As part of the 37th Virades de l’Espoir, the Surmelin valley association organized the 2024 edition in Montmort-Lucy, in partnership with the municipality. Created in 2016, the association, bringing together 15 municipalities and around 6,000 inhabitants across Marne and Aisne in order to raise awareness of its heritage, participates each year in the day to fight against cystic fibrosis.
“Let us remember that 8,000 patients suffer from the disease in France, including more than 150 in Champagne Ardenne,” underline one of the volunteers. There were 70 of them to ensure the day went smoothly.
It was in the lower courtyard of the prestigious castle that the launch of the operation took place: demonstration of barrel assembly, organization of a barrel race, proposal of old wooden games for young and old… The program was copious . Also hiking (6, 12 or 17 km) and mountain bike (35 km) leaving from the castle and discovering the Surmelin Valley were offered.
Indeed, after having climbed the helical ramp identical to that of the Château d’Amboise allowing at the time access to the castle on horseback, more than 500 hikers set off from the drawbridge and around 50 mountain bikers. Finally, volunteers from the Nature and Heritage of Montmort association offered two guided tours of the village church and the town’s curiosities in the afternoon.
“The medical advances of recent years are incredible but are only the beginning. We must continue to move forward, to hope, to believe in a future without cystic fibrosis”concluded the organizers.
