The Olympic Torch takes a jaunt around C’Chartres, between nature and heritage.
This Sunday, the Olympic Torch Relay, sponsored by Coca-Cola, Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne, continued its journey through the central part of northwest France and lit up four towns that make up the C’Chartres group of municipalities, illuminating Dreux, Châteaudun, Bonneval and finally the stage host city of Chartres, with more than 120 torchbearers taking it in turns on this area brimming with nature and heritage.
One of the high points of the day was the collective relay organised by the French Federation of Swimming at the Odyssée, which is the largest aquatic centre in France. Among the celebrities present today were BMX champion Jodie Viémont, middle distance runner Émilie Borget-Philippe, doctor and TV presenter Michel Cymes and para-cycling world champion Marie Patouillet, who lit the celebration cauldron at the end of the day in Chartres.
A charming jaunt around C’Chartres
From Dreux to Chartres, via Châteaudun and Bonneval, this area is particularly attractive for sporting activities and has produced many champions who are now shining in many sporting domains. The four towns have received the Land of the Games label and put sport at the heart of their ambitions, particularly by regularly hosting major sporting events, such as running competitions, trails or cycling races.
The Olympic Torch Relay put the spotlight on this haven of tranquillity. Between plains, rivers, majestic mansions, superb castles and a gothic cathedral, the relay experienced an enriching discovery of the area. The route began in Dreux at the start of the day, at the crossroads between the Ile-de-France, Normandy and Beauce regions. The Olympic Torch Relay visited the Saint Louis royal chapel and Marcel Dessal Museum of Art and History to highlight the local historical and cultural heritage.
In Châteaudun, it made its way along the steep streets, passing near the castle that overlooks the town. Afterwards, the Olympic Torch was taken to Bonneval, the “little Venice of Beauce”, visiting the former Abbey of Saint Florentin, the Notre Dame church, the Porte Saint Roch gate and finally the 3,500-m² Carrefour des Sports complex.
It finally headed to Chartres, a city which is used to highlighting its heritage with the “Chartres en Lumière” sound and light show which is held there each year. The city is brimming with sites that just have to be visited and which were dotted along the relay’s route: the Colisée, which is the city’s sporting and cultural complex, and the iconic cathedral, which is a work of gothic art and is listed as UNESCO world heritage. The Olympic Torch then visited the Place des Épars, the Saint Aignan church and the Odyssée, an aquatic complex. The last part of the route took it to the racecourse which played host to the celebration venue.
Swimming takes pride of place in France’s largest aquatic centre
Before the celebration cauldron was lit, the relay stopped off at the Odyssée, an aquatic centre with eleven pools, two of which are of Olympic size, on a 5,000-m² site. It was here in mid-June that the most recent French swimming championships were held, marked by national records for Mewen Tomac and Emma Terebo as well as Olympic qualifications for Florent Manaudou and Léon Marchand.
The French Federation of Swimming took over the venue once again for this collective relay. Christophe Bordeau, a specialist in the 200-metres butterfly, medley and freestyle, was the captain. Alongside him were Alicia Bozon, who took part in the Olympic Games in Seoul (in 1988), Barcelona (in 1992) and Atlanta (in 1996), Laurence Guillou, also present in Seoul and fifteen times French champion, as well as Maëly Chevallier, a three times world champion in adapted sport. They were accompanied by volunteers, referees and swimming enthusiasts, demonstrating the diversity of participants and commitments in the discipline.
Local champions present
Almost 120 torchbearers participated in the day’s relay, including champions who have helped to raise the profile of the area in their respective sporting disciplines. The first relay set the tone with Mangeiarasi Murugan, the French para-sports half marathon champion in 2022 and a native of Dreux where she trains. A little later, the crowds were able to cheer on two BMX stars, namely world champion Jodie Viemont and Elyas Mouhoub, who took part in the world championships last summer.
Émilie Borget-Philippe, a six times French middle distance running champion, was also present, as was Lionel Baguissi, a taekwondo athlete from Gabon who was African champion in 2001 and is now a coach at the Chartres Métropole club, or Jean-Sébastien Dréano, French champion in the Fédéral 3 division with a local club.
The day’s last torchbearer was para-sport cyclist Marie Patouillet who had the honour of lighting the cauldron in Chartres in front of many spectators who had come to cheer her on! At the age of 35 years, she boasts an impressive roll of honour in para-cycling: world champion in 2022 and twice bronze medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Members of the general public and a famous doctor carry the Olympic Torch.
Many members of the general public with inspiring stories to tell also took part in the celebrations. Among them were Élena Thiry-Belpaume, a psychomotricity therapist who works with autistic children on a daily basis, and Caroline Marco-Choiseau, who supports cancer patients via the “Les Flammes en Rose” association. Jean-Louis Benarab’s presence was in reward for his 20 years of commitment to the voluntary sector in Chartres.
Fabrice Lenud, who trains young people in pastry-making all over the world and thus contributes to the reputation of French gastronomy, also carried the Olympic Torch. They rubbed shoulders with Michel Cymes, a famous French doctor, surgeon and TV presenter of health-based programme Magazine de la Santé for twenty years, who spent part of his medical training at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Chartres and was heartily cheered on by the large crowds.
Tomorrow, on Monday 8th July, the Olympic Torch will visit the Loir-et-Cher, an area brimming with historical sites. The convoy’s route will take in the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire and Château de Chambord before heading to Blois where the celebration venue will be located at the end of the day.