The departmental council of the Ardennes begins to prospect for attract delegations just before the start of the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. Promotional videos have been produced on the Bazeilles sports center for boxing and judo and on the Vieilles-Forges lake for canoeing and rowing.
Welcoming an Olympic delegation is a challenge that must be taken up – Noël Bourgeois, President of the Ardennes Departmental Council
Proximity to Paris, number 1 asset in the Ardennes
The main asset of the Ardennes is its proximity to Paris, where most of the events will be held. The department is also neighbor with several international airports (Paris, Charleroi and Luxembourg). Because it is above all the delegations from other continents that must be targeted.
We think we can rely on the networks of our top-level athletes – Xavier Risselin, vice-president of the departmental Olympic and sports committee of the Ardennes
Unlike European nations who will probably choose to prepare for the Olympics at home, in their respective countries, athletes from America, Asia and Oceania should anticipate their arrival in order to adapt to the jet lag and opt for internships. in Europe just before the start of the Olympic competitions.
Sports equipment at the rendezvous
In the catalog of Ardennes sites labeled “Terres de Jeux”, appear:
- the’Arena basketball court from Charleville-Mézières,
- the Chausson gymnasium de Rethel for fencing, archery, badminton, basketball, handball and volleyball,
- the Reine-Bestel room from Charleville-Mézières for badminton, fencing, and table tennis
- the Louis-Dugauguez stadium from Sedan for football, rugby and field hockey,
- the Bogny-sur-Meuse and Roger-Tissot athletics stadiums in Sedan,
- the Bannet leisure center and the Meuse and Semoy valleys for mountain biking
- the Bazeilles departmental sports center for boxing, judo, taekwondo and badminton,
- the Vieilles-Forges lake for canoeing, rowing and triathlon.
The Vieilles-Forges lake stands out for its proximity to the Vaires-sur-Marne lake, the site that will host the rowing and canoeing events, in Seine-et-Marne, to the east of Paris. The orientations of the two bodies of water are also similar. “A water line must be set up to make series and have landmarks on the water“, precise Etienne Hubert, Sedan kayaker who participated in the last two Olympic Games
A downside: the lack of housing
The Ardennes have the advantage of offering a calm environment but face the problem of lack of accommodation. “It lacks comfort“, cowardly Eddie Potdevin, licensed at Charleville-Mézières canoe-kayak which participated in his first Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 in paracanoe.
National teams seek a certain standard before major competitions. When it comes to hosting a Paralympic delegation, there is also the question of accessibility. Close to the Vieilles-Forges lake, these are bungalows that can accommodate the athletes.
If teams choose the Bazeilles departmental sports center, they can count on the immediate proximity of the hotel and catering trades high school. Athletes will be able to eat and be accommodated there in the rooms which serve as training support.
“We can do very simple things and, as the Games take place in the summer, use schools and dormitories. Why not in the Meuse valley, or among our Belgian neighbors. But anyway, we have to do it now“, considers Eddie Potdevin.