PARIS FRANCE: THE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY COURSE

PARIS FRANCE: THE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY COURSE

The Torch Relay is an unmissable tradition that takes us back to the roots of the Games. The first torch of the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay will be lit on April 16, 2024, according to ancient tradition, using the sun’s rays, during a ceremony in the sanctuary of Olympia, Greece, where the ancient Games took place. From the Peloponnese, the Olympic Flame will travel to Athens to board the Belem and cross the Mediterranean Sea. It is on May 8, 2024, in Marseille, that the Olympic Flame will begin its epic journey in France.

The epic Torch Relay will offer a dive into the History of France. It will create bridges between eras by highlighting exceptional sites which have contributed to the influence of France in each major period of its history.

The Flame will travel to the caves of Lascaux, to the archaeological site of Alésia, to the medieval cities of Carcassonne, to the Château de Versailles… It will illuminate the architectural masterpieces that are the churches and abbeys, starting with the most known among them, that of Mont Saint-Michel. Unmissable, the Loire castles will be in the spotlight, as will the most famous arenas, viaducts, bridges, lighthouses and palaces. To pay tribute to the History of France, the Flame will also visit places of memory such as the Verdun Memorial or the D-Day beaches.

The passing of the Flame will also be an opportunity to salute the memory of those who have left their mark and written History. Throughout its route, the Relay will highlight the major figures of France who continue to inspire and contribute to the influence of our country: Joan of Arc in Orléans, Robert Schuman in Scy-Chazelles, Charles de Gaulle in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises.

SHOWING LIGHT ON NATURAL HERITAGE

The Torch Relay is a unique opportunity to showcase the most beautiful French landscapes. From Mont Canigou to the Verdon Regional Natural Park, from Île aux Moines to the Mont-Blanc valley, from the banks of the Loire to the natural parks, forests and lakes, the Flame will wander through exceptional panoramas that make the fame of France. It will climb peaks such as the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, and will follow the most beautiful coastlines.

The seas and oceans will not be left out: to reach France from Greece, the Flame will sail in the Mediterranean aboard the Belem, a legendary three-masted ship owned by the Caisse d’Epargne Belem foundation. She will cross the Atlantic as well as the Indian Ocean and the Pacific during the “Relais des Océans” to travel to six overseas territories: Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and La Meeting.

SHOWING LIGHT ON FRENCH CREATIVITY AND KNOW-HOW

The Torch Relay will promote all those who are committed to entrepreneurship, to being daring, to enhancing French know-how and perpetuating traditions.

La Flamme will travel through the most prestigious and renowned vineyards, such as those of Saint-Emilion, Chablis or Layon, and will highlight the terroirs and the gastronomy that makes them famous. The Millau Viaduct, a feat of civil engineering, will also be traveled by the Flame, which will also travel 7,000km further, to the Kourou space center, a symbol of French and European aerospace excellence. Enough to give a spotlight to the engineers, entrepreneurs and craftsmen who make French creativity and genius shine in the four corners of the world.

An essential dimension of French identity and history, culture in all its forms will be celebrated during these 68 days of Relay. The Flame will visit numerous museums, from the Cité Internationale de la Langue Française to the Comic Strip Museum, including the Louvre-Lens.

Culture is also live performance: the Flame will travel to Puy du Fou, in the heart of the Arles arenas, and will climb the steps of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. Music will also be at the heart of the Torch Relay, with eight concerts organized by Coca-Cola®, sponsor of the Torch Relay.

SHOWING LIGHT ON THE EMOTIONS AND COLLECTIVE ENERGY OF SPORT

By paving the way towards the Games, the Relais des Éclaireurs will remind everyone to what extent sport occupies an important place in the hearts of the French: from well-being sport to high-level practice, the Relais will celebrate sporting practice under all its facets.

Throughout the route, the Federations and clubs will form Collective Relays which will highlight their sport, by surfing the waves of Biarritz or Teahupo’o, or even by climbing Mont Ventoux, a legendary cycling pass. The passage of the Flame will also be an opportunity to celebrate high places of sporting emotion and legendary sports infrastructures, among others, the Marseille Stadium or the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne.

Sporty, the Flame will try her hand at tennis, via the Simonne-Mathieu court at Roland-Garros. The Flame will cross the Atlantic aboard one of the fastest sailboats in the world, the Maxi Banque Populaire XI. Finally, it will highlight, throughout France, the sites which will host events during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, such as the Olympic Aquatic Center in Saint-Denis or the Yves-du-Manoir stadium in Colombes. Which program !

Find below the sites crossed which will welcome the Olympic Flame ↓