For the first time, the journey of the Olympic Flame will be by sea.

The historic three-masted sailing yacht Le Belem has sailed with members of the French Olympic Committee and the Organizing Committee to Katakolo for the Ceremony of Touching the Olympic Flame in Ancient Olympia.

From Katakolo the return journey to France will begin on Thursdaywith the first stop in Piraeus to receive the Olympic Flame and then it will travel to Marseille, the ancient Greek port of France.

The French chose “Belem” to carry the Olympic Flamewhich has been designated a “Historical Monument” since 1984 and is a symbol of France’s maritime tradition.

Belem is the last three-masted sailing ship of the French merchant navywith square sails and a steel hull, dating from the 19th century and still operational today.

The merchant ship had been ordered by the shipowner and banker of Nantes, Fernand Croix. Belem (Bethlehem in Portuguese) was launched in 1986 and was owned by Nantes shipowner and banker, Fernand Croix.

The three-masted sailboat takes its name from Croix’s company headquarters in Belém, Brazilthe first European colony in the Amazon, founded in 1616 by the Kingdom of Portugal.

The sailboat could carry 675 tons of cargo and usually his cargo was cocoa from Brazil.

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