Secrets of France’s other Olympic city

Published on April 4th, 2024

On May 8, the Olympic Torch for the Paris 2024 Games will arrive from Greece by boat into the ancient port of France’s second-largest city, Marseille – much as the first Greek settlers arrived to found the town almost three millennia ago.

It should be a warm, sunny day, since Marseille famously gets more sun than anywhere else in France. And this is the city’s time to shine: not only is Marseille the launchpad for the 80-day Torch Relay, culminating in Paris on July 26; it is also a significant Olympic venue in its own right.

Marseille will host the sailing competition off its spectacularly rugged coastline, and also 10 soccer matches in the local team’s vaulting 65,000-seat stadium – including France’s own opening game.

So while Paris hogs the limelight and hosts the big shindig, Marseille will be holding a little beach party all of its own. For anyone looking for some festive Olympic vibe but with a more languorous, Mediterranean-summer feel, you can find it just a 3½-hour high-speed train ride from the Parisian center stage. – Full report


Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Program*:
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7 (41)
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6 (41)
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470 (19)
Men’s Skiff – 49er (20)
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX (20)
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class (20)
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class (20)
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL (24)
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL (24)
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17 (19)
* Quota per event in parenthesis but does not include Universality Places (2 men, 2 women)

Venue: Marseille, France
Dates: July 28-August 9

Details:
• Paris website: https://www.paris2024.org/en/the-olympic-games-paris-2024/
• World Sailing microsite: https://paris2024.sailing.org/

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