After the passage of the Olympic flame, which brightened up the streets of Paris, it’s time for the Paralympic flame. Lit in England, the torch will cross the Channel, then France before landing in the capital on August 28. We tell you where to meet it along the way!
Have you been crying your eyes out since it went out? Then dry your cheeks, the flame is back to light up the Paralympic Games! You can already look forward to two dates: August 25, which marks the start of the relay of the flame in France, and August 28 for its journey through the heart of Paris. From its departure in England to its arrival with great fanfare in the capital, we tell you all about the flame’s journey and also explain where you can catch a glimpse of it in the streets of Paris.
The flame’s journey from Stoke Mandeville (in England) to France
Before arriving on French soil, the flame will be lit on August 24 on the other side of the Channel, in Stoke Mandeville. It was in this village north of London that neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann created the equivalent of the first Paralympic Games in 1948, with the aim of treating, through sport, people injured in the Second World War. So, on August 24, the Paralympic flame will shine once again, as it prepares to set off for France the following day!
Not one, but twelve Paralympic flames in the capital!
A special feature of the Jeux Paralympiques 2024, after crossing the Channel Tunnel and arriving in Calais, the flame will be divided into 12 flames, each representing the twelve days of the competition. Thus, all these torches departing from Montpellier, Lorient or Strasbourg will wander through Île-de-France (in La Roche Guyon, Sucy-en-Brie or Grigny) on August 27 before converging on Paris on the 28th to form a single flame!
The Parisian crossing of the flames
The excitement will undoubtedly be at its peak as we approach the capital! Before reaching Place de la Concorde, venue for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games, the flames will travel through some major Parisian sites such as Les Invalides, Place Pigalle, Les Arènes de Lutèce or the Hôtel de Ville. For the occasion, twenty-two emblematic locations have been selected in each arrondissement of Paris, so take a look at the map – there’s bound to be one not far from where you live!
The crazy race will come to an end with the setting ablaze of the famous Vasque de Paris, which will shine once again in the capital until September 8.
Read also: Everything you need to know about the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony
