The Olympic flame’s journey from Greece to France #
This announcement comes nearly 100 days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
The Olympic flame will be lit on Tuesday at the ancient site of Olympia in Greece. It will then embark on a vast journey, passing through various locations including the Acropolis and French Polynesia, before finally arriving in Paris.
The ceremony at the birthplace of Olympics #
The traditional ceremony, held in the cradle of the Olympics, is set to regain its full color after being marred by pandemic restrictions in 2020 and 2021. About 600 guests, including the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, are expected to attend the event.
It will take place in the sanctuary of Olympia, in front of the 2600-year-old ruins of the temple of Hera. The « high priestess », dressed in an outfit inspired by antiquity, will ignite the flame at midday.
Nikos Aliagas’s role in the ceremony #
Nikos Aliagas, the Franco-Greek television and radio host, will host this symbolic ritual. He spoke about the significance of the event, emphasizing that it carries a universal message and serves as a bridge between Greece and France.
He also stressed the importance of the sanctuary of Olympia, which was dedicated to Zeus and hosted the first Olympic Games in the 8th century BC. At that time, women were prohibited from participating, a restriction that remained in place until the abolition of the ancient Games in 393 AD.
Summary of the content:
| 🔥 Flame Ignition | The Olympic flame will be ignited at the ancient site of Olympia, Greece. |
|---|---|
| 🎙️ Host | Nikos Aliagas will host the ceremony at Olympia. |
| 🔁 Flame Relay | Laure Manaudou will be the first French torchbearer. |
- The first torchbearer will be Stefanos Ntouskos, an Olympic rowing champion from the Tokyo Olympics.
- French swimmer Laure Manaudou, who won her first Olympic title at the Athens Olympics in 2004, will be the first French torchbearer.
The flame’s journey to France #
The flame will then embark on a 5000km journey across Greece, passing through Corfu and Santorini, among other locations, over 11 days. It will also ascend the rock of the Acropolis for a night near the Parthenon.
The flame will be handed over to the French organizers on April 26th in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the venue of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. It will then board the three-masted ship Belem to arrive in Marseille, France, on May 8th.
FAQ:
- Who is the first French torchbearer?Laure Manaudou, a French swimmer, will be the first French torchbearer.
- Where will the Olympic flame be lit?The flame will be lit at the ancient site of Olympia in Greece.
- Who will host the ceremony?Nikos Aliagas, a Franco-Greek television and radio host, will host the ceremony at Olympia.
- When will the flame reach France?The flame will arrive in Marseille, France, on May 8th.
- What is the significance of the Olympic flame?In antiquity, the flame that burned throughout the Games symbolized peace and unity among peoples.
