If you like trophies, equipment, posters, old films relating to sport, this is the place where you absolutely must go: the National Sports Museum was opened in Nice in June 2014. Installed at Allianz Riviera stadium, it today concentrates more than 45,000 objects and 400,000 documents which constitute the French sporting heritage, which has been much discussed since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this summer.
Esprit sport is interested in those who maintain the memory of sport. Xavier Monferran went to meet the director of the Museum, Marie Grasse, who welcomed him in front of Marielle Goitschel’s ski collection (Editor’s note: the native of Sainte-Maxime in the Var, holds the best track record in the history of French women’s alpine skiing, including two Olympic gold medals and seven world champion titles.). “It’s my little moment of contemplation, in front of Marielle Goitschel’s pair of skis. A very simple pair, with very narrow, very long skis like we made in the 60s, in wood. And I remember, as a child , the victory and all the symbolism that it may have represented for the population “
“Marielle Goitschel offered me one of her medals”
“Much later, I arrive at the Sports Museum. We are just installing this collection. The phone rings. And they tell me: “It’s Marielle Goitschel on the line.” I don’t believe it no, I answer: “and I am the Pope (!)”. And it was really her! She told me that she had one of the medals that had not been stolen from her and that she wanted! give it to the Sports Museum. I had stars in my eyes!
“I need to share this desire to preserve”
“All these objects symbolize strong moments. I wanted to share this passion for collections, this passion for heritage. Keeping a coffee pot or a pair of wooden skis is perhaps of no interest, except that they have a history, and above all a human history. This is what gives meaning to my work, in my opinion. I need to share this desire to preserve, to highlight and I wish to communicate to future generations. moment of history”.
National Sports Museum : 6 Allée Camille Muffat, Stade Allianz Riviera, 06200 Nice.
