Passing the Flame A crew of 24 different sports personalities were on the Aiguille du Midi, Mont Blanc, to see Sandie Cochepain, top right, launch and fly with the Olympic flame Photos: Etienne Grillot and Bertrand Delapierre
Photo: Bertrand Delapierre

Olympic Flame en Parapente

22 July, 2024

The Olympic flame took flight above Chamonix on 23 June, on its way to Paris for the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games on 26 July. It was carried by paragliding legend Sandie Cochepain, who flew it from the Aiguille du Midi to the Chamonix valley on a Skywalk Masala 4 XXS mountain glider.   

The day’s events saw the flame pass through many pairs of hands, athletes from various disiplines from skiers, ski-alpinists, highliners and climbers. A 24-strong team of Winter Olympic and Paralympic stars formed a roped team that descended the ridge from the Aiguille du Midi station at 3,800m, passing the torch between them as they went. 

The event was filmed by alpinist and cameraman Bertrand Delapierre. The filming of all the different sports took four days, Sandie explained, and was kept...

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