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La Française des Jeux (FDJ) and its Corporate Foundation are committed to the renovation of the Jacques Anquetil “La Cipale” velodrome, as part of their patronage with the Fondation du patrimoine. During a visit organized in the presence of Charles Lantieri, President of the FDJ Corporate Foundation and Deputy CEO of the FDJ group, Pierre Rabadan, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of sport, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Seine, and Alexandre Giuglaris, CEO of the Fondation du patrimoine, the FDJ group and its Foundation announced their support for the restoration of this legendary velodrome located in the Bois de Vincennes, Paris, with a financial commitment of 1.2 million euros.
Source: Press Release
Inaugurated in 1896, the velodrome has played a major role in the history of national and international cycling. La Cipale hosted track cycling events at the 1900 and 1924 Olympic Games, as well as football and rugby. It was also the preferred venue for the finishes of the Tour de France between 1968 and 1974. Marc Madiot, manager of the Groupama-FDJ cycling team, rode on the velodrome track when he was a professional cyclist. In the early 2000s, as a manager, he also accompanied the riders of the La Française des Jeux cycling team there.
The Jacques Anquetil velodrome features unique architectural elements, such as its “Eiffel” style stands, whose metal frameworks were built by the famous architect Jean Camille Formigé in 1909. The restoration of the stands and the rehabilitation of the terraces will allow the velodrome to host new sports competitions as well as cultural events in the Bois de Vincennes.
FDJ and its Corporate Foundation, patrons of the Fondation du patrimoine
The FDJ group and its Corporate Foundation are patrons of the Fondation du patrimoine and, as such, support specific projects to contribute to the safeguarding of endangered French heritage.
Since 2018, FDJ and its Corporate Foundation’s patronage actions have contributed more than 4 million euros to the Fondation du patrimoine’s projects. Like the funding from FDJ and its Foundation dedicated to the renovation project of the YMCA Paris site, which received 1.2 million euros in support, the restoration of the Jacques Anquetil velodrome is part of the Group’s desire to work for the preservation of remarkable sports heritage. The project will promote the development of sports for all through numerous sports events organized each year, as well as the implementation of weekly track competitions (para-sports events and the women’s cycling event “La Cipalienne”).
“La Cipale” will also provide a training area for INSEP tenants and will host the headquarters of sports associations and clubs. This support will also enable the implementation of social and professional integration schemes deployed on the restoration site. The FDJ Foundation thus wishes to support the action of associations specializing in the professional integration of vulnerable groups (young RSA beneficiaries, recipients of minimum social benefits, long-term job seekers, etc.) by promoting their socialization and return to employment through support for professional projects.
The Mission Patrimoine games offer
Furthermore, since 2018, more than 180 million euros have been collected through the Mission Patrimoine games offer to support endangered national heritage. Among the more than 950 projects selected since 2018 by Mission Patrimoine, more than 620 sites are already saved or about to be: 340 projects are completed and 280 construction sites are underway.
For Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and CEO of the FDJ group: “We are very happy to commit today to the restoration of La Cipale, which combines our commitment to the renovation of endangered heritage, alongside the Fondation du patrimoine, with our continuous investment in cycling and more generally in sports practice at all levels.”
For Guillaume Poitrinal, President of the Fondation du patrimoine: “The restoration project of the La Cipale site is emblematic of the actions of the Fondation du patrimoine: to revive, for the benefit of residents, a historic place, by integrating reintegration clauses. We are delighted to be able to count once again on the faithful patronage of the FDJ group and its Foundation to support French heritage and promote its transmission to future generations.”
For Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris: “The signing of this patronage agreement is excellent news! It embodies a strong ambition, that of extending the momentum of this Olympic summer by supporting sports practice in Paris, thanks to the renovation of its emblematic facilities. I welcome this large-scale restoration, made possible thanks to our collaboration with La Française des Jeux and the Fondation du patrimoine. In the coming years, La Cipale will be able to host cycling races, for everyone, but also cultural events, further strengthening the dialogue between sport and culture.”
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