Route, safety, traffic… 15 days before the event, Sète already has the sacred fire for the passage of the Olympic flame

Le public est attendu dans les rues de Sète pour assister au passage de la flamme olympique. Midi Libre – GIACOMO ITALIANO

In exactly two weeks, the Olympic flame will cross Sète from Balaruc-les-Bains, passing through the Etang de Thau. An event that the City and the Agglo are preparing down to the smallest detail.

One event, two journeys

Two courses are planned for May 13. The first, called “agile”, will see the porters set off at 11 h  from Sémaphore (Fort Richelieu) to head towards the cross of Mont Saint-Clair. On site, participants will have the pleasure of sharing local products served by local fishermen and shellfish farmers.

In Sète, the flame route extends over 5.2 km. 35 torchbearers will follow one another along the route. A. L. – Infographic Midi Libre

It is at 1:35 p.m. that the Olympic flame will leave by boat from Balaruc-les-Bains, for the so-called “committed” route. She will cross the Etang de Thau via the educational ship of the Lycée de la Mer, to reach Sète, escorted by several “bleached” ships, that is to say handpicked for security reasons.

When arriving at La Pointe Courte, the flame will have the right to a guard of honor, with the successive lifting of the SNCF and Sadi-Carnot bridges. "A real Ola !",already rejoices Mayor François Commeinhes. Once at the station (around 2 p.m.), the flame will take Avenue Victor-Hugo. Then, it will head towards the Quai Louis-Pasteur and Philippe-Régy, the Pont Virla and the Quai Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny. She will then head towards the statue of the jouster in the city center, before embarking, to music, aboard the “blue boat” to climb the Cadre Royal, with Simon Caselli, double winner of the Saint-Louis, as bearer.

Moving around, parking, where to see the flame…

Traffic restrictions

The entire Olympic flame route will be closed to traffic on May 13, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Parking will also be prohibited from May 12, at 8 p.m. Municipal decrees will be posted in the area concerned and detours will be put in place. The Agglopôle is setting up an interactive map on www.agglopole.fr.

Where to see the flame ?

It is recommended to consider Plagette and Pointe Courte, Estacade de l’Echangeur and Quai de Bosc, the station bridge, the Théâtre Molière square, Place Victor-Hugo, the Suquet quay, the Maréchal Leclerc promenade and the Neuburg corniche. In Balaruc-les-Bains, the viewpoints to see the flame are the Promenade des Bains (after the first aid station) and the edge of the quay (Avenue de la gare)

Where to park ?

It is recommended to use the underground car park at Place Victor-Hugo, the Cayenne car park with around 2000 spaces, that of Mas Coulet, or the Midi car park. The Agglo also suggests the Adenauer car park, as well as the car parks along avenue Jean-Monnet, in Lido. No specific parking will be created for the event.

Caravan crossing

As the flame passes, the bearer will be accompanied by a one-kilometer convoy made up of Paris 2024 partner vehicles. The public gathered along the route should be able to leave with some goodies, Tour de France style. .

The relay will resume at the Pont de la Savonnerie, then on the Quai de la Marine, towards Le Môle via the Promenade Jean-Baptiste-Marty. Finally, it will pass by the Promenade du Maréchal Leclerc, then by the Corniche de Neuburg, before arriving at its final point, the Roger-Thérond esplanade. The water skier and disabled sports athlete, Delphine Le Sausse, is expected to be the last of the 35 torchbearers.

High security to the maximum

Numerous law enforcement agencies will be mobilized and more than 500 barriers will be installed along the entire route. "Place Roger-Thérond will be particularly secure, indicates the head of the municipal police of Sète, Éric Perriguey. We will always be part of the Vigipirate plan, involving a lot of resources and personnel. In particular, we will have the reinforcement of 25 agents from other communities."

In addition to 61 municipal police officers on the 5.2 km route, four rural rangers and ten public highway surveillance agents (ASVP) will complete the system. The gendarmerie will largely take charge of the Balaruc sector. "We will have agents at the head and end of the procession, as well as a security PC set up. Furthermore, video protection allows us to cover 90% of the journey", adds Eric Perriguey, who hopes to protect the City against both "the risk of manifestation", "the’isolated act" or "the terrorist threat". In addition, each porter will be supervised by 18 “runners& rdquo;, responsible for ensuring a protective bubble around the flame.

Children in the spotlight

Schools will be given priority during the passing of the flame. Ten locations have been identified on the Sète route so that 2,600 local students (primary and middle schools) can attend the event. Two specific areas (Place Roger-Thérond and outside the Lido complex) will serve as sports villages with numerous activities.

“Fourteen classes, one per commune of the Agglo, will participate in Olympics on the Place du Lido, explains Magali Ferrier, vice-president of Sète Agglo responsible for sports. They will compete in several sports, accompanied by associations and educators from the City and the Agglomeration. In total, 400 children will be supervised." The Agglo’s sports department and several high-level athletes also support actions in schools.

What excitement in the streets ?

This is the community's biggest question to date. Will the passage of the flame be, or not, accompanied by popular enthusiasm ? "It’is an event for which we hope an immense fervor, François Commeinhes wants to believe. We only see this once every hundred years!" The television and media impact should bring a spotlight on the territory whatever happens.

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