Paris 2024 Olympic Games: what you need to know about the passing of the Olympic flame in Auch on 18 May

“18. On May Auch will participate in an event that only takes place once in a century”, rejoices the mayor Christian Laprébende. “Thirty-two years after the passing of the Flame from the Olympic Games in Albertville in 1992, the city will once again welcome the torch.” In a few weeks, “Happiness will ignite the Gers” for one day: 7 cities in the department will be crossed by the Olympic flame. A great exhibition for the department and the city, as the day will be broadcast live on France TV. “Throughout the day, thanks to the mobilization of circles of associations, we will promote sport and culture in the city of Auch,” announced Philippe Baron, Deputy Director of Sports and Leisure.

The journey of the Olympic flame in Auch

The flame will leave the square of the Sainte-Marie Cathedral around 18:05. It will travel 6.5 km through the city to reach the Mouzon celebration venue around 7.30pm.

The porters will therefore take different streets in the prefecture: rue de la République, rue d’Etigny, rue de Metz, rue du Pont-National, avenue Hoche, rue Voltaire, avenue Pierre Mendès-France, route de Pessan, rue Jean-de – La-Fontaine, rue du Bourget, rue des Cormorans, Jacques-Fouroux stadium, then Mouzon sports complex.

The lighting of the cauldron and the place of celebration

The venue, located at the Mouzon sports complex, will also host a number of events. At 19.30, when the last torchbearer arrives, the cauldron will be lit. The day ends with music, from 20.00, at the front of the Patrice-Brocas sports complex, with a concert by the group TNT

77 Flame Bearers in Auch

To manage the 6.5 kilometers of the track in Auch, 77 torchbearers were chosen. Two collective relays – from the French Rugby Union led by Paulin Riva (captain of the French rugby sevens team) and from the Caisse d’Épargne – will bring together 48 people. Twenty-nine others will carry the Flame individually.

Among the latter, four were proposed by the city of Auch: Jacques Commères (former coach of the French women’s basketball team), Colette Castex (volunteer in the organization of the Telethon and in the wheelchair soccer club), Odette Desprats (former international rugby player and member of the Lionnes d’Auch women’s team) ) and Thibault Daurat (French 10 km wheelchair sports champion).

The Auscitain torchbearers are ready for what promises to be a very special day. “I haven’t trained to run, but I walk a lot, so for the 200 meters it should do,” Colette Castex said. “In any case, I don’t want to go too fast,” laughs Odette Desprats. “I want to enjoy it as long as possible.” The two Gersois are impatiently waiting for the moment when they will hold the torch from the Paris Olympics in their hands.

Traffic and parking

The streets of Auch will be closed to traffic for a while before the torchbearers pass. Another difficulty: parking will be prohibited on the entire route. “It will be more complicated, rue de Metz and rue d’Etigny, where you can park on both sides of the road, the mayor acknowledges, but we will support the citizens to offer them solutions.” The Endoumingue plain will be exceptionally open to allow parking for users, who will then be able to reach the center via the banks of the Gers or by shuttle bus. More information about the parking conditions will come soon.

Enhanced security

“The security system will be very important”, announces Camille Bonne, department advisor and Paris 2024 referent “Especially since the Vigipirate plan has been upgraded to Emergency Attack level”. In Gers, 300 members of local law enforcement will be mobilized to secure the route. Security will be increased around the Mouzon sports complex, with inspection, screening and patting of members of the public who wish to enter the area.