The journey with the Olympic flame through France will start in Marseille next year. From the port city in the south of France, the flame goes to Paris, where the Olympic Games will be opened on July 26, 2024. The organization will reveal the exact route later this year.
As usual, the flame is ignited in the traditional way in Olympia, Greece. From there, the flame goes to Marseille with the more than 125-year-old sailing boat Belem. “A logical and clear choice”, said Tony Estanguet, head of the French organizing committee, about the starting point of the torch relay through his country. The 44-year-old Estanguet won Olympic gold as a canoeist in 2000, 2004 and 2012.
The opening ceremony of the Games will not be held in a stadium as usual, but will take place on the River Seine. The participating athletes sail a route of about 6 kilometers through the center of Paris on boats. The end of the ceremony takes place at the Trocadéro, near the Eiffel Tower. The organization expects at least 600,000 spectators along the route.
Marseille hosts the Olympic sailing competitions during the Games.
Source: ANP
