The Olympic torch has completed its spellbinding tour of the French Riviera, visiting seven different towns and cities in the Alpes-Maritimes as well as making a historic stop-off in the Principality of Monaco.
On Tuesday 18th June, the region had the pleasure of welcoming the Olympic torch as part of its official voyage across mainland France and its overseas territories ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, which will begin on Friday 26th July.
^ The eternal flame started its journey in Villefranche-sur-Mer, where Alice Modolo, a free-diving world record holder, took the torch beneath the waves.
^ Prince Albert II of Monaco joined local officials in celebrating the arrival of the torch as it emerged from the sea.
^ Following a visit to Grasse, the flame’s next stop was in Cannes. American actress Halle Berry was given the honour of carrying the torch up the iconic red carpet steps of the city’s Palais des Festivals.
^ Local schoolchildren from Cannes watched on as the flame passed in front of the Hôtel de Ville and along the Croisette.
^ Next came a tour of the Alpine resort of Valberg, where French snowboarder Julia Pereira de Sousa-Mabileau took the torch down the luge before celebrating with the local crowd.
^ Then it was on to Monaco for the Olympic flame’s first visit to the Principality since 1968. Among the torchbearers were local F1 hero Charles Leclerc, skier Alexandra Coletti, table tennis player Xiaoxin Yang, bobsledder Rudy Rinaldi and the Princely couple, who were joined by their nine-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
^ Prince Albert and Princess Charlene carried the torch through the crowds that had gathered on the Place du Palais.
^ From the mountains to the sea: Antibes Juan-les-Pins was the fifth stop on the route through the Riviera.
^ The last but one stop for the torch was in La Colmiane Valdeblore, before the journey moved on to Nice. 400 metres hurdler and 4×400 metres relay star Stéphane Diagana concluded the flame’s tour by lighting the cauldron to the applause of all watching on.
Watch the Monaco Life reel of the Olympic torch’s visit to the Principality:
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Photo credits: Eric Mathon / Axel Bastello / Michael Alesi / Gaetan Luci / Palais Princier de Monaco / Ville de Nice / Ville de Cannes / Département des Alpes-Maritimes