From Avesnes-sur-Helpe to Lille, the Olympic flame will have crossed eight cities in seven stages, this Tuesday, July 2, during its passage in the North. After a day parading in front of beaches and historic buildings, the mythical object of the Olympic Games was transported to the cheers of the department.
The flame notably passed through the belfry of Dunkirk then to Wallers-Arenberg, a former mining site known for the Arenberg Gap and an essential location for the Paris-Roubaix.
After passing through the Roubaix velodrome and Tourcoing, the flame briefly passed through Douai before reaching Lille at around 6pm. The collective relay of the day took place in front of the Lille Flandres train station. The event was organised on the initiative of the French Handball Federation, as the city will host the final stages of the Olympic tournament.
181 torchbearers
Among the 181 torchbearers, the crowd applauded local figures such as Raphaël Varane, 2018 world champion with the Blues. On the sports side, the relay also included volleyball player Barthélémy Chinenyeze and former handball player Bastien Lamon, as well as disabled weightlifter Souhad Ghazouani.
At the end of the day, the applause was unanimous for the last two torchbearers of the day. Ève Gilles, Miss France 2024, passed the flame to the actor and comedian Dany Boon. Very attached to his territory, the Northerner lit the cauldron on the site of the celebrations, at the Champ de Mars.
This Wednesday, July 3, the Olympic flame will stop in Pas-de-Calais, from Calais to the urban community of Lens-Liévin.
