Since winning the recent World Cup, France has been in the spotlight and received a lot of attention. Best known for Paris, one of the world’s most romantic cities, France is all about world class art, architecture and culture. Unbeknownst to some, however, the sport scene in France is no second to other countries.
1. Football
Credit:071 on Flickr
Football is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the country. The French leagues may not receive as much attention worldwide as Premier League and La Liga, but France has achieved a lot in the international scene, with two World Cup titles, two UEFA Champions League, and numerous legendary players, including Zinedine Zidane.
Credit:PSGMAG.NET on Flickr
Every football match is like a festival in itself. Be a part of the passion and celebration and cheer with the rest of others at the stadium! The national stadium, Stade de France, is the tenth largest stadium in the world. Currently, the Stade is without a regular tenant, but it is used by the national football team, and hosts most of the important international matches, including the final of UEFA 2016.
The stadium offers visitor a guided tour, which allows access to the pitch, changing rooms and museum among other places.
2. Tennis
France is the venue for one of the Grand Slam tournaments, French Open (or Roland Garros). Named after a French aviator, Roland Garros is the only major tennis tournament held on clay. This tournament is held over two weeks, between late May to early June every year.
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Stade Roland Garros, the venue of the tournament, consists of 20 courts including three large-capacity stadiums, and welcomed about 470,000 spectators last year. If you plan to be a part of the audience, you must first make your reservations online as tickets cannot be purchased at the stadium. Your ticket will grant you a numbered seat and all day pass to the outside courts. However, it’s free seating for qualifying rounds.
Credit:Yana Caradec on Flickr
Don’t miss the chance the watch the best tennis stars in action, including 11-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal. Stade Roland Garros is accessible via public transportations, so you don’t have to worry about spending money taxi fares!
3. Cycling
France is also the proud host of an annual cycling race, Tour de France. The race, which was first organized in 1903, usually takes place in July and goes over three weeks. The route differs every year, but the format remains the same with 21 stages and ending at Champs-Élysées in Paris. Since mid-1950s, the start or a part of the race occasionally extends to nearby countries, like Germany in 2017 and Netherlands in 2015.
Credit:Teammates on Flickr
Tour de France is an important event for Europeans as it attracts approximately 12 million people who travel all the way – some even camp for a week to get the best seat – witness the race firsthand. Meanwhile, the broadcast attracts about 3.5 billion audience worldwide.
Credit:The Herd on Flickr
Spectating the race live would be a once in a lifetime experience, but doing so is not as simple as other sport events. As the route changes every year, you would need to study the course once it’s announced, then choose the place that you think is the most convenient. The best option would be camping near Champ-Élysées!
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