05/22/2024
Stage 13 - Olympic Torch Relay - The Olympic Flame discovering the historical secrets of the Dordogne
Flame Relay
The flamboyant Dordogne welcomed the Torch Relay for this thirteenth stage, from Bergerac to Périgueux. The highlight was the visit to the Lascaux IV site, where the collective fencing relay celebrated the most successful French sport of the Olympic Games in an exceptional setting. Nearly a hundred Flame bearers took turns in the department, including sports personalities and anonymous people. Thomas Chinours, French cadet shooting champion, lit the Cauldron at the start of the evening in front of a large audience.
La Flamme sets out to discover the cultural, natural and gastronomic heritage of Dordogne
Visiting the department is guaranteed to awaken all your senses in enchanting landscapes. Bergerac, with its medieval-looking streets and half-timbered houses, was the first site crossed of the day. In Saint-Aulaye-Puymangou, La Flamme, perched on a hillside, has dominated the Dronne river from the atypical 12th century bastide. This circuit is classified among the ten most beautiful trails in Périgord.
Later in the day, the Flame took the road to Sarlat-la-Canéda, a medieval town with ocher colors and the medieval ramparts of Nontron, thus discovering its cutlery tradition. She illuminated the reproduction of the famous prehistoric site of Montignac-Lascaux, before sneaking into Agonac.
The Flame ended its journey in Périgueux, capital of Périgord, a Gallo-Roman city recognized for its heritage with 53 buildings protected as historic monuments. Among them, the Romanesque Saint-Front Cathedral, built in the 12th century and listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. The Tour de Vésone, the remains of a Gallo-Roman temple, and the Museum of Art and Archeology of Périgord, the first museum created in Dordogne in the 19th century, were also in the spotlight this Wednesday, May 22.
Fencing, the French Olympic sport par excellence, takes center stage
On the one hand, fencing, the French Olympic sport par excellence, totaling the greatest number of podiums with 128 medals. On the other, the Lascaux IV site, an essential place in French historical heritage, where this new collective relay took place. An exceptional painting at the crossroads of these two heritages. Captain Paolo Bois-Rolet, a young swordsman invested in his club as a shooter, referee and dedicated to the transmission of his passion, brandished the Flame alongside 23 other licensees. Among them, Laurent Sabeau, who started this sport very young in his grandfather's club in Bergerac, before creating his own departmental club in 2012.
Brice Perek, first French champion in sports lightsaber combat, a supported discipline by the French Fencing Federation, or even Lisa Ferrandon, a licensee who gained self-confidence thanks to the practice of fencing. All the weapons of this sport were represented, such as the sabre, the foil and the epee. Artistic fencing, aiming to stage choreographed fights, presented in competition, has also found its place in this collective relay.
By carrying the Flame to Périgueux, Valérie Galli, pioneer of French women's fencing, has once again contributed to the brilliance of this discipline. Double world team vice-champion, in 1987 she joined the first French women's epee team, a discipline which was until then forbidden to women.
A Relay under the sign of mutual aid and inclusion
It was Germain Pouch, member of the “Vaincre la Mucoviscidose” association, who launched the stage in Dordogne, in Bergerac. Since his birth, this thirty-year-old has been fighting against this disease which mainly affects the lungs. Maryse Lajonie, president of the “P’tits Bouts” association, bringing together children with Cockayne syndrome, succeeded him. At the start of the afternoon, in Sarlat-la-Canéda, it was the turn of Anne-Sophie Bobovnikoff, director of the Fondation de l'Isle, which promotes the values of adapted sport, with the motto "to everyone his challenge” to participate in the Relay. Annie Rubellin had the honor of carrying the Flame to Lascaux. Involved for many years as a volunteer within the Emmaüs association, she was elected president of Emmaüs Brive.
Other sports personalities and athletes joined these everyday heroes. Like Brice Guyart, Olympic team foil champion at the Sydney Games and Olympic individual foil champion at the Athens Games. Also, Laurent Jalabert, the former cyclist with more than 130 titles and victories, Gaëlle Mignot, French international rugby union player, currently selector and coach of the F team female rance, or Yoann Kowal, international athlete passionate about running. Thomas Chinours, lit the Cauldron on Place Tourny in Périgueux. The young man, recently integrated into the CREPS of Talence, has the ambition of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Tomorrow, this new day of the Relay will take place in Gironde, offering a magnificent opportunity to discover the attractions of this territory renowned worldwide for its wine treasures. La Flamme will start from Saint-Émilion, then head towards the Bouscat racecourse, Libourne, the Cité du Vin and Lormont. The day will continue with a journey from Mérignac to Pessac, return to Libourne via Dagueys beach, and finally end in Bordeaux.
Photo credit: Paris 2024 / Nathan Lainé / SIPA PRESS