Where to watch the Euro 2016 in Paris

In June, and in July, France hosts the 2016 European Championship of Football the world’s third most popular sporting event. More than 1 million of people from all over Europe is expected to come into France. Paris, as the capital, the city of lights, will once more be an international symbol of unity, celebration, and sports! In order not to miss out a thing of it, I’ve prepared a list of places where to watch the Euro 2016 in Paris.

1.) Stade France

About it:
The Stade De France is simply the French temple of Football: it’s where France won the 1998 world cup and the 2000 Euro competition. In France we like to say: “Jamais deux sans trois” (Never twice without a third time): will the Stade France be the place where France will lift an international trophy for the third time?

It’s also the biggest stadium in France: 81000 spectators can attend a match. Madonna, Paul McCartney, AC/DC have all performed once in this arena famous for its festive, effervescent and thrilling atmosphere. If you don’t have already booked your tickets, waste no time!

What’s more, Stade de France welcomes 7 matches during the competition. And what a schedule! First, on June 10th, the opening ceremony is certainly going to be mind-blowing. Then, there’re 4 Group-Stage matches and 3 knockout games including 1 round of 16, 1 quarter finals and the awaited final!

• June 10 (21:00 H): France vs Romania – Group A
• June 13 (18:00 H): Republic of Ireland vs Sweden – Group E
• June 16 (21:00 H): Germany vs Poland – Group C
• June 22 (18:00 H): Iceland vs Austria – Group F
• June 27 (18:00 H): Round of 16
• July 3 (21:00 H): Quarter Final
• July 10 (21:00 H): Final Euro 2016

Where?
It’s located outside of Paris in Saint Denis, and there is a multitude of ways to get there. Metro, Bus, RER, car… I advise you, though, to take either the metro or the RER, which are to me the simplest ways, especially during the EURO 2016 when traffic jams will surely block the roads to get there. From Gare du Nord, you take the RER B and you stop at la Plaine Stade de France, or the Metro line 13 and stop at St-Denis – Porte de Paris stations.

2.) Parc des Princes:

About it:
The Parc des Princes is the biggest stadium that is located inside Paris. It looks like a gigantic nest of concrete. It can hosts 48000 people. It has been fully renovated: you have now new tribunes that are closer to the pitch, a new VIP gallery that can welcome more than 4000 people, and new seats in keeping with the colours of the Paris Saint Germain football club. It’s the stadium the Parisians attend the most. It’s anchored in the story of Paris, it’s where you can find the extraordinary and long prize list of the PSG, it’s where Parisians gather once a week to cheer the incredible figures of style of their favourite football stars such as Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva or Di Maria.

My recommendation:
I definitely advise you to watch the Euro 2016 in the tribunes of the Parc des Princes: not only it’s a legendary stadium for Parisians, but you’re also sure to have a festive atmosphere; due to its very good acoustic. And if you go there you might feel the former aura of Michael Jackson and Jean Paul II who also performed once in the stadium.

Matches:

• June 12 (15:00 H): Turkey – Croatie
• June 15 (18:00 H): Romania – Swiss
• June 18 (21:00 H): Portugal – Austria
• June 21 (18:00 H): Northern Ireland – Germany
• June 25 (18:00 H): Eighth finals

Where?
The stadium of the Princes has an important advantage upon the France Stadium in Saint Denis: it’s located in Paris! You only have to take the metro to go there, it’s at the Porte d’Auteuil Station on line 10 or at the Porte de Saint Cloud metro station on line 9. You also have the Tramway and the bus (line 32 and 52) stop at Porte d’Auteuil.

3.) Eiffel Tower Fan Zone:

You can also watch the EURO 2016 outside stadiums: in gigantic open air fan zones opened for free to thousands of supporters from all over Europe. The most important fan zone of the Paris area is situated in an extraordinary location: under the Eiffel Tower, on the Champs de Mars. What’s more, it can welcome up to 90000 of cheerful fans (more than the Stade de France) gathered on the green lawns of the Champs De Mars. I will be there watching France win the final, and I advise you to come in there too: watching a match, be it of your country or not, is an unforgettable moment of sharing, of communion and of celebration with people from other countries! Football has the power to unite people together, so let’s gather under the Eiffel Tower while enjoying the warm sunbeams of summer!

Facilities:
The Eiffel Tower fan zone is also the only place where you can watch the totality of the matches on a giant screen as large as a penalty area (420 square meters) and on 8 others wide screens. Besides, there’re lots of facilities so that you can play relax, eat, or buy a fresh bier. To enjoy these facilities, you have to go in the village of the fan zone, easy to spot – all the sponsors are here: MacDonalds, Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, Adidas…

You have a series of entertainment for all ages, for all tastes and envies: hammocks, sun umbrellas, face painting, Just Dance activity, Operaoke (opera karaoke), PES e-sports days, etc. You can also have a sporting activity: football tournament, introduction to freestyle, demonstration of cecifoot and wheelchair football, table-football tent, etc. And if you want to share the experience of the fan zones with your friends at home, you have a free access to high-quality WiFi.

