Pot plants and flowers

Because of the expense involved, the decision to ask for the cooperation of Interflora-France was only taken after a visit to Grenoble by Paul-Claude SILVERI, Chairman and Managing Director for France, accompanied by Jean PAUCOD, Interfloras, representative for the department of the Isere.

In accordance with the promises made, the decoration was completed for the Opening of the Press Centre fixed for 15th January 1968. It had taken five and a half weeks.
About four hundred metre-long flower boxes, painted in white, were carefully buried in Dutch peat; these flower boxes, as well as the pot plants and flowers aroused general admiration.

This decoration alone was worth 30,000 F. As well as this, the contribution of Interflora consisted of about a hundred, massive decorative plants and bushes, for example, Laurels, Guelder roses, majestic palm trees and cone laurels 2,50 metres high, specially imported from Belgium. The value of these plants alone was about 20,000 F.

STAMPS WORTH 46,000 F.

As well as the telecommunication installations placed in each language group, the Post Office Authorities had opened a Post Office. 46,000 F. worth of stamps were sold there. More than 50,000 expeditions were made of which 6,389 by Air Mail.
As well as this, the office, registered 2,060 telephone communications, sent 392 telegrams and paid 252 money orders. It was open from 7.30am to 9pm.

651 RESERVATIONS

"Air France" set up three agencies at the Press Centre
— Reception for Press.
— Reception for Radio and Television journalists.
— Freight office.

The Radio-Television Reception open from 9am to 12 and 2pm to 8pm made 241 reservations for about 50 tickets sold. A hostess was always present to receive and inform the radio-television journalists.

The reception for the Press was open from 8am to 8pm, with three agents under the responsibility of an official from the Public Relations Department. This agency made 410 reservations and issued 130 tickets for the European lines and the long distance services.

The St-ETIENNE-De-St-GEOIRS airport

The Olympic Village, the coach station and the Olympic Car Park were to be built on this former airport ground. The transfer had therefore to be completed, in March 1967, at the latest. Here again this compulsory date was also respected.

THE AERODROME OF GRENOBLE-SAINT-GEOIRS

From 1938, a military aerodrome had been installed about 2 kms to the North of the town of SAINTÉTIENNE-de-SAINT-GEOIRS. This aerodrome, meant to be used to support the operations of the Alpine Army Corps, consisted of a simple flat surface of about 110 hectares which was grass covered and later on used by the Secretariat General to Civil and Commercial Aviation almost exclusively for light aviation.

The geological nature of the sub-soil, which consists of layers of sand, of aluvio-glacial origin, meant that all necessary material for the construction of runways, parking zones, roads could be found on the spot.

Important savings were therefore made in the cost of these constructions.

In May 1967, after a preliminary study of expected air traffic during the Games, the decision was taken to extend the runway by 200 m to 2050 m so that it could be used by all types of middle distance aircraft including the Caravelle. In August 1967, it was judged that this airport could be usefully equipped with an I.L.S. system for landing without visibility.

The important road constructions giving access to this airport should be noted, from N. 519, to avoid the difficult crossing of the town of SAINT-ÉTIENNE-de-SAINT-GEOIRS.

The meteorology services

The Olympic Shuttle Service

A network of regular transport was gradually established from about January 25th. These services which covered all the Olympic installations were assured by coaches or minicoaches. They were for the exclusive use of the people connected with the Games (officials, athletes, organizing committee, firms under contract, etc.). They had fixed timetables and routes which were published in advance. The busiest day was February 18th when about 150 vehicles, of which 120 were coaches, were used.

A MILLION LITRES OF PETROL

Minicoaches: 200,000 litres high-grade petrol;
Cars: 150,000 litres high-grade petrol;
Coaches: 200,000 litres diesel oil;
Military transport vehicles: 600,000 litres highgrade petrol;
Helicopters: 23,000 litres of aviation fuel;
Various machines (bulldozers etc.): 50,000 litres high-grade petrol.

Making totals of:
HIGH-GRADE PETROL: 1,000,000 litres;
DIESEL OIL: 280,000 litres;
AVIATION FUEL: 23,000 litres.

AIR TRAFFIC AT GRENOBLE SAINT-GEOIRS

The traffic for January was limited to the use of the line Paris-Grenoble by the Company Air Inter with 112 flights for 2,578 passengers. During the month of February the same company, "Air Inter" made 126 flights of which 96 were regular ones:
— 12 were by Caravelle — 104 were by Viscount for a total of 6,774 passengers (arrivals and departures included).
94 charter flights by different companies were registered:
— 38 from Switzerland with 766 passengers, Oslo with 260 passengers, Frankfurt with 220 passengers, Holland with 150 passengers.
— 36 small capacity aircraft for 150 passengers.

THE "GRENOBLE-SAINT-GEOIRS" AIRPORT

The town of Grenoble was served, until 1967, only by the Lyons and Geneva airports, at distances of 104 and 170 kilometres respectively. The holding of the Olympic Games implied the creation of a class C airport, capable of handling Caravelle and Charter aircraft, in a site with more immediate access to the town centre.

Aerodrome Saint-Etienne-de-Saint-Geoirs

The former military aerodrome at Saint-Etienne-de-Saint-Geoirs was selected as a basis for the creation of the present airport, an airport, which by virtue of its area of 121 hectares, can handle simultaneously six medium distance aircraft.

An air terminal was built. The Grenoble Chamber of Commerce, the AIR-INTER and AIR-FRANCE Companies, jointly operate the airport. Moreover, mention should be made of the aerodromes reserved for light aircraft, which were available to Grenoble before the Olympic Games, and which were largely used.

VERSOUD AIRPORT