Currently, more than 80 per cent of French pupils have failed to reach the World Health Organisation recommendation of children and adolescents exercising for at least 60 minutes.

The campaign, which is supported by the French Ministry of Education, is a part of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Week, which started today and runs until Saturday (January 29), and will involve an estimated 4,700 schools and 700,000 children.

Another 26,500 children are expected to participate from 46 French schools, across 29 countries on five continents.

Last year a trial version of the campaign reached over 500,000 pupils.

"For two years now, this project has been the most tangible legacy of the Paris 2024 Games," Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 President said.

"It is source of immense pride for us that the organisation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024 has opened up the opportunity to introduce minutes of physical activity in primary schools, which are an addition to existing physical education.

"This programme is proof that sport in schools is becoming even more important, particularly in the current health context."

The promotion has received the backing of astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who became the first French person to command the International Space Station.

Pesquet has set a challenge labelled #Mission30minutes that tasks children to complete physical activity which is the equivalent of two return trips to the Moon.

The scheme has so far surpassed 3.1 million minutes - the equivalent of almost 290 kilometres, when the exercise of all participants so far is added together.

The Paris 2024 Olympics is scheduled to run from July 26 to August 11 2024.