Calais – Flame 1

A handover in an extraordinary setting

Like Marseille for the Olympic Torch Relay, Calais will be welcoming the Paralympic Torch for its first steps in France with Torch 1. After being lit the day before at Stoke Mandeville (in the UK), the Handover Ceremony will take place in a focal point of Franco-British cooperation: the Channel Tunnel. Twenty-four British torchbearers will symbolically hand over the Paralympic Torch to Twenty-four French torchbearers at the midway point of the tunnel, marking the border between England, the cradle of the Paralympic Games, and France, host of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Calais: a seaside getaway in an authentic setting

Calais is a classified tourist resort and is reviving its seaside past. With a seafront that stretches over approximately twenty kilometres and vast unspoiled natural areas, Calais boasts an impressive quality and diversity of landscapes. The seafront at Calais and its long beach of fine sand, a key part of the natural and tourist heritage, have been extensively redeveloped to make way for leisure, relaxation and sporting activities.

The 12-metre-high and 25-metre-long Calais dragon, designed by François Delaroziere and made by the Compagnie La Machine, has taken up residence at the beach, allowing visitors to experience the urban landscape and discover the city in a different way.

Boccia for greater inclusiveness

Calais is committed to promoting para-sport by supporting dedicated associations and Paralympic athletes. The city regularly celebrates boccia and its local star, Dorian Decarme, who has won the French championship several times. The Boccia Club Calais is one of the spearheads of the local sports policy and one of the largest in the region. In partnership with the French Federation of Para-sport, the city has twice organised the French championships in boccia and archery. Several associations now welcome sportspeople with disabilities.