'A way to celebrate Europe': Torchbearers begin Olympic flame's journey across France

Torchbearers carried the Olympic flame through the streets of France's southern port city of Marseille on Thursday, a day after it arrived on a majestic three-mast ship for a welcoming ceremony.

The torch begins its 11-week journey across the country with about 10,000 bearers passing through more than 450 towns until the Games' opening ceremony in Paris on July 26.

Former soccer player Basile Boli, who played with the Marseille team in the 1990s, began Thursday's relay from the Notre Dame de la Garde basilica that overlooks Marseille and the Mediterranean.

"I'm very proud," Boli said. "You feel like you're on top of the world, because with an Olympic flame there's a special fervor. … It's the symbol of sport!"

Basketball player Tony Parker then took his turn in the relay. On a nearby crowded beach, swimmers and sunbathers cheered the torch bearers as the flame passed.

A fencing champion, a skateboarder, a Michelin-starred chef and a comedian were also chosen to carry the flame.

"Let's go for a fantastic celebration," said Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris Olympics organizing committee. "The Games are back in our country. … Let's share this fantastic moment of celebration with millions of people in the country."

WATCH | Paris Pulse, our weekly Canadian Olympic and Paralympic news update:

Participants were scheduled to run all day past landmarks in the city to bring the torch to the roof of the famed Stade Velodrome, home to Marseille's passionate soccer fans.

Many residents and visitors were strolling along the Old Port, enjoying the sunny weather while waiting for the torch to arrive.

Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said "it's fantastic to give that sense of pride to the French people and to show to the