Christophe and his daughter Claire won season 14 of
Beijing Express
, the final of which was broadcast Tuesday on M6.
"I think we will never relive that emotion, adrenaline, it's indescribable," says Claire at
20 Minutes
.
Christophe became the oldest of the winners of the show.
“I stayed young and beautiful, so I have less credit for winning at 61.
But yes, I didn't know I was the dean.
It's awesome, ”he jokes.
"Crisis of happiness," the message on their t-shirts was prescient.
Christophe and Claire were overcome with emotion as they crossed the
Beijing Express
finish line
.
The “chic father” and his “shocking daughter” won the fourteenth season of M6's game on Tuesday, winning against Rose-Marie and Cinzia in the final sprint.
20 Minutes
contacted the pair by phone this Tuesday afternoon ...
When you walk the last few meters to the finish line, what do you think of?
Christophe:
I think we lost.
I am already sad at the idea.
I know the girls are very good at hitchhiking, we messed up at the start of the final sprint, so I'm expecting a disaster.
We know that in
Beijing Express
when we make mistakes, it is not forgiving.
I think about what I'm going to say to Claire to help her endure the ordeal of defeat.
Claire:
We're at the end of our rope.
We want to believe it on one side despite everything.
I manage to draw on my last strength to pull daddy and let's go.
It's a mixture of fear, stress, happiness to be there.
And then you end up crossing the finish line first ...
Claire:
I don't think we'll ever relive that emotion, adrenaline, it's indescribable.
It's happiness, we fall.
I am proud of dad, to be there.
We took several days to realize.
When we returned to France, we said to ourselves that it was incredible.
Christophe:
I tell myself that I have reached the end of Claire's dream.
I was happy that she trusted me.
I also rediscovered my daughter, her will.
I found an accomplished woman, who knows how to do everything.
I was very proud of her.
Claire, what unsuspected facet of your father have you discovered?
Claire:
I discovered that dad was very optimistic.
And also his steel mind.
When I saw him progress on the zip line, be at the end of his life, hold 47 minutes on the cross, I told myself that it was a sick thing.
It's “daddy, that hero”.
When I took him, I thought I would take him out of his comfort zone and that we were going to prove a lot to ourselves, but there, he showed much more than I expected.
Christophe, you are 61 years old.
You are now the oldest of the winners of “Pékin Express”… It is a source of pride.
Claire:
You teach him, I think ...
Christophe:
One thing that was not revealed on TV is that I remained young and beautiful, so I have less merit for having won at 61.
But yes, I didn't know I was the dean.
It's awesome.
It's funny because when I got Claire's text message, I didn't know what
Beijing Express was
.
I asked a colleague next to me, who explained to me that it was a great show, an experience where you meet people.
I told him I wasn't going to be able to do it at my age.
And he said to me, “Yes, yes, there's an 80-year-old who's done it.
Well, okay, so let's go!
I then learned that this 80-year-old had made the Olympics ...
Apart from your victory, what is your most vivid memory of the game?
Claire:
These are the times when I surpassed myself mentally or physically over the course of the events, whether it was the bungee jumping, when I held my arm in the air for an hour and forty-seven, or the duel final against Pierre-Louis where I gave everything.
Christophe
: For me, the strongest memory is the bungee jumping on the Corinth Canal.
I felt all the joys that Claire had given me since her childhood and to see that she was going to do something beyond herself, because she was dizzy, for me it was a burst of joy.
We saw it on camera.
I'll never forget.
When she jumped into the void, she let out a heart-rending cry.
I think I would hear it all my life.
It was a great moment of happiness, paradoxically.
Are you now the stars of your family?
Claire:
Casually, the family carried us all the way.
She had left us little notes in our bags.
They are very proud.
We didn't tell anyone that we got this far, they discovered our progress through the episodes.
This Tuesday, it is true that we are the news, we are the stars of the day.
Christophe:
We suspect that it is ephemeral.
Well, I had Tom Cruise call me, but we're keeping a cool head.
And the feedback from the public is nice?
Claire:
There is everything.
During the first episodes, we went on Twitter where there are haters and lovers.
But this is not representative of all viewers.
We receive a lot of benevolent messages on Instagram, it is sometimes scary because there are so many.
We were able to take a step back, sort.
Christophe:
The show highlights human values, generosity, welcoming foreigners ... I tried in the program and in my testimonials on Instagram to show the value of others and that true joy is sharing.
I was moved by the reactions of people saying they were touched by our family, by our father-daughter relationship, by the kindness of the people we met.
Claire:
Two months ago, dad didn't know how to open the Instagram app or write a story.
Now he is applying to it.
What are you going to do with your 58,730 euros in earnings?
Claire:
For my part, for now, I don't know.
I am 30 years old, I am at the beginning of my life and my career, I have a few projects in the sport, but nothing defined yet.
Christophe:
I hesitated to buy a Ferrari.
Finally, I will give my share.
It is such a joy for me to have participated in the game, in this gift that my daughter gave me, to go all the way.
I wouldn't want to corrupt this joy.
There are so many people around us to help.
I will gladly donate this money, probably to Catholic Relief Services because I am a Christian.
I became one not too long ago.
I have also told my conversion in a book.
I believe that true happiness comes from others and through shared choices.
Television
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