Frédéric Michel, edited by Yanis Darras // Photo credit: Jaap Arriens / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP 08:44, 04 January 2024

This week, the editorial staff of Europe 1 takes a look at the good resolutions that the French make on the occasion of the transition to the new year. This Thursday, our correspondent in Nice, Frédéric Michel, shares his desire for the year: to get back to sport.

Quitting smoking, not drinking alcohol, being happier, greener... Every year, the French multiply their resolutions at the beginning of the year with a single objective: to keep them for the next twelve months. One of the best things you want to do to protect your health is to exercise.

Frédric Michel, a correspondent in Nice, has decided to take up boxing, an activity that regularly intrigues the French. "First job: we do the basics. So, we're going to learn how to give a straight, a hook and an uppercut," Myriam Lamare, a twelve-time world champion in English boxing and French boxing, told Europe 1.

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And why not the race?

"The amazing thing about boxing, and all combat sports, is that you can start at any age," she continues. "Boxing is considered the most complete sport. At the same time, you strengthen your muscles, you build your confidence, you do a lot of mental work and you have a lot of cardio work," said the world champion.

For those looking for a less physical sport, why not try running, especially by the sea when you live on the coast. "Running is as good as going to the gym. We externalize all the negative energies," explains a retiree, a fervent defender of the practice, on the Promenade des Anglais. "What's nice is to see different landscapes, to breathe a bit of fresh air. It's better than running indoors," concludes another practitioner.

Game of Skill

And for lovers of a moment of conviviality, why not try a local sport from the south of France. "Petanque is a muscle sport," says a woman from Nice. "Actually, it takes a lot of concentration. It also teaches you how to do it," adds another bowler, who "highly recommends" the sport.