Paris 2024: French towns say 'non merci' to Olympic torch relay over cost concerns

The eyes of the world will turn to France in July 2024, as the summer Olympic Games begins with a spectacular opening ceremony on the River Seine. 

Before that, the Olympic torch embarks on a two-month journey around the country, after criss-crossing the globe on its way from Mount Olympus in Greece, to the French capital. 

But this Olympic tradition is turning into a headache for organisers, with towns and cities saying a polite 'no merci' to a visit from the Olympic flame torch relay, citing the high costs involved. 

Departments have been asked to fork out €150,000 - amounting to €180,000 with taxes included.

At least 10 of France's 96 mainland departments - the administrative rung below the regional level - have formerly declared that they won't be hosting the torch. 

Citizens of the Rhône department in southeastern France - where the country's third largest city Lyon is located - will not be catching a glimpse of the torch.

It's a cause for frustration for some. 

In a statement released by the Rhône branch of Emmanuel Macron's youth supporters, 'Les Jeunes avec Macron', the department garnered criticism for a decision supposedly made on environmental grounds.

"The narrow-mindedness of environmentalists who confuse the fight against global warming with an environmentalist puritanism that would ban all forms of festive spirit".

However, these are not the reasons that the department and city stated.

"Asking for 180,000 euros from each department does not make any sense. Some departments are smaller and others are less robust. It would have been more logical for regions to organise financing of the torches at the regional level in order to ensure territorial equity", stated Bruno Bernard, President of the Lyon Metropole.

“We would