The second edition of the Sport Festival (Fête du Sport) energized France, with more than 1,200 events organized across the country to promote physical activity.

A wave of public enthusiasm swept across France on 14 September 2026 during the second edition of the Sport Festival. Led by the French Ministry of Sports, Youth and Community Life, in partnership with the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) and the French Paralympic and Sports Committee (CPSF), the initiative transformed the country into one vast sporting arena. Its objective is simple yet essential: to encourage all French citizens to engage in 30 minutes of physical activity per day to improve their health and well-being.

More than 30 renowned Olympic and Paralympic athletes joined the public in Paris and Marseille, sharing their passion for sport and encouraging people to discover new disciplines. The mobilization brought together sports federations, clubs, associations, volunteers, businesses and local authorities, contributing to the event’s outstanding success.

The day got off to a flying start at 8:30 a.m., when tennis star Gaël Monfils officially launched the celebrations with a live warm-up session broadcast on social media.

In Paris, excitement centered around the Paris 2024 Olympic Cauldron, where 200 schoolchildren took part in a morning of sporting activities. In the presence of fencer Manon Apithy-Brunet and Paralympians Hakim Arezki, Charles-Antoine Kouakou and Amadou Meite, the lighting of the cauldron marked the start of the “Cauldron Challenge,” a dynamic race through the Tuileries Garden.

In Marseille, the celebrations were equally spectacular. The first challenge featured six teams of two competing in a timed ascent of the steps leading to Notre-Dame de la Garde. The duo of Christo Popov and Clément Sport Moments emerged victorious, cheered on by Zakia Khudadadi, Paralympic taekwondo athlete and ambassador of the “Septembre Bouge” initiative.

A few hours later, at the Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille, five teams competed in a 150-metre swimming relay. The event ended in a perfect tie between the team of Colas Zugmeyer, Mathilde Gros and Prof Sithy, and that of Camille Lacourt, Rayan Helal and Marine Lorphelin.

Meanwhile, the Sport and Health Village, set up on Marseille’s Old Port, attracted more than 5,500 visitors, offering introductory sessions, demonstrations and health-prevention activities.

More than 1,200 events driving a national movement

Beyond France’s two largest cities, the entire country embraced the celebration. More than 1,200 events were held throughout mainland France and the overseas territories, highlighting the vitality of the French sports movement.

Participants were able to try a wide variety of activities, including curling, wheelchair basketball and American football, while also meeting elite athletes, receiving health assessments and joining physical activity restart programmes. These initiatives showcased both the diversity and inclusiveness of sport.

This large-scale mobilization reflects the momentum of “Septembre Bouge” (September Moves), an initiative designed to embed regular physical activity into the daily lives of French citizens and encourage lasting participation in sport.