arrived on the scene. The assault on the theatre began at 00:20 and lasted three minutes.

Police launched the assault because of reports that the attackers had started killing hostages.

Two attackers died by detonating their suicide vests. Another was hit by police gunfire and his vest blew up when he fell.