Following on from the « Arcane » exhibition, which attracted almost 20,000 people to the City Hall the past winter, the City of Montpellier is offering a new, equally exceptional event, alongside hosting the Tour de France cycling race on July 21 and 22. The Tour de France is one of the most popular sporting events of all time, and is followed all over the world. The peloton's riders are back in our city for the first time since 2016. This is a commitment I made to Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour de France.  

 

On this occasion, and for the second time, the public can access the private collection of Louis Nicollin, president and founder of MHSC, whose sports museum is one of the most important in the world. The exhibition can be seen throughout July in the hall of the City Hall. Last summer, during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, prestigious pieces had already been shown in the salons of the Opéra Comédie, including the incredible collection of Olympic flames. Tens of thousands of visitors plunged into the fascinating history of international sport and discovered the passion that shaped Louis Nicollin's entire life.

 

As his priceless collection of jerseys attests, soccer has always been Louis Nicollin's sport of choice. Cycling was not far behind, however, and this passion goes back to his teenage years. Indeed, one rider in particular was instrumental in getting “Loulou” into the saddle. It was Jean Forestier - a Lyonnais like himself, now aged 94 - who won Paris-Roubaix in 1955, then the Tour of Flanders the following year. He started out with the Union Cycliste Lyonnaise in Saint-Fons, the commune where the Nicollin family lived at the time. At first, he was his idol, before becoming his friend. Louis Nicollin also had a great deal of sympathy for Roland Fangille, the creator of the Étoile de Bessèges, and the passionate volunteers who have organized this race in the Gard region for over fifty years.

 

But, of course, it was the Tour de France that remained the main link with cycling. Louis Nicollin was an unconditional fan of the « Grande Boucle ». Whenever his schedule allowed, he followed the stages on television, and made several visits to the race routes. He made no secret of his preference for the mountain stages.

 

Pending the installation of its sports museum in Montpellier, the City of Montpellier is proud to present an exclusive exhibition of part of Loulou's cycling collection. None of this would have been possible without the agreement of his family. I would also like to extend my warmest thanks to Colette Nicollin, her children Ollivier and Laurent, and the Nicollin group, who spontaneously responded to our proposal to organize this exhibition.

 

Long live cycling!