PARIS
Stadiums
The national Stade de France, built for the 1998 World Cup on the site of a former gasworks in the Saint-Denis area, is one of the world’s great stadiums.
The 80,000- capacity arena hosts the Final of the French Cup and League Cup, and most international games, other major sporting events such as rugby internationals and rock concerts. Tickets for most events can be bought at branches of Fnac and Virgin, although for internationals you are advised to arrange tickets through individual FAs.
The Stade has its own stops on the RER B and D lines and is an easy hop from the Gare du Nord. The D is best for the West stand, the B for the East. The stadium shop and tours (¤10/£7) are accessed through Gate H. The Cafe Planisphere, through Gate D, offers reasonably-priced lunches.
The Parc des Princes, in the south-west of the city near the Bois de Boulogne, was the national stadium before the Stade. It was formerly a velodrome, dating back to the early 1900s, and owes its modern look to a complete makeover as an international football and rugby stadium in 1972.
The Parc, also revamped for the 1998 World Cup, has a capacity of 49,000 and is used mainly for home matches of Paris Saint-Germain. A recent addition has been a PSG superstore and adjoining contemporary eaterie, Restaurant 70 (reservations +33 1 45 27 05 70). Opposite, you’ll find the Cafe aux Deux Stades, a popular pre-match bar. Also busy is the Trois Obus (120 Rue Michel-Ange), a cafe where match tickets are sold, right by the nearest Metro stop of Porte de Saint-Cloud on line 9.
Tickets are also available at www.psg.fr and at branches of Fnac and Virgin. The hard-core PSG fans occupy the Boulogne end while another group use the Auteuil end.
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