Torch Relay Stage 55: Illuminating the treasures of the Côte d’Or
On 12 July, the Torch Relay set off on a historical, gastronomic and cultural journey. The route revealed the secrets of the Côte d’Or, from the beauty of Semur-en-Auxois to the wine gems of Clos de Vougeot, including Saulieu and the archaeological site of Alise-Sainte-Reine.
Celebrities from the Côte d’Or region carried the Torch, including TV presenter Denis Brogniart in Beaune, breakdancer Marlène Spahr, athlete runner Alexis Miellet and wheelchair rugby champion Corentin Le Guen in Dijon. The regional capital welcomed a Team Relay to promote wrestling, led by champion Angélique Berthenet. Marine Lorphelin put the finishing touches to the event by lighting the cauldron in the Parc de la Colombière.
The route started in the medieval city of Semur-en-Auxois and discovered its medieval stronghold by passing through the Porte Sauvigny and in front of the Collégiale Notre-Dame, a 13th century Gothic church. The Relay then explored the Morvan Regional Natural Park, visiting Saulieu and the Basilica of Saint Andoche. In Beaune, a city famous for its red wines, the focus was on winemaking.
In Alise-Sainte-Reine, the site of the Battle of Alesia, the Torch visited the Alesia Museum and Park, which tells the story of this episode in the Gallic Wars. It then moved on to Source-Seine, which is home to the source of the Seine River, a green setting which also attracts visitors with its Gallo-Roman ruins.
At Saint-Jean-de-Losne, the Torch visited an important river port and crossed the Saône to reach the famous Château du Clos de Vougeot. This château produces some of France’s most famous wines, making it an obligatory and emblematic stop on the Route des Grands Crus.
La Flamme est entre de bonnes mains !
Cette torche il ne l’éteindra pas, @DenisBrogniart a participé au Relais dans sa région natale avec une arrivée à Beaune dans une ambiance de 🔥 pic.twitter.com/K6yrxLnz1U— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) July 12, 2024
On its arrival in the capital of the Côte-d’Or, the Torch Relay was welcomed by the French Wrestling Federation and Related Disciplines (FFLDA). Dijon is used to welcoming the sport’s young talents who come to train at the CREPS centre of excellence, the home of the French National Wrestling Academy.
The aim of the Relay was to highlight the people who make it possible for wrestling enthusiasts to enjoy the sport. The 23 athletes, enthusiasts, volunteers and referees were led by Angélique Berthenet-Hidalgo, European champion in the under-47kg category in 1996 and participant in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, where she finished fourth in the under-48kg category.
She was accompanied by international referee Joël Coffard and wrestler Marc Patte, now president of the Bayeux Lutte Olympique club, which trains athletes of all ages and organises a series of competitions. The procession was proud to welcome Aldo Martínez Hechavaria. The Cuban was World Champion in 1990 and also won two gold medals at the Pan American Games, both of which qualified him for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
In Semur-en-Auxois, the Torch was handed over to Eszter Vigvariné, a volunteer with L’Oeil Écoute, which runs the town’s cinema and organises cultural events. This work is not dissimilar to that of Alain Donnat. A former sports teacher, he has dedicated his life to sport and education and when he retired from the Paul Fort secondary school in Is-sur-Tille, he was given a 700-metre guard of honour. The video has over a million times views on the Internet.
🔥🏃♂️🏃♀️ Quelle immense fierté pour #Dijon d’accueillir la Flamme Olympique à deux semaines du début de JO de Paris 2024 et de participer ainsi à cette immense fête populaire et sportive! pic.twitter.com/3NGNq0Cx9S
— Nathalie KOENDERS (@nkoenders) July 12, 2024
The Torch highlighted Bruno Collin, a visually impaired athlete who, like Corentin Le Guen, has broken barriers. After a rugby accident left him a quadriplegic, he went on to help the French wheelchair rugby team win the European Championship in 2022 and 2023. He competed at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and is an ambassador for his sport, as is his teammate Sébastien Verdin, who was also at his side at Tokyo 2020.
Nearly 140 Torchbearers carried the Torch. Alizée Agier, born in Semur-en-Auxois, represented karate, in which she has won French, European and world medals. Denis Chevrot, a member of the Rougeot Beaune Triathlon Club and twice European Ironman champion, was honoured in his home town. In Beaune, tennis player Michaël Llodra, who won the doubles silver medal with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at London 2012, took up the Torch.
He was joined by Denis Brogniart, a popular French TV presenter. Born in Dijon, he has hosted Koh-Lanta, the French version of Survivor, and is a racing enthusiast. The spotlight turned to breakdancing with Marlène Spahr, who won a silver medal at the 2022 French Championships, before moving on to athlete Alexis Miellet. He won gold in the 3000m steeplechase at the Rome 2024 European Championships and will be competing at Paris 2024.
Marine Lorphelin was the final Torchbearer. Best known for her numerous beauty pageant titles, the Burgundy-born athlete has been a keen sportswoman since childhood. The young woman, who is now a doctor, lit the ceremonial cauldron in the heart of the Parc de la Colombière.