After a 12-day journey in the waters of the Mediterranean and coming from Greece, the Olympic flame arrived today off its coast Marseillewith the three-quarter Belem.

Shortly after 8:00 this morning, the legendary three-masted ship of the French merchant navy, built in 1896, arrived off the port of Marseille, near the Frioul Islands and the Planier lighthouse, in a calm sea and under a bright helium.

One hundred years after the last Summer Olympics in France and 79 days before the Opening Ceremony of the “Paris 2024” Olympic Games, the Olympic Flame will light the Olympic Altar on French soil for the first time.

“Marseille, the center of the world”, characteristically pointed out the mayor of Marseille, Benoit Payan, speaking to the French newspaper “La Provence”.

For several days now, the preparations held in “febrile» rhythms in the Old Port and in the bay of Lacydona, where Greek sailors arrived 2,600 years ago and founded Marseille.

The organizers appreciate you a billion viewers at the time of the Touching of the Altar in the Old Port (at approximately 19:45), in addition to the 150,000 people expected on site and the approximately 1,500 accredited journalists from around the world.

“It is an extraordinary occasion, for an extraordinary event. We are in a unique occasion, in an unprecedented event, which will remain in the history of Marseille, which will mark the Olympic Games and France,” said the prefect, Pierre Édouard Collier.

Draconian security measures

Monitored from land and sea, the city of Marseille will also be under an aerial “security bubble”, with an AWACS radar surveillance plane, helicopters and an anti-drone device.

For security, more than 6,000 members of the police have been deployed, including officers from the elite Raid units or members of the naval brigades.

The grand welcome

At 19:00 (local time), the ship will enter the Old Port majestically, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron.

At the same time, there will be a sea parade of 1024 boats accompanying Belem to the north and then to the southern port of Marseille.

The reception includes fireworks of “biodegradable recycled confetti”, to the music of the Marseille Philharmonic Orchestra and the impressive banners of the supporters of Marseille, the city’s flagship football club.

About 45 minutes later, the Olympic Altar will be lit on the Quai de la Fraternité, at the mouth of the famous Canebière.

The first Torchbearer on French soil will be the French Olympic swimming champion, Florent Manodou.

Finally, a big concert by Marseille rappers Soprano and Alonzo will conclude this day.

With agents reporting to city hall (firefighters, municipal police, etc.), the workforce will reach 8,500, more than deployed in September 2023 for Pope Francis’ visit.

On Thursday (9/5), the Olympic Flame will be back in Marseille, where it will begin a 69-day journey across France, including mainland France and abroad, with arrival in Paris scheduled for July 26 , on the day of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, for the Touching of the Olympic Altar.

This great Torch Relay, which will pass by the Loire castles, the D-Day beaches and even Mont-Saint-Michel, will start in the morning from Notre-Dame de la Garde, while on Thursday afternoon (9 /5), after passing through the hands of Basile Bolly, Jean-Pierre Papin, Tony Parker and Soprano, the Olympic Flame will be lit on the Altar in front of the Stade Vélodrome, from the hands of Marseille legend Didier Drogba from the Coast Ivory.