France Culture and Society: Sports
General
The French are avid followers of various kinds of sports such as soccer, tennis, rugby, skiing (water and snow) and cycling. Sports are a very important part of French life and culture. About 13 million French men and women belong to sporting associations. Another 10 million French people practice some kind of sport once a week. About 60 percent of those in the age group of 50 to 65 frequently practice sports.
Soccer leads in popularity with over 2 million registered players in the country. The Ligue 1 is the foremost sports league with an average of above 20,000 spectators. The French Football Federation (FFF) governs soccer in France, organizing both men’s and women’s teams. France hosted and won the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Tennis is the second most popular sport in France with over 1 million licensed players. Tennis was actually invented in France in the 12th century. France currently holds the annual Grand Slam tennis tournament, the French Open, at Roland Garros.
British residents introduced rugby union in the 1870s. Rugby is popular around Toulouse, the French Basque region, and Languedoc. The major French clubs take part in the domestic Top14 competition. They also compete in the Heineken cup, the European knockout competition. France hosted the rugby 2007 World Cup.
Cycling is a very popular sport in France. Every July, France hosts the Tour de France, the most famous cycling race in the world. Hundreds of cyclists compete in this grueling race, which covers 3,000 kilometers during a three-week period.
Petanque is played mainly in the south since it is not considered a sport by northerners, though IOC recognizes it.
Individual Sports Participation
To maintain physical fitness, the French engage in all kinds of sporting activities, especially cycling, swimming, and walking, the most practiced fitness activity.
People generally practice sports in clubs, parks, and playgrounds. The French Alps are world renowned for skiing and mountain climbing while surfing is popular in the French Riviera. Although horseback riding is available throughout the country, the most favorite destination is the Camargue, where even beginners can ride along sandy beaches and marshland.
Most public sports places are free and do not charge any fees. Roughly 10 million people are enrolled in 170,000 sporting clubs.
Private Sports Clubs
Anyone can be a member in a private sport clubs except in company and university clubs, which are open to employees or students. General membership fees are around 30 euros or more annually.
Private Sports Club Listings:
Standard Athletic Club
Au Clos Obeuf
Route Forestière du Pavé de Meudon
92360 Meudon-La-Foret
The Standard Athletic Club is an international sports club open to all ages. The club's facilities include eight tennis courts, large playing fields for soccer, hockey, and cricket, a heated outdoor swimming pool, a toddler pool, two squash courts, fitness classes, and workout rooms.
Chateau de Thoiry Cricket Club
Chateau de Thoiry, BP 6
78770 Thoiry, France
Chateau de Thoiry Cricket Clube was founded in 1990 on the grounds of the XV Century Chateau de Thoiry.
Les Pyramides
16 Avenue de Saint Germain
78560 Port Marly, France
Les Pyramides is a prestigious club located on 25 acres of land near Paris. The club offers many sporting activities.
School Sports
The 1984 basic law on sports makes physical education and sports compulsory to students in all grades. Students take up sports in preschool at the age of four with up to six hours a week of sporting activities. Primary and middle school students have to participate in sports for two to four hours per week. Those who opt for physical education courses at the high school level have to put in more hours. The Baccalaureate examination at the end of the secondary education also includes papers on sports and physical education. The National Union of School Sports conducts sport competitions for school children.
A wide range of sports is offered to students including soccer, basketball, volleyball, track and field, gymnastics, and swimming.
Professional Sports
Professional sports are very important in the country. The Tour de France is the single largest spectator sport. The 3,000-mile course lasts up to three weeks and is held in July every year.
The other important spectator sports are soccer and rugby, which the French follow passionately. The soccer fever reached its climax in 1998 during the World Cup when France won the championship. The French Open, played at Roland Garros near Paris, is a major Grand Slam event that attracts top players from around the world. Other major events are the 24-hour motor race at Le Mans and bullfighting at Les Arenas, a Roman arena in Arles, France.
Sports stars have celebrity status in France. Soccer star Zenedine Zidane and tennis star Yannick Noah are the most important sports personalities. Others include tennis players Mary Pierce, Amélie Mauresmo, and Cedric Pioline, Mary-Jose Perec, a world champion sprinter, Formula One driver Jean Alesi, world champion cyclists Jeannie Longo and Laurent Jalabert, and solo yachts-woman Isabelle Austissier.
Popular and Dominant Teams - Soccer
The most popular French soccer teams are Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint Germaine FC. Olympique Lyonnaise has a keen rivalry with Saint Etienne, which is a feature of Ligue 1.
