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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joe Golder, Agency: Newsflash
This image shows the very specific route a French jogger undertook through the streets of Perigueux resulting in a GPS map depicting Father Christmas on a sleigh full of presents being pulled by reindeer.
The runner, Quentin Rolland, 28, told Newsflash in an exclusive interview that after such a “particular year” he “wanted to do something special to mark the end of lockdown” in France.
Quentin said that usually he would do a lot of cycling, running, climbing, and taking part in sports competitions, but has been unable to this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To keep himself busy, he said that he has been making up his own challenges, even setting himself three hour-long events in his own back garden.
However, with Christmas around the corner, he said that he had had ample time to prepare this meticulous route through the streets of Perigueux, a city in the south-western French department of Dordogne.
He decided to run the 10-kilometre (6.2-mile) route, which depicts Father Christmas on a present-filled sleigh being pulled by reindeer, on 28th November.
He used ‘Strava’, an app that is well known to joggers that allows users to record their route via GPS.
Quentin told Newsflash that what he created could be termed “Strav’art”. Now users of the app can go and see his route and reproduce it in their own cities.
Quentin, who is originally from the coastal city of Bordeaux, said that he had wanted to get people to start thinking about Christmas and put them in a good mood, especially given that celebrations are expected to be rather muted due to the ongoing health crisis.
The city of Perigueux, capital of Dordogne Department, is mostly known for its unique St Front cathedral that was built in 1120 and restored in the 19th century. Legend has it that it is based on St Mark’s Basilica in Venice.
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