The French leg of the Olympic torch relay for the Paris 2024 Summer Games will start from the port city of Marseille, said the organisers on February 3.
The flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece — in tribute to the ancient Olympic Games — and travel across the Mediterranean Sea on the Belem, a majestic three-masted sailing ship. It will arrive in France at the famous Old Port of Marseille, the starting point for the Olympic Torch Relay. From Marseille, the torch will begin its journey through the host country to the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on 26 July 2024 in France’s capital. The Torch Relay route will be revealed in May 2023.
Marseille, France’s second most populous city, will host sailing and football events during the Games. The port city has a rich nautical history, and will welcome Belem with a festival on the quays. It was an obvious choice for the Olympic Torch Relay, as the cities of Athens and Marseille have been linked throughout history, with the latter being both a former Greek colony (Massalia) and the oldest city in France. Marseille also has a rich tradition in sport, with the remains of a stadium built by the Greeks in ancient times found here.
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will take place between 26 July and 11 August. The Paralympic Games will take place from 28 August until 8 September.