Popular and Dominant Teams - Rugby
Stade Toulousain is a French Rugby Union Club from Toulouse. They have been the European champions three times, winning the Heineken cup in 1996, 2003, and 2005.
Women
Women’s participation in sports has been increasing steadily during the last 30 years. They have many achievements to their credit, particularly in athletics and tennis. Women have made great achievements in tennis and athletics. Juvisy FCF is a dominant female French soccer team in the top division of women’s soccer, Championnat de France de football feminine. Popular female athletes include tennis players Mary Pierce and Amelie Mauresmo, world champion sprint Mary-Jose Perec, cycling champion Jeannie Longo, and solo yachts-woman Isabelle Austissier.
Major Spectator Sporting Events
Le Championnat (Soccer)
Date: August to May
Location: Stadiums throughout France
Description: Ligue 1 is the top division of French Soccer, one of two divisions making up LFP, the other being Ligue 2. During the season, 20 Ligue 1 teams play each other for a 38-match schedule. The top three teams qualify for the Champion’s League, the first two into the group phase and the third-place team into the final qualifying round. The team which comes in fourth gets to play in the UEFA Cup championship.
Tour de France (Cycling)
Date: July
Location: France and nearby countries
Description: The Tour de France is the world’s most popular cycling race. The three-week race covers most areas in the country and neighboring countries. Contestants enter the Tour de France as part of a team. Around 20 to 22 teams with nine riders each participate every year. Millions of spectators line the route every year, some having camped out for a week to get the best view. Entry into the race is by invitation only, each team entering under the banner of its sponsor. The race is divided into different stages, each being considered an individual race. The cyclist with the best total time score is declared the winner.
French Open Tennis Tournament
Date: Mid-May to Early June
Location: Roland Garros, France
Description: The French Open is the second Grand Slam tennis event on the tennis calendar. Officially called Tournoi de Roland Garros, it is named after the stadium, which is named after a World War I pilot. The French Open pays equal prize money to both men and women.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Horse Racing)
Date: October
Location: Hippodrome de Longchamp (Longchamp Racecourse), Paris, France
Description: Prix de l’Arc de triomphe is one of the most prestigious horse races in Europe and is the French version of the English Ascot races. The race is open to thoroughbred horses three years or older. Winners of the biggest races in England, Ireland, Germany, and Italy participate in this richest of races with prize money of 1,600,000 euros.
Top 14 (Rugby Union)
Date: August to June
Location: Stadiums throughout France
Description: Fourteen top rugby union clubs in France compete in this tournament. Every club contests 26 games during the regular season. The knockout stages for the tournament consist of the semifinals and the finals. The top teams on the rung qualify for the European Challenge Cup and the Heineken Cup.
Le Marathon de Paris
Date: First Sunday of April
Location: Paris
Description: The Paris Marathon is one of the most important long-distance running events in Europe along with the Berlin Marathon and the London Marathon. The race starts from the Champs-Elysees heading toward the Place de la Concord, finishing at Foch Avenue. The race is limited to 35,000 runners. The course is 42.195 kilometers long.
L’Open de France (Golf)
Date: June
Location: Le Golf National, Paris
Description: L’Open de France is a prestigious golf tournament in Europe. It is the oldest Open in Europe and part of the international golf scene, attracting top players with prize money of 4 million euros.
24 Hours of Le Mans (Auto Racing)
Date: June
Location: Circuit de la Sarthe near Le Mans, France
Description: The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the most famous auto race in the world. The first race was held in May, 1926 and has been held in June every year since. The race is held on semipermanent country roads which at present cover 13.650 kilometers (8.482 miles). Over the years, many custom-built sections have replaced normal roads.
Monte-Carlo Grand Prix (Auto Racing)
Date: May
Location: Circuit de Monaco, Monte-Carlo
Description: This is a Formula One race held since 1929. It is considered the "the jewel of the Formula One crown" because of the glamour, the history, and the spectacular show associated with it. It is also one of the most dangerous races due to the narrow lanes of Monaco.
Ligue Nationale de Basketball (National Basketball League)
Date: September to January
Location: Stadiums throughout France
Description: This is the top league basketball tournament in France. It has two divisions: Pro A (first division) and Pro B (second division). Pro A has 18 teams out of which the top eight are selected for the payoffs. The last three teams are relegated to Pro B. All the games until the final are played on a two-legged basis. The final is played in Paris at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. The Pro B division also has 18 teams that play against each other on a two-legged basis with the top two teams promoted to Pro A while the bottom two are relegated to NM1 league, which is an amateur league.
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