In spring 2024, Marseille will have the honour and good fortune to be the first city to welcome the Olympic flame on French soil.

After being lit at the site of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, Olympia it will then travel to Athens. From Athens, the Olympic flame will be carried to Marseille aboard the Belem, a majestic three-masted tall ship belonging to the Caisse d’Epargne Belem foundation. With close historical links to Greece, Marseille promises to welcome the Olympic flame with great fanfare as it embarks on its journey across France.

The flame will arrive at the Old Port of Marseille, where the Torch Relay will begin, before travelling across the country over a period of several weeks and finishing its journey in Paris. The Belem, a majestic three-masted ship, will carry the flame across the Mediterranean Sea from Athens to Marseille, two cities closely connected by a shared history.

Τhe voyage across the Mediterranean will be reminiscent of a true Homeric epic, taking the flame from the home of the Ancient Games to the country of light. A highly symbolic and meaningful journey of sport for Paris 2024 which, along with its partners, is committed to bringing the French people together to celebrate the energy, values and benefits of sport.