The Olympic Torch explores the wonders of the Oise cultural heritage!

The Oise department hosted the sixtieth stage of the Olympic Torch Relay. Treasures ranging from châteaux and cathedrals to bodies of water make it the perfect place to take a break from routine. Seven towns and cities feted the Olympic torch on the road from Compiègne to Gerberoy, including Chiry-Ourscamp and Breteuil.

Archery hogged the limelight on Thursday, 18 July thanks to a team relay organised by the French Archery Federation and led by master archers such as Lucien Courtillon and Philippe Bouclet. Almost 130 torchbearers took turns exploring the department.

Among them were household names in the department, such as Justine Bruno, a former swimmer who competed in the London Olympics; Nathalie Bizet, a five-time Paralympian from Atlanta to Beijing; and Stéphane Lecat, an open-water swimmer who claimed bronze in the 2001 World Championships. The fencer Sophie Moressée-Pichot, a gold medallist in the team épée event in Atlanta 1996, ignited the cauldron at the celebration venue in Beauvais at the end of the day.

The Olympic torch takes a breather in Oise

The Olympic torch took a nature jaunt on the doorstep of Île-de-France, soaking up the rich cultural heritage and pleasant living environment of the Oise department. It all started with a royal escapade in Compiègne, where it blazed past Saint James's Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before moving on to the Château de Compiègne, an iconic power centre of the Second French Empire alongside Versailles, Fontainebleau and Les Tuileries.

The morning continued in Chiry-Ourscamp, where the torch hopped across the Oise river and lit up the ruins of the famous abbey, a treasure of Gothic architecture. Next up was Chantilly, with stops at the horse racecourse and the Horse Museum before wrapping things up at the Château de Chantilly, a brainchild of Henri d'Orléans.

In the early afternoon, the Olympic torch headed to Breteuil, meandering through its town centre, past the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Place Verdun and the Hippolyte Bayard House. In Creil, after a stopover at the Marie Curie Sports Complex, the visit ended on a high note at the Roger Salengro Velodrome, a regional landmark dating back to 1934. Gerberoy, renowned as one of the most beautiful villages in France, welcomed the torch to its cobbled, flower-lined streets. The torch advanced from the old town mill to Place La Hire et Xaintrailles. The day drew to a close in Beauvais, starting at the Maladrerie Saint-Lazare leper house and finishing at MUDO — Oise Museum, before returning to the celebration venue at the Departmental Council building.

Archers hit the target in Compiègne.

Upon its arrival in Compiègne, the Olympic torch was greeted by the French Archery Federation and the prestigious Arches de Compiègne club. Boasting state-of-the-art facilities, the club is recognised as an Olympic Games Preparation Centre and regularly hosts national and international competitions. Oise, home to 73 archery companies, boasts a long-standing tradition in this discipline.

23 archers rallied around the captain, Philippe Bouclet, the president of the Archers de Compiègne club and a former president of the French Archery Federation, for an exceptional team relay on Thursday. Among them were enthusiasts, volunteers, referees and everyday athletes such as Nolwenn Samiez Marcy, who practises at the Oise training centre and hopes to join the development programme. Lucien Courtillon, a bronze medallist in the team event at the Seoul Paralympics and vice-president of the Oise Parasport Departmental Committee, also made a splash. Local figures such as Frédéric Nowaczkowski, who has devoted his time to the club for 44 years, represented the selfless dedication of volunteers. Christophe Dessaint, whose family have archery running through their veins, also got to wave at the crowd. As the son and grandson of archers, he is living proof that the passion of archery is passed down like a family heirloom.

Everyday champions and sporting heroes

Nearly 130 torchbearers took turns carrying the flame throughout the day. Isabelle Vobaure, nominated by her daughter, who wanted to honour her mother's commitment to the Olympic Games despite her multiple sclerosis, had the privilege of opening the proceedings.

Multiple sporting greats also heeded the call. In Chantilly, fans got to cheer on the equestrian Nathalie Bizet, a para-athlete who has competed in five Paralympic Games and took bronze in the team event in Atlanta 1996. The swimmer Stéphane Lecat also carried the torch in Compiègne.

A specialist in the 25-kilometre open water event, he clinched bronze in the 2001 World Championships after becoming European champion in Helsinki one year earlier. After hanging up his goggles, he switched lanes to coaching before stepping up as the director of the French national open-water swimming team. In Beauvais, the former swimmer Justine Bruno, who competed in the London Olympics, took her turn with the torch. Sophie Moressée-Pichot, a former high-level pentathlete and member of the French fencing team who won gold in the team event alongside Laura Flessel, lit the cauldron at the end of the day.

Athletes from all backgrounds and various levels joined the celebration, as did dedicated amateurs who pour their hearts and souls into sport. One of them was Ali Azdad, the 2015 Masters World Champion in team cross-country and five-time medallist at the French Parasport Championships. Kévin Bourget, a judoka who served as captain and won the French team championship in 2018 with PSG Judo and Teddy Riner, also took part. Jean Cheminade, who competes in para climbing, and Nicolas Manigot, a firefighter who excelled in shot put during his studies, were also present. Anseif Mdahoma, an amateur football referee, and Aurélie Lebrun Ginfray, a sports educator specialising in adapted physical education, also carried the Olympic torch.

Tomorrow, the torch will resume its journey in the Val-d'Oise department. It will go on a lark between Théméricourt and Soisy-sous-Montmorency and explore a patch of land where urban life meets rural tradition, offering a unique perspective on the world.