Stade de France

Stade de France is the largest stadium in France and the ground where the French national side plays its most notable home matches. Rugby

Stade de France got built to serve as the centrepiece of the 1998 World Cup. At that time no stadium in France had a capacity of over 45,000 and the tournament needed a 70,000+ stadium.

Work on the ground started in 1995 and after 31 months, on the 28th of January 1998, it was formally inaugurated with a friendly fixture between the national sides of France and Spain. Zinedine Zidane scored the first and only goal of the match.

Throughout the 1998 World Cup, Stade de France staged nine matches, among which the opening fixture between Brazil and Scotland (2-1), the semi-final between France and Croatia (2-1), and the final between France and Brazil (3-0).

The ground has also staged two Champions League finals, the first in 2000 between Real Madrid and Valencia (3-0), and the second in 2006 between Barcelona and Arsenal (2-1).

In 2016, Stade de France once again was the venue for the final of a significant tournament when the European Championships were played in France. On top of the final between Portugal and France (1-), it staged four first round group matches, one round of 16 match, and the quarter final between France and Iceland (5-2).

In 2015, Stade de France was the site of a terrorist attack when three suicide bombers detonated bomb vests outside the ground during a France vs Germany friendly international. One suicide bomber had tried to enter the ground, but his suicide vest was discovered during security checks. He then blew himself up, killing one bystander. The other two suicide bombers did not kill any innocents.

Stade de France is situated in the Parisian suburb Saint-Denis, roughly 3 kilometres north of the city limits of Paris, 5 kilometres north of Montmartre, and 8 kilometres from the Louvre museum. Rugby

Two motorways run directly past the ground, the A1 (which connects with the centre of Paris and the Peripherique further south) and the A86. From the A1 take exit 2 Stade de France and from the A86 take exit 9 Saint-Denis – La Plaine Stade de France.

To reach the ground by public transit you can either take the metro or the RER (metro extension). Both RER lines B and D can be taken from station Châtelet (10-minute ride) and Gare de Nord (5-minute ride). If you take line B, get off at station La Plaine Stade de France. If line D, get off at Stade de France Saint Denis.

Metro line 13 connects the ground with stations Montparnasse (25 mins), Invalides (20 mins) and Saint-Lazare (15 mins). Get off at stop Saint-Denis Porte de Paris.

Tram line 1 in addition connects the ground with Paris' eastern suburbs.

Address: Stade de France, 93216 Saint-Denis

The area around Stade de France is certainly not a highlight of France. It is a mix of the typical residential suburb, low-rise office parks, and industrial estates, and there is little entertainment around. Rugby

It is a short metro ride from Paris' downtown area to the ground though, so focus your dining and drinks on the many options available in the centre.

If you do wish to stay as close as possible to the ground, e.g. To avoid the queuing for public transit after a match, then there are few hotels around, many of the typical mid-level chain type.

Visitors will find a Novotel right opposite the ground. It gets decent reviews, though expect to pay at minimum €100.00. Visitors will find also an almost similarly priced Ibis Hotel near metro station La Plaine, and the Adagio Access hotel near station Stade de France.

For those on a budget, Hotel Campanile is the most affordable option, though this means a bit of a walk in return. If you have more money to spend, then the Courtyard by Marriott will likely have your preference. To browse hotels near Stade de France use the linked guides.

If you prefer to stay in Paris' downtown area but want to have easy transport connections to the ground, then staying near Gare du Nord is an option. Remember that areas around large railway stations tend to get slightly dodgy at night, where case you might also want to consider a hotel at a short walk toward the Montmartre area. Staying near Gare Saint-Lazare also gives you easy transport options, but hotels tend to be pricier in this area. More options in Paris' downtown area here.

No club team at present occupies the Stade de France as Paris Saint-Germain play their home matches at the Parc des Princes. Ticket for matches of the French national side are sold online on the Stade de France website (which also sells rugby tickets), and the website of the French Football Federation.

Stade de France offers guided venue tours that include visits to the presidential lodge, changing rooms, players' tunnel, and a museum that is dedicated to the Building work on the ground and the events that have been held over the years. The tour lasts around 60 minutes and a further 30 minutes can be spend at the museum.

Tours run daily with some variation depending on the season. French language tours usually run five to six times a day from 10:30 a.m. To 4:00 p.m., while English language tours tend to run twice a day at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Check the Stade de France website for an up-to-date schedule. There are no tours on the day of an event and the day before an event.

The tour price is €15.00. Reservations can be made through the website of the Stade de France or by phone +33 (0) 892 700 900, but aren't necessary as tickets are sold on a walk-up basis.