Deauville follows Chinese time

The first rays of the spring sun tickle the white stone statue of the Duke of Morny, grandson of Talleyrand and founder of Deauville, in the city center. This Friday morning is market day; local traders are preparing to welcome, until the fall at least, many Parisians in the seaside city, nicknamed the “21st arrondissement”, for its proximity and ease of access to the French capital.

But in this Olympic year, from July 26 to August 11 (and from August 28 to September 8 for the Paralympic Games) Parisians will not be the only ones to tread the famous boards of Deauville this summer. The city was in fact chosen by the Chinese Olympic delegation to welcome from July 4 the approximately 230 athletes who make it up as well as their companions, who will be able to take advantage of the numerous sports facilities in the city, labeled “Land of Games 2024”, of its convention center and its Norman calm, far from the tumult announced in the Île-de-France region during the competition.

READ ALSO Paris Olympics: this is what the Olympic athletes’ village looks likeIn the aisles of the covered market, the information does not yet seem to have reached everyone’s ears. It must be said that nothing indicates the imminent arrival of several hundred athletes in the streets of the city. “You taught me that,” admits a market gardener. It’s good, it will be a bit of a change from the usual clientele during the summer. » For others, skepticism takes precedence. Like this waiter who grumbles about “these Asian tourists who regularly forget their tips”. Or this receptionist at a beautiful hotel on the seafront, already half-frantic: “A disaster! This is the most difficult clientele I know. They are so superstitious, they don’t accept rooms with a 4 or on the fourth floor! And they are very picky about food. I really hope they don’t come to my hotel…”

“It’s fun to bring the Chinese to Deauville for the Olympics”

If there is one, in any case, that the arrival of the Chinese delegation delights, for the moment, it is the mayor of the town. Philippe Augier (formerly the UDF, the UDI and now Horizons), in office for 23 years, made it known, in 2018, that his city was a candidate to host a delegation. Bad luck, the Americans had already found their happiness, near Eaubonne in Val-d’Oise.

So why not China? “You know, I’m in my fourth term, I needed new challenges. It’s fun to bring the Chinese to Deauville for the Olympics,” he says when he receives us in the sumptuous setting of the Franciscaines, a former convent transformed into a museum, which has been hosting a superb exhibition in tribute since March. to the painter Zao Wou-Ki.

Ultimately, China is a great success: the delegation from the Middle Kingdom is looking for a base at the same time and has commissioned a Parisian events agency (Hugo Events) to find the ideal location. After several technical and diplomatic visits, the deal was sealed during the municipal council meeting on December 21, 2023, with the signing of an agreement linking the city of Calvados and Hugo Events, mandated by the Chinese Ministry of Sports.

But how did the councilor manage to convince the Chinese to settle in his town of 3,700 inhabitants, cradle of the American festival since 1975, located more than two hours back from Paris and which has no restaurants? Chinese on its territory? “Our track record! » shouts Mayor Augier who lists: “Euro 2016 football: we welcome the Croatian selection which finishes semi-finalist; Women’s Football World Cup in 2019: seven teams, including the four semi-finalists! »

More recently, in the fall of 2022, “Paris-sur-Mer” was chosen by the Chinese taekwondo federation, which visibly passed on the information. “We have received five Chinese delegations over the past two years,” summarizes the councilor. The latest visit was on February 15, when the Chinese Ambassador himself, Lu Shaye, visited the city, the facilities and posed with the Mayor on the legendary boards for posterity.

In total, Deauville must accommodate a rotation of 230 athletes and their supporters, from around ten disciplines: women’s rugby, swimming, table tennis, badminton, boxing, taekwondo, shooting. archery, tennis, basketball and athletics. In terms of infrastructure, the seaside town ticks a lot of boxes to satisfy the Chinese delegation: an Olympic swimming pool with its 50-meter pool (the original sea water of the swimming pool was emptied and then replaced by softer water to correspond to Olympic approvals) as well as the Pom’s, the city’s omnisport center which hosts all gymnasium and combat sports but also an athletics track (designed identically to that of the Stade de France where the events will take place athletics).

For accommodation, the delegation set its sights on a vast complex inland at the gates of the city, far from the seaside palaces. Almost the entire bill for the work, amounting to 400,000 euros, is settled by China. For the city, “it’s a win-win,” summarizes Philippe Augier.

The concerns of local residents

However, the news does not arouse the same enthusiasm among local residents who are worried about a city already saturated with tourists during the summer and who fear for drastic security measures during the delegation’s reception period. Chinese. “We shouldn’t worry too much,” Philippe Augier tries to reassure. On the one hand, we know how to manage the security issue. We organized the G8 in 2011. The only one without a demonstration! We have the sea 180 degrees in front of us and only three entrances to watch to get there. So, apart from if demonstrators want to land in submarines, we will see them coming. Secondly, like many of my constituents, I don’t want to see the buses from Galeries Lafayette arrive either, the city would quickly be overwhelmed. »

When we ask local residents in cities, there are those to whom the news neither warms nor cold and others who are still a little embarrassed by welcoming an Olympic delegation from a country that flouts the human rights of a of its national minorities: the Uighurs. “You would have told me about any other delegation, apart from the Russians, but they are deprived of the Olympics [sauf s’ils participent sous bannière neutre, NDLR] I would have answered you: “Why not?”, admits the owner of an art gallery in the city. But it’s true that there is something embarrassing…” An argument quickly brushed aside by the councilor: “There is always someone to talk to us about human rights… If we start to no longer communicate with those who don’t respect them, we won’t talk to many people anymore…”

Philippe Augier prefers to focus on the positive that he could draw from the arrival of the Chinese delegation for his town. “There are direct economic benefits which are still difficult to quantify, because we do not know exactly how many of them will make the trip. And then there are the image fallouts! This year we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China. Deauville will be talked about throughout China! You imagine ? »