Koh-Lanta 2024: “I felt like I was intruding”, the secrets of Sétoise Léa on her adventure

Léa a permis à son équipe, dans l'épisode du 27 février, de remporter l'épreuve d'immunité. – A.ISSOCK/ALP/TF1

Between sporting performances and integration difficulties, Léa, Sète candidate for the new season of Koh-Lanta, talks about her unique adventure, broadcast every Tuesday at 9:10 p.m. on TF1. 

Léa, you have been on screen for three weeks in the new season of Koh-Lanta. Can you introduce yourself ?

I am Léa Notardonato, I am 23 years old. I am participating in the 25th edition of Koh-Lanta: Immunity Hunters. I joined the red team the “Matukad” during the second episode. In life, I am in my second year of nursing and volunteer firefighter studies at the Sète barracks. In the summer, I am also in charge of beach surveillance.

You are from Sétoise by birth and you still live there. What links do you have with Sète ?

When I was little, I was disgusted with living in a small town! I was more obsessed with skyscrapers. As I got older, I realized to what extent Sète is a city with a lot of charm. I grew up in Sète culture. I participated in jousting tournaments last summer! I also think that the marine environment shaped my adventurous side. As a child, I constantly wandered among the rocks looking for crabs.

What place does sport play in your life ?

She is dominant and I need her. I train four times a week in running, once a week in crossfit, once again in swimming, and four times a week in a weight room.

What reasons motivated you to participate in Koh-Lanta ?

Surpassing oneself ! I like competition, but there it was without the comfort. We sleep on the sand, there is no food, we have to make a fire…hellip; I like this energy, because you have to surpass yourself. For me, Koh-Lanta is a kind of dream. I always wanted to be there. This is the third time I have submitted my application. When I learned of my selection, I jumped for joy all alone in my apartment. For me, the hardest test is being a candidate for Koh-Lanta!

How did you prepare in advance ?

I had three weeks of preparation before leaving for the Philippines, which is quite a long time. In terms of sport, I haven’t changed my routine. At the same time, I prepared for emblematic events like those of the poles. My grandfather built poles at home for me to practice for the key event of the final phases.

How did you feel when you entered the competition ?

I had a particular journey. I arrived four days before the start of the competition so I was stressed. I was very intimidated. I had a hard time realizing that I was in Koh-Lanta, I felt like I was intruding. Plus, Denis Brogniart is impressive. He is much bigger in real life than on screen. The first time I met him was when I arrived after running across an entire beach. It destabilized me. When I learned about the new immunity collars, I was even more disoriented. It adds an extra challenge, because we know that there will be even more strategy.

How do you view your adventure ?

I was surprised by the difficulty of the tests. I had no idea they were going to be so spicy. In terms of surpassing myself, I was largely satisfied! However, I think I lacked sociability. From the start of the adventure, I felt that it would be complicated to integrate with the rest of the red team. I felt like I was being pushed aside because of my age. Many candidates are parents, and therefore find themselves more easily included in the topics of discussion. According to them, a person of my age could not understand to what extent they suffered from the distance from their children.

Your teammate Alicia, eliminated in the second episode, found you a little pretentious…

I didn't find myself pretentious. On the contrary, I felt more embarrassed when I entered the adventure. And then, we only saw each other for a few hours, we didn't have the opportunity to really talk.

In the third episode, you win immunity for your team by covering thirty meters in apnea. This is a turning point for you in the competition ?

I feel like my adventure begins from this moment. I integrated myself more into the group. But winning an event is not enough in Koh-Lanta. People forget quickly and you have to constantly excel in events. In reality, this performance didn't impress my teammates that much. It was not unanimous.

On social networks, Internet users' reactions can quickly become excessive. Do you think viewers will like you ?

It's complicated to predict, since people's opinions of you can waver in a single episode! It is impossible to achieve unanimity on social networks. However, I have the impression, taking stock of my adventure, that I have little to reproach myself for.

Do you have any regrets ?

It took me too long to accept that I was a Koh-Lanta adventurer. That we had to move forward. I had difficulty adapting and I ruminated a lot in my corner. But it was a natural reaction that I couldn't control. If I had to make a second Koh-Lanta, I would do exactly the same.

If you win the 100,000 euros promised to the winner, what will you do with ?

I would invest them for my future. I am not in need, so I would take advantage of this sum to buy an apartment or invest part of it in the stock market.

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