A DAY OF CELEBRATIONS IN ILLE-ET-VILAINE BETWEEN LAND AND SEA
The Olympic Torch enjoyed a route that wove between nature and heritage, from Saint- Malo through the enchanting Brocéliande Forest, to Rennes, in the heart of Brittany. Sport was also celebrated thanks to the presence of many athletes carrying the Olympic Torch, including Perle Bouge, a Paralympic champion rower, who had the great honour of lighting the celebration cauldron at the end of the day. The sponsors of the Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola, Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne, thrilled the spectators all along the roadsides and at the celebration venue. The day finished in Rennes with an exceptional concert organised by Coca-Cola and headlined by Chilla and Lujipeka.
Local pride in the spotlight
With its dunes, beaches, forests and heathland, Ille-et-Vilaine boasts a wealth of natural areas. Its culture, heritage, traditions and attachment to sport were highlighted throughout the day. In addition to the many associations operating in the area, the local authorities have put in place an ambitious policy to promote sport for all, even for those who are furthest away from it.
The day began at the seaside in Saint-Malo, where the Olympic Torch crossed the peninsula from Grand Bé Island. It passed through the Porte Saint-Pierre gate to visit the ramparts of the fortified city, before heading to the Grande plage du Sillon beach and the Stade Marville stadium.
It was then taken on an exclusively nautical route to the Etang du Boulet lake in Feins. In Fougères, the Olympic Torch set off from Place Raoul II to the Château de Fougères castle, which is one of the most imposing French fortified castles built between the 12th and 14th centuries. The Olympic Torch also illuminated the heart of the mythical Brocéliande Forest and especially the village of Paimpont.
From Avenue d’Helmstedt to Place du Château, the torchbearers took it in turns to carry the Olympic Torch through the charming town of Vitré before taking a great leap back in time by crossing the Landes de Cojoux site, in Saint-Just, with its megalithic monuments dating back 470 million years, a veritable sanctuary of natural gems.
The relay finally completed its first stage in Brittany in Rennes, passing in front of the Parlement of Brittany on Place de la Mairie before heading to Esplanade Charles de Gaulle where the celebration venue was set up.
A relay made up of the general public, sportspeople and artists!
The route through Ille-et-Vilaine witnessed a collective relay organised by the French Federation of Canoeing and Kayaking. This discipline is at the forefront in the area and with good reason: the French national centre as well as its academy for canoeing and kayaking are located in Cesson-Sévigné near to Rennes. The French Federation organised a collective relay there that put the spotlight on two Olympic disciplines, namely the sprint and slalom.
The relay was led by Anne-Laure Viard, a bronze medallist at the Beijing Games in (2008), and included, in particular, young emerging hopes Elouan Debliquy and Laurette Laly, Agnès Leroux, a para-canoeing athlete who is preparing to participate in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, international slalom judge Brigitte Zoungrana, as well as Léa Jamelot, who has taken part in the Games twice.
Carrying the Olympic Torch alongside them, once again there were dozens of members of the general public and sportspeople. Among the athletes were Olympic volleyball champion, Jenia Grebennikov, French high jump record holder Jean-Charles Gicquel, two times Paralympic table tennis gold medallist Thu Kamkasomphou, women’s rugby player Lénaïg Corson and also footballer Romain Danzé, a former star with Stade Rennais FC.
Hugo Roellinger, a French chef with two Michelin stars, who will also be part of the crew crossing the Atlantic during the ocean relay starting on 7th June, was also present.
Events throughout the day punctuated by an exceptional concert organised by Coca-Cola
All along the route, many initiatives were set up to propose a veritable festival for the spectators. Sports and cultural activities were organised at the Stade Marville stadium in Saint- Malo, as well as in Feins, Fougères and Vitré, whilst a 2024-metre-long race and shows were put on in Paimpont. The last part of the route, in Rennes, was not to be outdone, with musical performances and demonstrations of a wide range of sports.
The evening will be a total party thanks to Coca-Cola, one of the sponsors of the Olympic Torch relay, which organise a big concert at the Salle Le Liberté venue. The event will come after a unique collective relay made up of 24 people selected by Coca-Cola, all from the world of sport (club members, association chairpersons, volunteers, etc.). Two rappers who are particularly popular with the younger generation, Chilla and Lujipeka, then will kick off the concert festivities with an unforgettable performance attended by 5,200 people! Both of them had the opportunity to carry the Olympic Torch earlier in the day, one after the other, in Rennes.
Following this especially dense and celebratory day, the Olympic Torch will be back on the road again tomorrow, as it heads to Deux-Sèvres, with its historical and natural heritage, as well as its famous Marais Poitevin waterways, before the celebration cauldron is lit in Niort for more moments packed with thrills!