Secrets of France’s other Olympic city

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/