The torch set off early Wednesday from Mount Canigou, the highest peak in the eastern Pyrenees, at almost 2,800 meters above sea level.

The flame will continue its journey through the country’s southern region in the hands of sports stars and local figures, with a partial stop in the heritage city of Perpignan tonight.

The cauldron will be lit at the Palace of the Kings of Majorca to continue on Thursday its 12,000-kilometer journey on French soil until it is lit at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Olympic Games on July 26.

More than 400 cities and towns in nearly 70 departments, including French overseas territories, are part of the torch’s route.

The torch arrived in Marseille from Greece on May 8.

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