Welcoming the Olympic flame !
with Laurianne Rawcliffe
We are all aware by now that the Olympic Games are taking place in Paris this year. What some of us might not yet know is that the Olympic flame will be travelling through seven towns in the PO, during a day of festivities on Wednesday the 15th of May.
The President of the P-O, Hermeline Malherbe, put forward a tender for the PO to become one of the departments taking part in the relay of the flame coming from Greece. The 15th is an opportunity for her to share with the whole of France the pearls of our adopted land (to the tune of 150 000 euros!).
The flame, which landed in Marseille yesterday, will reach us on the 14th and spend the night on the Canigou in the refuge des Cortalets. It will leave the refuge at 7am on the 15th, reaching the Pic du Canigou, the sacred Catalan mountain, at 7.30am. The Pic was chosen in echo to its own flame, which is usually reignited on the 22nd of June, protecting us all by shining its sacred light over our territory. A fitting start to its meandering through our countryside.
A total of 131 torch carriers have been handpicked for the relay, each carrying the flame for approximately 200m. Some are athletes, others have a strong connection to sports or the spirit of fair play and openness that the Olympic Games embodies. The flame travels by vehicle in a plexiglass case to each location, where an approximately 3km long relay then takes place. It is always accompanied by a miners’ lamp to allow for it to be reignited in case it ever blows out (we all know how the tram can be..). Here is a breakdown of the locations involved in order of travel:
PRADES
The relay will depart from the roundabout north of the town at 9h30, ending at the Château Pams at 10h10, via Avenue du Général Roquet, Avenue du Docteur Arrous, Avenue Pau Casals and Route de Ria.
The Castellers will be present at the start of the relay and the parc at the Château will host a “village des associations”, with activities and demonstrations.
FONT-ROMEU
The relay here will begin north of the CREPS at 10h30, and end in the athletics grounds of the “Relais Collectif” at 11h. Font Romeu have a cherished relationship with sports, being the home of the CREPS and CNEA (Centre de Resources, d’Expertise et de Performance Sportives / Centre National d’Entrainement en Altitude) which has welcomed over 200 Olympic medallists over the years.
They have organised a very full day of activities and entertainment:
At the CNEA – 8h30 to 17h
8.30 – 10.15: CREPS-CNEA welcomes the public
10.30 – 11: Olympic flame Relay
11.05: official speeches
12h: food-trucks and drinks
13h – 17h: Village des animations (30 sports stands, health, culture)
In ODEILLO – 17h30 – 22h45
17h30 – 18h30 : Fanfare Goulamas k déambulante
18h30 – 19h30: Choir “Carol en musique »
19h : Drinks and grillades
19h30 – 21h30 : La Ganga Calé concert
21h45 – 22h30 : Sound and Light show “Les JO d’hier à aujourd’hui” at the Four Solaire CNRS Promès
22h30: A drone ‘fireworks’ show at the Four Solaire CNRS Promès
CÉRET
The next relay begins at 12h15 at the Pont du Diable in Céret. It will travel down avenue Francesc Irla, Rue Maréchal Juin, Avenue des Vignes Planes, Avenue F. Mitterand, Boulevard Jean Moulin, Avenue du Gal de Gaulle and Avenue Jules Ferry, ending at the Stade Fondecave at 13h.
This another proud moment for Céret, which already hosted the Tour de France in 2021. The town has, here too, involved all the ‘bénévoles’ and sports clubs, and aims to create a Féria atmosphere.
VILLENEUVE-DE-LA-RAHO
Next in line is Villeneuve, welcoming the flame at 14h north of the lake. They will relay west-bound, to arrive in the base nautique at 14h20. Villeneuve is the most frequented site in the PO and hosts a rowing club (they were not allowed to relay the flame by boat across the lake due to the water level issues). Here too, all the sports associations will be involved, as well as the local school children.
PORT-VENDRES / COLLIOURE
The flame will leave the Port de plaisance at 15h35, travelling via Quai P. Forgas, Route de Collioure, the D114, the Place du 8 Mai 1945, the port, and Église Notre-Dame-des-Anges, arriving at the Plage Saint Vincent at 16h40.
Port-Vendres will set up a ’village des associations’ with workshops and demonstrations. Collioure, whose shopfronts will be decorated by the artist Ben Aslam for the occasion, has four sites hosting events:
The Bay
11h – 13h: demonstration of traditional French rowing in ‘Llaguts’ by “Collioure Sportif aviron”.
The Faubourg (South of the Castle)
10h – 18h: Marché des producteurs
11h: Music, la Fanfare des Bizzar’s
14h : Concert
Place Leclerc
14h30 – 18h : Village des sportifs
20h: Olympic Games Evening, meal organised by the local associations and concert by Solyrock
Port
15h30: Sardanes with the Cobla Mill.lenaria
16h15: passage of the flame
PERPIGNAN
Last but not least, the flame relay will begin at the Parc des Sports at 18h15. It will travel via the Lycée Leon Blum, College Saint-exupéry, avenue Paul Alduy, Avenue J. de Carsalade du Pont, Boulevard Aristide Briand, Boulevard Jean Bourrat, Boulevard Wilson, Avenue Mal Leclerc, Cour Lazare Escarguel and Avenue G. Brutus. It will end in the beautiful Palais des Rois de Majorque at 19h20. Both the start and end sites will host events:
Parc des sports
15h30 – 19h20: It will be home to a Village des associations, with demonstrations and animations
Palais des rois de Majorque
15h: Opens to the public
16h – 17h30: Sports demonstrations from the female handball team of Thuir, Perpignan Roussillon Escrime (fencing), Judo and wrestling fights Canohès Toulouges, …
18h – 19h: Entertainment from the Paris 2024 patrons
19h: setting up of the receiving line
19h30: lighting of the ‘Chaudron’ by the last torch carrier
19h40: official photoshoot
19h45: end of the event
The torch’s exact travel route between towns is being kept secret for security reasons. The police, the military and the fire brigade are all involved in order to ensure our safety on the day. Traffic and parking will be difficult on the day. Perpignan will open up the Parc des Expositions grounds for parking and have organised a shuttle into town, although little information was given at the time of writing this and I believe it may only function for part of the day. It is also worth noting that all official offices will be closing early to allow their staff to exit before the town shuts down for the passage of the flame.
Enjoy!