This Thursday, May 23, the Olympic flame completed the twelfth stage of its Tour de France in Gironde. Security system, highlights of the torchbearers, Thierry Marx lighting the cauldron, what to remember from this day?
A day without a hitch
The Olympic flame continues its journey in France. For her twelfth stage, she was in Gironde this Thursday, May 23. A relay which brought together many spectators, particularly in Bordeaux, and which took place without the slightest incident.
An impressive security feature
To ensure peace on this day, sensational security was deployed. 258 police officers, six mobile force units, 298 gendarmes, 108 soldiers from the Sentinel forces, 242 personnel from SDIS 33, 103 rescue workers and 550 volunteers were mobilized throughout the event. The security of the various sites was ensured by deminers, dog teams and drones.
Relayed on horseback
Pierre Durand, the rider of one of the most famous show jumping horses, being one of the torchbearers. The man from Jappeloup stood out by carrying her on a white horse, and not by running as usual. However, some spectators complained of not having seen this highly anticipated relay, due to the difficulty of access.
Privatization of Château Cheval Blanc
During its journey, the flame passed through the Cheval Blanc wine château. Its owner, the richest man in the world and boss of LVMH Bernard Arnauld, privatized the site for the event. Police stationed around the building thus made the space inaccessible.
Lighting the cauldron
At precisely 7:23 p.m., the torch relay stopped at Quinconces in Bordeaux for the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. The task was entrusted to the famous starred chef Thierry Marx for this stage. According to Bordeaux Métropole, more than 15,000 people were present to witness this moment.
An upstream questioning
On Twitter, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin relayed the arrest beforehand of an individual who had announced that he was planning a mass killing during the relay. He was taken into custody this Tuesday, May 21, and has since been declared psychologically fragile. His arrest allowed the day of festivities to run smoothly.
Photo credit: © Jordi Muray
