“We are proud! » Jean-Claude Pillot-Burnet, known as Manet, honorary president of the Chamonix Sports Club, did not shy away from his pleasure, Sunday June 23 in the early afternoon. From the sky, paragliders observe the spectacle from afar on the Place du Mont-Blanc and on the athletics site. But he can see the smiles and good humor in the center of the resort, at the foot of Mont Blanc. The passage of the Olympic flame is only announced at the end of the day, the public is already there to enjoy the entertainment, and in particular the demonstrations from certain sections of the club.
“The Olympic flame is a symbol. It’s just a symbol. And yet, there are people everywhere!rejoices Mr. Pillot-Burnet. Chamonix has around 9,000 inhabitants, and the Sports Club has 4,000 members. Knowing that for every child dismissed, there is at least one parent involved, this means that the entire population is affected by the Sports Club and its 25 sports sections. Only in Cham do we see this! »
In the alleys, some traces of the past awaken memories of local history. Chamonix 1924 already, Grenoble 1968, Albertville 1992. The Alps are a land of Olympism, a land of Olympic debates also since the launch of the sometimes contested project of the 2030 Winter Olympic Games on different Alpine sites.
This time, Chamonix “was not requested”assures Mayor Eric Fournier (UDI), but the station remains ” available “ organizers. “We made a proposal on optional sports (ski mountaineering, free-ride and ice climbing). But if we commit, it is without new infrastructure and with a sense of economy of means. »
The councilor wants to “not to be completely in dissonance”has “valorize the disciplines that already exist in the region”. But “we must question the place that a major event should take in a territory” And “measure the difficulty of their organization and their acceptability” by the population.
A rope of 24 porters on the Aiguille du Midi
This Sunday at least, the crowd present seemed happy to participate in the party. A party with surprising encounters while waiting for the flame. A magistrate from Haute-Savoie was treated to her selfie with the great adventurer Mike Horn, one of the torchbearers. The Games mascot also took numerous photos with visitors happy with this encounter with a human-sized soft toy.
A nonagenarian dressed in a sweater in the colors of the Albertville Olympics, and ringing well-known bells in Savoy, has also been in numerous photos: in 1992, he was a team member in ice maintenance and is has since remained faithful to the Olympic Games. “I like being here!” “, says Robert Etellin, recalling the memory of his meetings with former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch and the hockey matches he was able to follow at the time.
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