Paris 2018
A football trip to Paris, capital of France, the recent 2018 World Cup Winners. But this was a trip to see club football. I had already seen PSG at the Parc des Princes on an earlier trip and had been to the same stadium when Wales beat Northern Ireland at Euro 2016. This time I was looking for other teams to find out why France was World Champions for the second time in 20 years and if football fever had gripped the nation.
France has only 2 professional leagues (ligue 1 and 2). The 3rd tier is semi-professional (Championnat National). After that the leagues are regionalised with Championnat 2 and 3.
US.SOCCERWAY.COM was very useful when finding out about lower league football and especially to find the fixtures. Google maps showed nearby bus stops with the number of the bus.There are several websites for bus timetables and routes.
Compared with level 4 and 5 football in England the attendances are low, as are the admission prices: 5 and 6 euros for Championnat 2 and 3 euros for Championnat 3.
France has only 2 professional leagues (ligue 1 and 2). The 3rd tier is semi-professional (Championnat National). After that the leagues are regionalised with Championnat 2 and 3.
US.SOCCERWAY.COM was very useful when finding out about lower league football and especially to find the fixtures. Google maps showed nearby bus stops with the number of the bus.There are several websites for bus timetables and routes.
Compared with level 4 and 5 football in England the attendances are low, as are the admission prices: 5 and 6 euros for Championnat 2 and 3 euros for Championnat 3.
Friday 5/10/19 J A Drancy v US Avranches
J A is for Jeanne d'Arc (or Joan of Arc). Drancy is in the North East of Paris. The stadium is a short walk (10-15 minutes) from the Gare de Drancy.
While researching into Drancy, I discovered its role in World War 2. Still in use today is a block of residential flats that was used as an internment camp to hold the Jews of Paris before deportation east. Click here for more details.
There was an attendance of only 388 to see a 1-0 home win.
While researching into Drancy, I discovered its role in World War 2. Still in use today is a block of residential flats that was used as an internment camp to hold the Jews of Paris before deportation east. Click here for more details.
There was an attendance of only 388 to see a 1-0 home win.
Saturday 6/10/18 RCFF Colombes 92 v Blanc Mesnil SFB
This was a must visit stadium for many reasons. The Stade de Colombes was used for the 1924 Olympic Games which most people are aware of because the of the "Chariots of Fire" film. The current stadium complex has one large stadium used mainly for the Rugby team Colombes 92, and other smaller rugby and football pitches. Racing have had many names and were the main Paris team before PSG's rise. Although the football was not played in the main stadium is was easy to walk onto the running track and see some of the original terracing. The other movie claim to fame was that it was the venue for the Allies v Germany match in "Escape to Victory". (The actual stadium filmed in Chariots of Fire was at Bebington, Merseyside and Escape to Victory was filmed in Budapest, but as far as I was concerned this was where Pele equalised with his overhead kick.)
This was a Championnat National division 3 match Group L. Racing won 4-2. With this match kicking off at 3:00 there was still time to get in a night match.
This was a Championnat National division 3 match Group L. Racing won 4-2. With this match kicking off at 3:00 there was still time to get in a night match.
Saturday 6/10/18 AC Boulogne Billancourt v Vannes OC
The Stade Le Gallo is an artificial pitch with one stand. This Championnat National 2 Group C match ended 3-0 to the home team. I bought a scarf here. This was the only merchandise I saw at any of the 4 matches with no programmes or even team sheets available.
Sunday 7/10/18 US Creteil II v Bretigny
Creteil is at the terminus of Metro line 8. This was Creteil's second team who play in Championnat National 3 Group L (the first team had played the day earlier in Championnat National 2 Group D). The match was not played in the main stadium but on one of the outlying pitches.The main Stade Dominique Duvauchelle was open allowing a photo opportunity. Creteil II won 1-0.
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