After the Nord and Pas-de-Calais, the Olympic flame continues to head towards Paris, with a stopover this Thursday in the Somme. As in Verdun, the torch’s route was designed to pay tribute to the soldiers who died for their country. It notably passed through Villers-Bretonneux, in front of the military cemetery and then to the Sir John Monash centre, which commemorates the commitment of Australian and New Zealand soldiers during the First World War.
It was then time to highlight the local architecture, with passages in front of the Abbeville belfry, in the Parc de Samara, in front of the citadel of Doullens, or in the medieval city of Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme. The highlight of the show took place in Amiens. The Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Jardin des Plantes and the house of Jules Verne were visited, before the cauldron was lit on Place Longueville.
152 torchbearers took turns along this route. As every day, a collective relay was organized. This Thursday, it honored field hockey, with the presence of Annemieke Fokke, adopted by Amiens, who competed in the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Kamill Bousselham, double breakdancing world champion, Régis Gurtner, legend of Amiens SC and heptathlete Marie Collonvillé also covered part of the route with the torch in their hands.
The honour of lighting the cauldron was left to Jérémy Stravius. The former swimmer, who won gold at the London Olympics in the 4 x 100 m freestyle relay, is a native of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, and was therefore able to enjoy this magnificent moment in front of his family. This Friday, the Olympic flame will arrive in Seine-Maritime, going from Rouen to Le Havre.
