SUN, OUTDOOR SPORTS AND A SCENT OF LAVENDER — THE TORCH RELAY SLIPS INTO PROVENCE MODE
The third day of the Olympic torch on French roads provided a taste of the art of living in Provence! It took the scenic route, with stopovers in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Sisteron, Digne-les-Bains, Forcalquier and Barcelonnette.
Alain Boghossian, Odiah Sidibé, Adeline Bilal were just some of the numerous celebrities born and bred in Provence who pounded the tarmac for the Olympic torch. The torch also had a go at the official sport of the region, rock climbing, thanks to a team relay organised by the French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing. Ophélie-Cyrielle Étienne, a bronze medallist in the 4 × 200 m freestyle event at the London Games, which closed the day, welcomed by the public who had flocked to the celebrations site.
From the pristine splendour of the Alps to the art of living in Provence, the Alpes-de-Haute- Provence department has a distinct allure. The stage got going on the Verdon, in the shadow of the cliffs looming over Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Next, it explored the narrow streets of the citadel in Sisteron before heading to the Rocher de la Baume.
It shone a light on the Fort de Savoie in Colmars-les-Alpes and Notre-Dame-du-Bourguet cathedral in Forcalquier. Last but not least, the Olympic torch went to Barcelonnette and on to the celebration venue in Manosque.
Celebrities born and bred in Provence among the 107 torchbearers of the stage
Alain Boghossian, a former international footballer, and Odiah Sidibé, an Olympian in the Atlanta and Barcelona Games, in Digne-les-Bains; Adeline Bilal, a world silver medallist in para-triathlon, in Forcalquier; Esther Baron, who shone for an entire decade on the French national swimming team and racked up an impressive collection of medals, in Manosque... Stage 3 of the Torch Relay was a who's who of sport in the region! Elise Allasia, one of the voices of the moment thanks to her soul and R&B beats, also waved at the crowds lining the roads.
The Provençal town of Manosque was the beating heart of the celebrations on Saturday, 11 May. Locals and visitors converged on Parc de la Rochette —the town's major sports venue— as the sun began to dip towards the horizon. The town pulled out all the stops for the activities, ranging from a sports party and a float parade to a superb performance by 180 young people from local dance schools who performed the dance of the games on the sports slab, a concert and much more. The people of Manosque will not be forgetting this experience any time soon.
A region with rock climbing in its DNA
The French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing organised its team relay on the Falaise de la Baume in Sisteron, right in the heart of an incomparable natural rock climbing site that the climbers of the region have come to love and adore.
The Olympic torch followed Thierry Delarue, the captain of the team relay, throughout his ascent. A paragon of French para- climbing, he is part of the French national team and a four-time world champion. He was flanked by a team of 23 rock climbing enthusiasts, including Bertrand David, who has been volunteering for more than three decades and loves introducing others to the sport; the 13-
year-old Bilal Keltoumi, who inherited his passion for rock climbing from his father; Sabine Ladel, whose engagement in rock climbing helped her to forge new social connections after disability had taken a toll on her social life; Luis Trullenque Gallén, the chairman of the local climbing club and owner of the climbing shop at the foot of the cliff; and Kira Engle, who coaches climbers in the Roc et Falaise Club. The team relay was also an opportunity to consolidate the inclusion of rock climbing in the Olympic and Paralympic movement. Paris 2024 wishes to deepen the Olympic roots of this sport, which was added to the Olympic line-up at the Tokyo Olympics.
A heartfelt tribute to the track and field Olympic gold medallist Colette Besson
Sandrine Noguès Besson paid an emotional tribute to her mother, Colette Besson, who claimed gold in the 400 metres event at the Mexico 1968 Olympics. The daughter of the former athlete, who was a role model for an entire generation, celebrated the life of her mother in Forcalquier.
Colette Besson fought hard for women's sports and promoted sports as a tool for education and empowerment. Her sister, Stéphanie Noguès Besson, will also pay tribute to her in Cassis tomorrow.
Next on the programme is a stage in the Bouches-du-Rhône, another place where land meets the sea. After spending two days in Marseille, the Olympic torch will illuminate the other iconic towns, cities and sites in the department on a route stretching from Cassis to Arles, which will host a team relay on the theme of volleyball.