Centenary legacy celebrated
This stage of the Torch Relay on June 23, 2024 was particularly anticipated. This is Olympic Day, the last before the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Today it allows us to make the link with history: 100 years ago, in 1924, the first Olympic Games were held winter in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Since then, the resort has always been at the rendezvous of the Olympic Games since at least one Chamoniard has participated in each edition of the Winter Games. Thanks to the support of the Department of Haute-Savoie, the stopover town of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and the towns it passes through, the inhabitants of the entire territory were able to vibrate today around this strong Olympic heritage.
The exceptional sites of the territory valued
Throughout its journey, the Olympic Flame has highlighted the emblematic sites of Haute-Savoie between its vast ski areas, its spas and its lakes. The route started from the Hôtel du Département then the Flame went from Source Cachat to Parc Dollfus in Évian-les-Bain. It then passed through Héry-sur-Alby, notably past the Pays d’Alby cultural and sports space, then to Annemasse, from the Martin Luther King space to Place de la Libération. Then, she climbed to the top of the Plateau des Glières, a center of the Resistance during the Second World War. The Relay continued its route to Cluses where the Flame passed in front of the Lieutenant Charles Poncet Gymnasium then to Excenevex where a rowing sequence took place from Lake Geneva to the beach.
Immediately, the Olympic Flame headed to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. It was therefore a return to basics, a hundred years after the first Olympic Winter Games. After passing through Montenvers station and the cable car square, it passed by the site of the old speed ring, inaugurated in 1924 where sporting activities were organized by the Haute-Montagne Military School. The celebration site was set up at Place du Mont-Blanc where combat sports demonstrations were organized by the city and the department.
An exceptional team of 24 high mountain specialists
To celebrate the event and create unique memories, a breathtaking rope climb was organized at the beginning of June in the early morning in the greatest secrecy, with the Olympic Flame, on the summit of the Aiguille du Midi. Paris 2024 has been preparing this celebration behind the scenes with the city of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc for several months. 24 flame bearers took part in the adventure, all local mountain players or specialists in high mountain disciplines. Among them, high mountain guides, Olympians and high-level athletes from different disciplines such as skiing, alpine skiing, mountaineering, highlining, paragliding and many others.
Among them, athletes who competed in the Winter Olympic Games like the local legend Blaise Giezandanner (skiing), or Margot RavinelOlympian at the Youth Games (ski mountaineering), Cédric Amafroi-Broisat (handiskiing), Christophe Ville (ice Hockey), Jonas Devouassoux (ski-cross). Many others stand out in their respective sports like Nathan Paulin (highline), Coralie Bentz (cross-country skiing), Baptiste Ellmenreich (ski mountaineering), Enora Latuillère (biathlon), Sandie Cochepain (paragliding), Sandra Deleglise (short track) and many others.
Several high mountain professions were also represented in this team such as high mountain guides with Fleur Fouque from the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Guides Company or Elodie Lecomte from the National Ski and Mountaineering School, Yann Gérome of the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon or even Guillaume Baillargé from the High Mountain Military School. Sonia Popoff, a mountain rescue emergency doctor, also took part in this exceptional climb. Thanks to the support of the town of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and the Caisse d’Epargne Rhône Alpes, a 3-minute film was produced by Bertrand Delapierre, mountaineer and director. It was unveiled in front of the public who came in large numbers to the Place du Mont-Blanc celebration site to greet these athletes separately.
Two extraordinary collective relays!
Another highlight of the day took place at the celebration site. A historic collective relay was organized with 17 former flag bearers. It is Martin Fourcadethe best-known French biathlete, five-time Olympic champion, who passed the torch to the first representative of this collective relay, the ex-skier Carole Montillet. By his side, Tessa Worley (ski), Jason Lamy Chappuis (Nordic combined), Kevin Rolland (freestyle skiing), Philippe Candeloro (skating), Vincent Defrasne (biathlon) or Nadine Laurent (descent). It is Marie Bocheteight times titled at the Winter Paralympic Games, and Alain CalmatOlympic vice-champion in 1964 in skating who lit the cauldron at the Grenoble Games in 1968, who were the two captains of this relay and who lit the cauldron in pairs to close the day with emotion.
A little earlier in the day, another collective relay was organized in Evian-les-Bains by the French Golf Federation. It took place at the Evian Resort Golf Club, one of the jewels of French golf where major tournaments are held every year. The relay was held from hole n°2 to hole n°18 and was initiated by Magali Genevray, commissioner dedicated to golf for two decades. Figures from local sport, all licensed by the French Golf Federation but often combining other talents were there, like Peggy Bouchet (first woman to row across the Atlantic), the two Olympians Florence Masnada And Leo Lacroix (skiing), or Emilie Mollard (speedgolf) and Benjamin Cavet (freestyle skier). Young golf hopefuls and para golfers were also present including Melody Roccaz And Issa Nlareb Amang.
160 Flamebearers for this historic day
High-level athletes were particularly well represented among the other torchbearers of the day. Emblematic figures of skiing and mountaineering were there, such as Christine Janinfirst woman to reach Everest in 1990, but also Olympian skiers Victor Muffat Jeandet, Clement Noel and the two Paralympian skiers, Thomas Clarion And Lou Braz Dagand. Moreover, Mike Horn, one of the greatest adventurers of modern times who has been pushing the limits of exploration for more than 30 years, also had the honor of carrying the Olympic Flame. Among his unrivaled list of accomplishments is being the first man to cross the South Pole and the North Pole.
Like him, many anonymous torchbearers with particularly inspiring life stories have carried the Flame. This was the case of Meije Bidaultrecognized for her talent in handiskiing, Fanny Desplacesvolunteer guide, of Laurent Favario who coaches young firefighters or even Stéphane Loison involved for more than 30 years in association sport in the region.
At the end of this day particularly rich in festivities and symbols, carried out thanks to the involvement of the Paris 2024 teams and the Torch Relay Sponsors Coca-Cola, Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne, the Olympic Flame ‘will offer some respite. All teams will be able to rest this Monday before hitting the road again. Tuesday, she will set off into the Doubs during a day which will end in Besançon.
Photo credit: Paris 2024 / Étienne Grillot / Chamonix Mont-Blanc
PROGRAM FOR TUESDAY JUNE 25
Find the entire stage program on https://olympics.com/fr/paris-2024/relais-de-la-flamme-olympique/etapes/doubs-besancon
Celebration site program:
Open to the public from 3:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Free with gauge control
3:30 p.m.: opening to the public
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.: community activities on the sports area
5:45 p.m.-6:50 p.m.: partner events on the sports area
7:20 p.m.-7:30 p.m.: arrival of the last torchbearer
Find all the photo and video content of the day on the Paris 2024 Content Library.
Photo credits are included in the photo metadata
Credit Ours News: France Télévisions – Paris 2024 / Credit CIO
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