On Wednesday 8 May, the Olympic flame will arrive on French soil for the first time since it was lit in Olympia last month. After the traditional flame-lighting ritual, the torch began its journey through Greece before leaving aboard the Belem on 16 April.

After three weeks, the Belem will dock in the 'Vieux Port' (Old Port), whose traditional cobblestones have long since been cleaned and improved, in a moment witnessed by the whole world. Cameras from around the globe will focus on when the torch lands. Before reaching the old harbour, the Belem - accompanied by over 1,000 other vessels - will pass the Pharo Palace, the Fort Saint-Jean and the Mucem.

The organisers and Marseille's inhabitants dearly hope everything runs smoothly in order to present the city and its harbour in their best possible light.

As is so often the case, the camera does not show what has happened behind the scenes and beneath the surface. Marseille's city leadership has gone to great lengths to clean up its city to show it off to the world.

While Marseille's old port is very different from the River Seine in Paris, pollution and waste also pose problems. For this reason, a number of boats and cleaning crews have been working for several days to make the area more pleasing to the eye. While the public largely appreciates the clean-up operation, there is some criticism that it is only employed for a special event such as this.

According to Franceinfo, a total surface area of 32,000 square metres will be cleaned ready for the big day. There is as much effort being expended to keep the area safe with around 6,000 police officers being deployed throughout the city.

While it is difficult to predict the number of people who will come to the Old Port, authorities expect in excess of 150,000 people to gather on the docks or in the surrounding streets to welcome the Olympic Torch.

After arrival in Marseille, the flame will pass through more than 400 towns and cities in France as well as a number of overseas territories such as Reunion Island, Martinique and French Polynesia. There are no fewer than 65 stops giving the country an invaluable marketing opportunity. Each of the stops have been carefully researched and prepared with 30 UNESCO World Heritage sites among the monuments, countless buildings and history on display.

Since it was lit in Olympia, the torch has been carried by some 10,000 people. The island of Château d'If, just a couple of kilometres off Marseille, will bear close witness to its arrival in France and host a dance performance to welcome the flame. Known as a fortress and having been used as a prison, it was made famous by Alexandre Dumas in his novel The Count of Monte Cristo.

Among the events on the island, Miguel Chevalier will put together a digital art display including a projection on to the Château d’If lighthouse.