It is by sea, from Athens and Olympia where it will have been lit, that the Olympic flame will land in France in the spring of 2024. Its arrival in Marseille aboard the Belem, one of the oldest sailing ships in Europe which belongs to the Caisse d’Epargne foundation (partner of the Olympic Games and the torch relay) after 10 days of crossing, will launch the festivities.
The flame will arrive from Greece aboard the Belem
“We made the choice to bring this flame back by sea, in line with our desire for these Games to be the most durable in history, underlines Delphine Moulin, director of celebrations on the organizing committee. It creates an obvious link with Marseille, the city of sailing for Paris 2024.”
Lit in Olympia with the sacred fire, the flame will remain, as tradition dictates, 7 days in Greece before boarding the Belem, already present alongside the French Olympic team at the London Olympics in 2012. After crossing the Mediterranean, it will enter French territory. “It will be a very strong moment, believes Delphine Moulin. The Games will arrive in France, the celebrations will be launched. »
A course of approximately 80 days
Paris 2024 intends, via the torch relay, to create a dynamic between the territories. If the complete route will be unveiled in May, around sixty departments will be crossed, discussions continuing with some. “90% of French people will be able to see the flame less than an hour from their home,” says Delphine Moulin. This relay will be the way to bring magic, including overseas, before the start of the Games. It will be a very strong and mobilizing moment for children, schools and sports clubs. The relay should last around 80 days (with certain days off), from spring until the start of the Olympic Games, on July 26, 2024, where at the end of the opening ceremony on the Seine, the flame will ignite the cauldron. .