Concerts:
Did you know that David Guetta is the writer of the EURO 2016 anthem? The famous French DJ will give a free concert on the Champ de Mars on June 9th, the eve of the opening ceremony of the tournament.

Another great surprise not to be missed in the Fan Zone: British rock band MUSE will be performing in concert on June 28th at the Eiffel Tower. Ticket sales start on May 10th via the FNAC and FRANCEBILLET outlets.

Practical information:
The fan zone opens at 12 am to midnight from June 11th to the June 27th, and then it’s 4 pm to midnight from June 30th to July 10th.

How to get there?
I advise you not to take the car or the bus, because the area will probably be always crowded: you should take the metro. Still I give you all transport information:

• Metro: Line 6, metro station Bir-Hakeim or Dupleix, line 6 and 9 station Trocadéro, line 8 station Ecole

Militaire

• RER: line C station Champ de Mars tour Eiffel
• Bus: line 42, 69, 72, 82 and 87

Entrance:
Once you get there, there’re different secured entrances: Avenue de la Motte-Piquet (7th), Avenue Joseph Bouvard (7th) and Avenue Charles-Risler (7th). You are not allowed to get bottles or any objects that can be cause a danger for other supporters.

4.) Saint Denis Fan Zone:

The second fan zone is in Saint Denis near the Stade De France, so if you’ve been at a game, there, don’t hesitate to go into the fan zone of Saint-Denis. It can only welcome up to 10000 people but there’re a lots of entertainments, arts and music festivals, and facilities as well. Among them, one that I definitely recommend is a street art festivals where 20 artists of different countries are invited to express themselves on the walls of the central avenue of Saint Denis.

How to get there? It’s located outside of Paris in Saint Denis, in the Parc de la Légion d’Honneur and there is a multitude of ways to go there. Metro, Bus, RER, car… I advise you, though to take either the metro or the RER, which are to me the simplest ways, especially during the EURO 2016 when traffic jams will surely block the roads to get there. From Gare du Nord, you take the RER B and you stop at la Plaine Stade de France, or the Metro line 13 and stop at St-Denis – Porte de Paris stations.

5.) Bars where you can watch the EURO 2016

The bars are one of my favourite place where to watch the EURO 2016, it’s much more authentic, intimate and as cheerful as the fan zones or the stadiums. You can actually choose the bar, if you want a café or a pub, if you want to watch the matches from a sunny Parisian terrace or from the inside if it’s raining. Here is a short list of bars I like because of the enthusiastic atmosphere, or the low prices, or the location. Choose the one that corresponds you the most and enjoy the EURO 2016 as a true Parisian!

• Hideout, this is the unavoidable rendezvous of sport addicts: every sport event is broadcasted there! Chatelet Metro Station, Rue des Lombards.
• O’Sullivans, one of my favourite pub in Paris: it’s cheap and pleasant, and you can get burgers and fries at any time.
• Le Players, thanks to its 30 wide screens, you’ll be able to watch the EURO 2016 even if you have a hundred of merry Irish supporters! Rue Montmartre, 2nd. Metro station: Grands Boulevards.
• Corcoran’s Sacré-Coeur, watching the EURO on a wonderful terrace below the Sacré-Coeur on Montmartre hill, while drinking a glass of wine: idyllic.

Events related to Euro 2016:

• • Football pitches in Paris: football will be put on a pedestal during a month: this is the moment to show your skills on the numerous pitches the city of Paris has put in place for the occasion.
  • The Paris City Hall: there you can show off your football skills on a tiny pitch near a gallery of portraits from the L’Equipe newspaper focusing on 30 European footballers who left their mark on the history of the sport. Among these legendary players: Italy’s Roberto Baggio, Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer, Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, France’s own Zinedine Zidane, Michel Platini and Éric Cantona, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Czech hero Antonin Panenka.

Hotel de Ville Metro Station (line 1)

• Berges de l’Europe: From 8th June to 10th July, the banks of the river Seine (near the Musée d’Orsay) will play host to a wide array of free activities. Check out the monumental fresco produced by 24 international artists, show off your skills on the inflatable pitches and dribbling obstacle course, try some football sharp-shooting and explore the exhibition of football photography. And of course, near the Pont de la Concorde, visit the 24 national pavilions representing each team involved in EURO 2016.Every day the Agora will be focusing on one of the countries represented in the tournament, with a programme of special cultural events. There will also be a variety of other activities on offer: concerts, debates, cooking demonstrations, language workshops and more.It’s free and open everyday from 1 pm to 10 pm. Metro Station: Assemblée Nationale (line 12) / RER station: Musée d’Orsay

During a month, Paris will be the center of the Europe. Millions of people will watch the EURO 2016 from their own place, abroad. If you get the chance to be in Paris, do not watch it alone, go in the stadiums, in fan zones or in Parisian bars; football is also about celebrating and supporting together our national team, alongside supporters from other countries, in a cheerful mood and in the most beautiful city of Europe: enjoy!