BAGPIPE AND SIRENS WELCOME OLYMPIC TORCH TO FRANCE

Tens of thousands of people joined the party in France to celebrate the arrival of the Olympic torch in the country, one of the key moments before the start of the Paris Olympic 2024 games.

The historic three-mast barque Belem docked in Marseille having sailed the torch from Greece, the Games’ ancient home.

More than 1,000 boats accompanied the Belem on its approach to Marseille harbour, where bagpipes played and sirens sounded to mark the torch’s arrival.

Under bright sunlight, the crowd converged on the Old Port.

Organisers expected about 150,000 people to watch the flame come ashore after the ship docks on a pontoon that looks like an athletics track.

Fireworks and a free concert will complete the show, which will be broadcast live on French TV.

“We are extremely proud,” Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan said. “This is where it all begins.”

After Marseille, the torch will start a 12,000km trip around towns and villages all over the country before arriving in Paris in time for the opening ceremony of the Games on July 26.

On its tour it will visit Mont Saint-Michel, the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy and the Versailles Palace.

Olympic Torch arrives in France - in pictures

Organisers are hoping the Marseille event, 79 days from the start of the Games, will help to build excitement.

"The return of the Games to our country will be a fantastic celebration," said Olympics organising committee president Tony Estanguet.

The torch was lit in Greece last month before being handed to France. It left Athens aboard the Belem, which was first used in 1896, and spent 12 days at sea.

According to myth, Marseille was founded by Greek sailors in 600BC.

“It is the founding of this city with these sailors from Greece that we will tell through the arrival of the flame,” Mr Payan said.

The welcoming ceremony included a demonstration by the Patrouille de France aerobatic team from the French Air Force.

Olympic swimmer Florent Manaudou was chosen to be the first torch carrier in France.

Manaudou won four Olympic medals and is the brother of swimmer Laure Manaudou, who won three Olympic medals at Athens in 2004.

The highly choreographed arrival ceremony was also a major test for security forces.

There was a heavy police and military presence in Marseille city centre.

There are various security threats linked to the event, including “the terrorist threat," French Interior Ministry spokeswoman Camille Chaize said.

“We're employing various measures, notably the elite National Gendarmerie Intervention Group unit, which will be present in the torch relay from beginning to end,” she said.

The Olympic cauldron will be lit after the Games’ opening ceremony, which will take place on the River Seine on July 26.

2024-05-08T21:09:00Z dg43tfdfdgfd