Paris Olympic torch: Route map, ceremony and how it stays lit for 100 days

The Olympic flame dates back to the ancient games, but the torch relay itself was only run for the first time in 1936.

“The Olympic flame has been a symbol of peace and friendship among nations since antiquity,” the International Olympics Committee said. Once lit, the flame is then transported to the ancient Olympic stadium by the actor playing high priestess Hestiada, in this instance Mary Mina. This then lights the first of the relay torches, which are champagne-coloured this year as a homage to the host nation, and the torchbearer also receives an olive branch.

The flame will then spend the night at the French embassy in Athens, before boarding a three-masted ship called the Belem, where it will spend nearly two weeks en route to Marseille. There’s a common misconception that the torch relay dates back to ancient times, but this wouldn’t make any sense – the original games were always held in Olympia, without exception.

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