Torch Relay Stage 49: Seine-Maritime Route from Rouen to Le Havre

After traversing eastern and northern France, the Olympic Torch journeyed west to the Seine-Maritime region, known for its scenic landscapes that inspired the Impressionist painters. This enchanting region, with its diverse scenery, 130 kilometers of coastline, and numerous seaside resorts, has long been a muse for many artists. The Seine-Maritime is also home to villages, towns, and cities featuring distinctive architecture, from dovecotes and cottages to cathedrals and castles.

This region boasts a robust sporting culture, with over 1,500 sports clubs spanning football, rugby, and rowing, the latter’s popularity boosted by the proximity to the United Kingdom. Seine-Maritime also hosts prestigious international events, including the Tour de France, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the biennial Transat Jacques Vabre, next set for 2025.

The Torch Relay highlighted this region’s natural and cultural heritage. Starting in Rouen, the torch passed by France’s largest cathedral, through the city center, and under the Gros-Horloge clock. The route included landmarks such as Jumièges Abbey, the shingle beaches of Dieppe, and the Château de Mirville mansion, the childhood home of Pierre de Coubertin. The torch visited Yvetot and its pink stone church, proceeded to Étretat and its iconic cliffs, reaching the top of the Porte d’Aval arch. Finally, the journey concluded in Le Havre, a post-World War II rebuilt city now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Torch Relay journeyed through notable landmarks in Le Havre, including the Narrow House, the Porte Océane district, the MuMa Museum of Modern Art, and the Volcan, the epicenter of the city’s cultural activities. The day culminated in a festive gathering at Esplanade Nelson Mandela, where thousands of spectators gathered to celebrate.

The Team Relay event unfolded along the streets of Le Havre, starting from Quai Georges V and organized by the French Badminton Federation, which boasts a significant presence of players in the area. Badminton gained popularity here post-war, hosting several French championships in the 1950s and 1960s. Leading the team was Christelle Mol, the first French woman to compete in badminton at the 1992 Barcelona Games, when the sport became an Olympic event.

Accompanying Mol were 23 badminton players, including international competitors like Sandrine Becquart and Stéphane Renault, coach Maxime Renault, French adapted sports champion Wilfried Inger, and Delphine Demarest, a volunteer dedicated to promoting adapted sports.

The Torch was carried by 125 individual torchbearers, including prominent athletes like judoka David Douillet, who won gold medals in Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, figure skater Sarah Abitbol from the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, basketball player Sandrine Gruda, silver medalist in London 2012, and swimmer Hugues Duboscq, medalist in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

Alexis Hanquinquant, a six-time world Para-triathlon champion and gold medalist at the Tokyo Games, alongside Gaël Rivière, who won silver in blind football at the London Paralympic Games, were also in attendance. In Yvetot, Léonie Cambours, a two-time world Para-triathlon champion training with the Seine-Maritime 76 team, proudly carried the Torch. Local athletes excelling in various disciplines, such as pole vaulter Elise Russis, silver medalist at the U20 World Championships, handball player Marina Pantic from HAC, and former archery world champion Nadine Mayeux, were part of the event.

They were joined by Kévin Campion, six-time French race walking champion, boxer Alfousseynou Kamara, French champion, Gilles Quénéhervé, former 200-meter sprinter, and sailor Charlie Dalin, born in Le Havre, who finished second in the recent Vendée Globe and boasts an impressive record in ocean racing, including victories in the Transat Jacques Vabre and New York-Vendée/Les Sables d’Olonne races.

Local personalities like influencer Camille Stengel and dancer Fauve Hautot, renowned from the French TV show Danse avec les stars, also participated. The Olympic Torch Relay highlighted the association Sine Qua None through its president, Mathilde Castres, focusing on promoting sports access for young girls with support from Impact 2024.

The evening held special significance for the last two Torchbearers. The penultimate bearer was Mike de Almeida from the Entourage association, dedicated to rebuilding social bonds. He passed the Torch to Margaux Bailleul, a young Le Havre resident and member of a local rowing club since age 16, who has earned multiple French championship titles. Margaux ignited the cauldron, marking a memorable moment embraced by an enthusiastic crowd.