Paris Olympics to welcome Olympic flame ahead of arrival

The Olympic flame is set to arrive in the French port of Marseille on Wednesday, marking the start of a 12,000-kilometre torch relay across mainland France and its overseas territories. Organizers are hoping this spectacle will build excitement for the Paris Games, just 79 days away.

Chief organizer Tony Estanguet expressed his excitement, stating, “It’s something we’ve been waiting for for a very long time. It’s here. One hundred years after the last Games, the Games are coming home.” This will be the first time Paris has hosted the Olympics in a century.

The flame will be transferred from the Belem, a French trade vessel that has made a 12-day trip from Greece, to the revamped marina of Marseille. Over 1,000 boats will accompany its approach, with around 150,000 people expected to witness the event. The city will host the sailing events during the Olympics.

Security will be tight, with around 6,000 security forces expected to be on duty. The first torchbearer will be four-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer Florent Manadou, with other stars like Tony Parker and Didier Drogba also participating in the parade.

The torch will travel through more than 450 French towns and cities, with tight security measures in place. The opening ceremony will be a radical departure from past Games, taking place on boats on the river Seine. The Paris Olympics aim to be “spectacular” and “iconic,” with a focus on reducing financial costs and carbon emissions.