Excitement is building in Marseille as the three-mast ship carrying the Olympic torch arrived from Greece ahead of a welcoming ceremony at the Old Port. Paris Games organizers have promised fantastic celebrations for the torch’s arrival, which left Athens aboard a ship named Belem, first used in 1896. The torch spent twelve days at sea before arriving in Marseille. The torch’s parade around the Bay of Marseille will be accompanied by more than a thousand boats, with the ship docking on a pontoon designed like an athletics track in the Old Port. The welcoming ceremony will include a demonstration by the jets of the Patrouille de France, the French air force’s acrobatic team.
Safety of visitors and residents has been a top priority for authorities in Marseille, with about 8,000 police officers deployed around the harbor where tens of thousands of spectators are expected to gather for the ceremony. Thousands of firefighters, bomb disposal squads, maritime police, and anti-drone teams have also been positioned around the city to ensure a safe and memorable event. The torch relay will start in Marseille and then head to Paris, passing iconic places throughout France. Many people and families in Marseille were excited for the torch’s arrival, with musicians entertaining tourists and residents as preparations were made for the ceremony.
The symbolic and practical importance of the torch relay event after years of preparations for the Paris Games was stressed by France’s Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera. She emphasized that the torch relay would drive enthusiasm, pride, celebration, and joy for French people and convey a message of peace to the world. Olympic swimmer Florent Manaudou has been chosen as the first carrier of the flame in France, with up to 150,000 spectators expected in the Old Port for the event. Marseille mayor Benoît Payan expressed pride in the city being chosen as the starting point and emphasized the strong historical connection between Marseille and Olympism, as the city was founded by Greek colonists.
Heavy police and military presence in Marseille was evident, with security measures in place to address potential threats, including terrorism. The elite National Gendarmerie Intervention Group unit will be present throughout the torch relay for added security. The Olympic cauldron will be lit after the Games’ opening ceremony on the River Seine on July 26, with the exact location being kept top-secret until the day itself. Speculation suggests iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower or the Tuileries Gardens as potential locations for the cauldron lighting. Marseille is ready to kick off the excitement of the Games with a monumental day of celebration, athleticism, and pride, as the Olympic torch relay ignites the spirit of Olympism in France.
