Torch Relay Stage 65: Thinking big in the Yvelines!

Torch Relay Stage 65: Thinking big in the Yvelines! GETTY IMAGES

The Yvelines region proudly hosted the Olympic Torch on Tuesday, 23 July, with festivities spanning from Rambouillet to Versailles. The event saw 175 torchbearers participating, creating a vibrant celebration throughout the area.

Highlights of the day included a football relay at Clairefontaine led by Didier Deschamps, a golf relay at Guyancourt captained by Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, and a picturesque walk through the Chateau de Versailles with actress Salma Hayek Pinault and singer Patrick Bruel. Tennis star Caroline Garcia, boasting 11 WTA singles titles, concluded the day by lighting the cauldron in Versailles in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

The Olympic Torch traveled extensively across Yvelines, showcasing the region’s rich historical sites, picturesque villages, and dynamic towns. Known for hosting major international sporting events, Yvelines is a true hub for sports. The Chateau de Versailles, a symbol of the Paris 2024 Games, is set to host equestrian events and components of the modern pentathlon, while the French National Golf Course in Guyancourt will be the venue for the golf competition.

The meticulously planned route commenced at Chateau de Rambouillet, a historical residence of royalty and presidents. From there, the torch journeyed to Clairefontaine, home of the French national football academy, before visiting several notable locations, including Les Mureaux, the Meulan-Les Mureaux hospital, the Becheville swimming pool, and the Halle Sulzer factory in Mantes-la-Ville, which is currently being transformed into a university.

By noon, the torch reached the prestigious National Golf Club in Guyancourt. From there, it traveled to Poissy, passing iconic sites such as Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier, the Maison de Fer, the toy museum, and the Notre Dame collegiate church. The relay also made stops in Saint-Remy-les-Chevreuse, the Coubertin Foundation, and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, home to the national archaeology museum.

The torch relay is a stones throw away from the Opening Ceremony on 26 July. PARIS 2024
The torch relay is a stones throw away from the Opening Ceremony on 26 July. PARIS 2024

In the afternoon, the torch illuminated the iconic Chateau de Versailles, a UNESCO World Heritage site, before continuing through the town of Versailles to the celebration venue at the Madame Elisabeth estate. During its stop at Clairefontaine, notable figures including Didier Deschamps, World Cup-winning coach and player, along with 23 other football luminaries such as Marie-Laure Delie and Sandrine Soubeyrand, carried the torch.

The golf relay at the National Golf Club in Guyancourt featured major champions like Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, Gwladys Nocera, Thomas Levet, Jean Van de Veldre, and para-golf champion Charles-Henry Quelin. The relay also saw the participation of numerous volunteers, referees, greenkeepers, and instructors who contribute to French golf on a daily basis.

Throughout the day, the event featured notable torchbearers such as Japanese judoka Shohei Ono, a two-time Olympic Champion, French sprinter Bruno Marie-Rose, a bronze medalist in the 4×100 meters relay in Seoul 1988, and former Brazilian footballer Rai Souza Vieira de Oliveira, a World Cup winner in 1994. Additionally, 200-metre para-athlete Alice Metais, a European Champion, proudly carried the torch. The day’s finale saw Garcia lighting the cauldron in Versailles, with appearances by Patrick Bruel and Salma Hayek Pinault adding to the excitement.

The torch relay also celebrated inspiring individuals from the general public. Among them was Charlotte Balicourt, who saved her artistic swimming club from closure, Frederique Martz, founder of the Women Safe & Children Institute, and Astrid Duberos, who actively participates in charity events like the Course des Lumieres. These torchbearers embody the Olympic spirit, showcasing values of camaraderie and celebration. The relay continues on Wednesday in the Hauts-de-Seine, visiting Sceaux, Clamart, and Rueil-Malmaison, and culminating in a celebration in Nanterre.



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