The night was short in Marseille, which saw the arrival of the Olympic flame on French territory last night, then the lighting of the cauldron by Marseille rapper Jul. It was then Soprano, another singer from the city, who lit up the Old Port with a concert until late last night. And the festivities continue, because the Olympic torch relay begins this Thursday.
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The start of the relay was given this Thursday morning, a little after 8 a.m., from the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica, which everyone here calls the “Good Mother”, the guardian of Marseille sailors and fishermen who overlooks the city, reports our special correspondent, Baptiste Coulon.
Read alsoRelive the Olympic flame welcoming ceremony in Marseille
Basile Boli, former star footballer for Olympique de Marseille, had the privilege of initiating this relay. Two hundred meters covered and a first “torch kiss” (torch kiss): Basile Boli stuck his torch to that of the next torchbearer so that the flame progressed through the city. He will pass the torch to Colette Cataldo, 83, a historic supporter of OM for more than sixty years.
The flame will then continue its journey through the city and its surroundings, on 8 routes: the Palais du Pharo, the Corniche, the marina where the Olympic sailing events will take place next summer; it will also pass by the Plage des Catalans, a well-known beach to the Marseillais to the east of the city. We will also see it in the morning in the districts to the north of Marseille before returning to the city center and completing its journey at the Vélodrome, the stadium of the Olympique de Marseille… A velodrome which will not be open to the public, but the show will take place outside, on the roof of the stadium where the singer Soprano will carry the flame, a unique performance. And it will be Didier Drogba, former OM striker who will be the last carrier of the day by 7 p.m. this evening. The flame will leave the Marseille city tomorrow. Marseille will be the only city, with Paris, to be crossed over an entire day.
History will record that the Olympic Flame arrived at the Old Port in Marseille on May 8, 2024 aboard the Belem – Fondation Caisse d’Épargne. Carried by our first scouts… the Flame has finally arrived in France!
We experienced it together and it was magical 🔥
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) May 8, 2024
Top start for 65 stages in 76 days
There are 200 torchbearers who will follow one another in Marseille this Thursday – including a collective of 28 European athletes, May 9 also being Europe Day – celebrities such as the basketball player Tony Parker, the swimmer Frédérick Bousquet, the comedian Nicole Ferroni and also many anonymous people. In total, there are 11,000 torchbearers who will take turns throughout the territory.
In mainland France and overseas, from Mont-Saint-Michel, to the trenches of Verdun, via the Mont-Blanc Valley, or the Palace of Versailles… And an arrival in Paris on July 26 for the ceremony of opening of these Games.
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