VIDEOS. On board the humanitarian convoy from Toulouse to the Ukrainian border: the big departure
By Thibaut Calatayud
Published on
This is the big start for the Poland. I will be your eyes throughout this 2,300 km journey that will lead the Occitan humanitarian convoy from Toulouse a Rzeszowa town located 80 km from the border withUkraine.
Today’s stage: 900 km
This Saturday, March 12, 2022, the humanitarian convoy organized by the Occitanie Region joined Toulouse to Burnhaupt-le-Haut (Haut-Rhin). This first stage is the longest of the journey: 900 kilometers.
Early departure
It was around 7:30 a.m. that the Toulouse participants met on Saturday March 12, 2022, at the Hôtel de Région in the Pink City.
After having had a coffee and posed for the family photo with the elected officials, it’s time for the passengers of the six trucks to hit the road. With a first stop at Montpellier to join the rest of the convoy.
The big departure took place at 8:45 a.m.:
A Cevennes episode
The rain accompanied us throughout the journey between the Pink City and Montpellier. On the highway, students from Gallieni high schools (Toulouse) and Ernest Ferroul (Lézignan-Corbières) who drove the heavy goods vehicles therefore sometimes had to deal with these Dantesque disturbances inflicted by an episode in the Cevennes.
A first stopover in Montpellier
Four hours after its departure, the convoy reached the forecourt of the Hôtel de Ville in Montpellier. The opportunity for Mayor Michaël Delafosse to speak:
In the truck of the ambianceuses of the convoy
After a small snack at the Montpellier town hall, we hit the road again at 1:30 p.m.
The first break was made at 4 p.m. at Montelimar (Drome). The opportunity for me to get into the truckInes and Anabelle, two high school girls from Lézignan-Corbières. They are the ones who set the mood for this humanitarian convoy.
Supervised by their teacher William Deman, the two 18-year-old girls want to take advantage of this adventure to gain experience. Pained by the situation of the refugees, they did not hesitate to respond positively to the Region’s appeal. “We learn our trade while helping them,” they explain.
“For them, it’s super formative. Usually, they only allow short distances. This convoy will in particular allow them to learn how to manage fatigue”.
“Let’s go on an adventure! »
During my time in their truck, it was Inès who piloted this 44 ton. The one who aspires to become a truck driver wants to follow in the footsteps of her parents.
Road transport is a profession recognized for its arduous nature. When I ask her about the loneliness and the feeling of remoteness that the profession can create, she assures us that it does not bother: “We are going on an adventure! smiles the one who hates routine.
A vision that his teacher completely understands. “When I was young, I was the same! “, he testifies. But today, William Deman admits it: between his children and his wife, the distance is sometimes difficult to live with.
Drawing distributions
Like her friend, Anabelle wants to do this job to follow in the footsteps of her parents: a father and an uncle on the road, a mother who works in transport… No doubt, she fell into it when she was little.
Strong character, the high school student ensures not to be afraid of this journey to the other end of Europe. Nevertheless, she is apprehensive about meeting injured refugees, especially children, during this journey. To help on her scale, she did not come empty-handed:
“When I told my brother that I was going to Poland, he thought I was going to war. With my mother, we explained to him, as well as to his school teacher. Suddenly, all the pupils made drawings. I have them in a small box and I distribute them to Ukrainian children”.
A journey of more than 15 hours
During the night, Inès and Anabelle took turns to complete this first day of travel. The arrival of the convoy was made around 00:20 in Burnhaupt-le-Haut. A long journey of more than 15 hours which was rewarded with a good meal at the hotel.
The 44 convoy members then each went back to their room before hitting the road again, Sunday March 13, until Chemnitz, a municipality near Dresden in Germany. A journey of 750 kilometers. Just that !
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