Did the kid really fly above Paris?

This seems to be before the age of major green screen use, plus the scene looks legitimately real (i.e. the number and size of the balloons looks like it might actually be able to hold a real child).

I'm not saying that the kid was actually just holding onto the string with his hand, but they could have given him a harness that hooked to the balloons and a thin string to pull him down. Or perhaps a hot air balloon or helicopter was used to lift him up?

Either way, does anyone have any information on how the final scene with him floating up into Paris's sky was shot?

Here is the ending scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5nW_QBfvog

Specifically, how did they shoot it from 3:19 to the end?