The TOTEM experiment at the CERN LHC is here presented. After an overview of
the experimental apparatus, the measurement of the total pp cross section,
elastic scattering and diffractive phenomena is described. This physics
programme will allow to distinguish among different models of soft proton
interactionsComment: Presented at 22nd Les Rencontres de Physique de la Vallee d'Aoste,
Aosta Valley, Italy, 24 Feb - 1 Mar 200