2023-09-12 08:07:00
Offering a privileged living environment to its inhabitants, Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines) is multiplying initiatives to encourage sports practice for all. Having already attracted the British delegation for the Paris Games next year, the royal city is also delighted to welcome the passage of the Torch relay on its territory on July 23, 2024.
Arnaud Péricard, mayor of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. ©Marceau Hussenet – City of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a sporting city by nature. “Inevitably” confirms its mayor Arnaud Péricard. Rich ina national forest of 3,500 hectareshe also recalls that the town located in the west of Paris has always made sport one of its main components. “Simply its emphasis was perhaps more discreet, more timid in relation to the promotion of our heritage” summarizes the elected official who today intends to give new impetus to sports practice in his city.
I have to say that Saint-Germain-en-Laye can (might) pride itself on a beautiful showcase housing Camp des Loges, training center for PSG’s professional squad. Unfortunately, the football club is moving this season to settle a few kilometers away in Poissy. “The pros leave but all the associative and amateur part stays here” would like to clarify Arnaud Péricard. The opportunity also, thanks to this move, to carry out some work and at the same time make room for the Stade Français rugby club.
A sporting offer deemed “ambitious and innovative”
Saint-Germain-en-Laye has 70 sports associations. ©Marceau Hussenet – City of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Cradle of Paris-Saint-Germain, the Ile-de-France commune obtained in 2019 the “Active and sporting city” label for the quality of its offer deemed “ambitious and innovative”. An ambition also at the service of youth because according to Arnaud Péricard, “we still don’t do enough sport in schools, colleges and high schools.” As a result, the municipality should become more involved in the physical and mental well-being of its “some 23,000 students”. Young or old, in Saint-Germain the notion of healthy sport is a priority. Like in Versailles, Montargis or Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône.
70 associations, from 100 to more than 1,000 members
Concerned regarding encouraging the practice of sport for all audiences, the city of Yvelines is modernizing its existing infrastructure, creating new facilities such as for example a gymnasium “merged with the national conservatory within the same building”. The idea is also to multiply the disciplines while developing high-level sport. Fields, swimming pools, gymnasiums…, around fifty sports venues (mapped by the start-up Bouge) are recorded in the city. “We have 70 associations comprising from 100 to more than 1,000 members, the largest being the Tennis Club des Loges” adds Arnaud Péricard, himself very sporty since today he does “boxing, tennis” and “runs regularly in the Saint-Germain forest”.
The padel and tennis sections are particularly popular. ©Marceau Hussenet – City of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Sports talents supported and encouraged
For more than fifty years, Saint-Germain-en-Laye has historically been the haunt of footballers who have played or played in the capital’s star club. “We still come across them regularly in the city. I think they appreciate this form of anonymity. It’s something that we respect and which also suits our population (47,000 inhabitants) made up of extremely different profiles” underlines Arnaud Péricard who readily cites the former PSG midfielder Safet Susic or the international Adrien Rabiot who “live in Saint-Germain”. Former Olympic champions like Jean-Claude Lemoult or Michel Bensoussan (football in 1984 in Los Angeles) have also taken up residence in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Also proof of the attractive living environment offered by the town, the Los Angeles Clippers basketball player has just bought a house.” “We welcome a lot of athletes. We also encourage and support the youngest” indicates the mayor, who takes the example of Alex Portal, a disabled swimmer who will represent France at the Games next year. “He lives opposite the town hall, as I told his mother, I can watch him” quips Arnaud Péricard ironically.
Olympic Games 2024, serving the British team
Located near the Paris 2024 competition sites, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, an international city, is labeled Terre de Jeux since 2019. Selected as a preparation center for the Olympic Games, the city says it is proud ofwelcome Team GB, the British delegation. Most of the workforce will prepare and train here. “Our role is to provide the best tools and the best infrastructures to enable the most efficient and democratic practice possible” says Arnaud Péricard.
July 23, 2024, the Olympic Flame in Saint-Germain
Particularly attached to the history of the Olympics and its heritage, the councilor is also delighted to welcome the Olympic Flame during its journey on Tuesday July 23, 2024three days before the opening ceremony. “We will most certainly have a Saint-Germanois who will carry the Flame, he already did so during the Grenoble Olympic Games in 1968” confides Arnaud Péricard, who is extremely sensitive to this “Olympic dynamic” with which the entire population is associated. All the more proud that his grandfather was none other than Henri Cochet, one of the French “Four Musketeers” who dominated tennis in the 1920s. He notably won two silver medals during the Olympic Games in Paris in… 1924. For his grandson, “a beautiful symbol”. “I have his Olympic diploma signed by the hand of Pierre de Coubertin in my office” concludes Arnaud Péricard.
The sporting offer in Saint-Germain-en-Laye mapped by the start-up Bouge
In its desire to promote the development of sports clubs and venues in its city, Saint-Germain-en-Laye has teamed up with the start-up Bouge which has developed an interactive map of physical activities. Public grounds, associations, children’s play areas…, nothing is forgotten and therefore allows everyone to know in real time the sports offerings in Saint-Germain.
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