Three is the magic number for Millau, Sète and Montpellier!
Still hugging the Mediterranean coast, the Paris 2024 Olympic torch visited a new region on Monday. There were no clouds to be seen as the torch shone a light on the major sites of Millau, Sète and Montpellier. The three cities, which make their distinctive presence felt throughout the southern reaches of Occitania, came together to treat their inhabitants to a sight to behold.
Time to take a look back on the action- packed moments of the day hosted by the Olympic Torch Relay partners Coca-Cola, Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne. Kevin Mayer, the world record holder in decathlon, lit the cauldron on the Esplanade de l'Europe in Montpellier to wrap up a stage in which sport, nature and culture set the tone for the relay.
Monday started with a breathtaking view from dizzying heights as the Olympic torch set off at 8 am sharp on the Millau Viaduct. This majestic cable-stayed bridge, almost 340 metres high, offers an astounding panorama of the Tarn Valley.
Locals use it to cross the Aveyron on a daily basis. In an image worthy of the Guinness World Record Book, the three-time vert skating world champion Taïg Khris rolled down the viaduct carrying the lit torch. After this incredible moment on the highest bridge in Europe, the Olympic torch wove its way through downtown Millau before heading out to the heart of Les Grandes Causses Regional Natural Park.
From Millau to Montpellier via Sète
The Olympic torch then set course for the coast in Sète, the "singular island", a fishing port with a strong Mediterranean flavour that has inspired a great deal of artists. It hit the slopes again to take in the views from the top of Mont Saint-Clair, which looms large over the Étang de Thau. The Olympic torch moved on to downtown Sète after sailing from Balaruc-les-Bains in a boat. It then bobbed up and down the canals in the town centre on board a Provençal water jousting boat. Its tour of Sète came to an end opposite the Théâtre de la Mer, an old fort-cum-performance scene set against the background of the sea. It was time to head to Montpellier, the last stopover on this unprecedented route.
Montpellier moved to the beat of sport, dance and concerts to celebrate the visit of the Olympic torch!
A bunch of attractions greeted the Olympic torch in the city centre and along the route of the relay. The torch went through Juvignac, a municipality that is part of Greater Montpellier, before merging onto the verdant Promenade du Peyrou, not far from Place de la Comédie. This iconic site of the "City of Clapas" hosted several concerts and dance performances to spice up the ambience. Olympic and Paralympic sports were front and centre, with a wide range of demonstrations and introduction sessions. First in line was Les Cévennes neighbourhood, followed by Les Arceaux, where the public got to discover wheelchair basketball and boccia, two iconic Paralympic sports that could do with a bit more public recognition. A team relay organised by the weightlifting federation and consisting of 24 torchbearers also took place in downtown Montpellier, bringing some more visibility to this Olympic discipline. Place de l'Europe hosted the celebration venue, where the crowds who turned out in force to greet the Olympic torch got to enjoy a whole plethora of attractions.
Inspirational athletes, household names and anonymous warriors
The atmosphere hit fever pitch as the final relay runner approached at 7:20 pm. Kévin Mayer, a two-time world champion in decathlon and silver medallist in Rio who is training hard ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, had the honour of completing the final segment.
He is based in Montpellier, where he studied and still trains, so lighting the cauldron was a symbolic and emotion-fraught moment for him.
Other celebrities who carried the Olympic torch on Monday included the singer Ycare, the Olympic gold medallist in volleyball Benjamin Toniutti and the journalist Hervé Mathoux. The comedian Artus was also on hand for an off-the-wall segment, now on the bill of his film Un p'tit truc en plus ('A Little Something Extra'), which had a rock-solid opening in cinemas, sharing the screen with Sofian.
Also an influencer in the everyday life, he has more than 500,000 followers and uses his platform to raise awareness about his rare disease, ataxia- telangiectasia.
They were flanked by anonymous warriors who inspire and are inspired by others, including quite a few female torchbearers. Some of them were Delphine Le Sausse, a former French national Alpine skiing team member who lost function in part of her legs following an accident and became a top para-waterskier; Soune Serre, who works in an orphanage in Guinea; Josiane Itier, who has been a volunteer firefighter for over four decades; and Geneviève Petey, a tireless volunteer in her savate club.
Tomorrow, the Olympic torch will depart mainland France and head to Corsica. It will be another jaw-dropping stage, taking the torch from L'Île-Rousse to Corte and from Ajaccio to Bastia, showcasing the wonders of the Isle of Beauty.