Rugby World Cup 2023: discover the French cities hosting the competition

On 8 September, the kick-off of the first game of the competition including the 20 best teams in the world will start the rugby world cup. And experts see France as a potential world champion, since the French team is one of the best runners for the title. But before watching and (maybe) enjoying the achievement of Les Bleus, here are more reasons to feed your appetite for France!

From 8 September to 21 October, nine host cities will be on the frontline to welcome visitors: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Lille and Saint-Etienne will put the spotlights on their assets, whether in terms of sports, culture, food or landscapes!

If we’re talking about rugby, we must talk about stadiums. And according to Explore France, which have visited all those “mythical or ultra-modern” stadiums, are “worth a visit, even if no game is playing”. On the doorstep of Paris, the impressive Stade de France built in 1998 is first and foremost the “biggest sport building in France”. Just as impressive, says the website, the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Lille is “technologic achievement with its retractable roof”, or the Vélodrome stadium in Marseill with its “areal roof looking like a giant sail” or the super-modern OL Stadium in Lyon, opened in 2016, designed as a large hub including restaurants, hotels and leisure spaces.

The dates of the Rugby World Cup overlap with the European Heritage Days, so host cities will take advantage of the opportunity to “open their gems to everyone”. Saint-Denis (city of the Stade de France) hosts a basilica-cathedral, a place where kings and queens of France were buried. In Marseille, you can visit the Mucem, first major museum dedicated to the Mediterranean area and landmark of architecture and heritage. Toulouse has the Cité de l’Espace, and Bordeaux the Wine Museum.

France is also “a paradise for hiking, cycle touring, river tourism, and even more so in autumn, in such lively colours”. Explore France describes “a beautiful natural environment” in the vicinity of the Rugby World Cup host cities. In Paris, you can visit the beautiful gardens of the Versailles palace. Hike in the mountains of the Pilat regional natural park just outside Saint-Etienne, visit the hanging villages of the Nice countryside, taste good Côtes du Rhône and Beaujolais wine next to Lyon, breathe the fine Mediterranean air in the calanques in Marseille, cycle along the Garonne river in Toulouse and walk in the La Baule beach, just a few kilometres away from Nantes, and more!

And Explore France also reminds that in rugby, “the ‘third half’ is never sad!” And since France “knows how to spend good time and has a taste for sharing, good food and friendship”, everything will go just fine, whether during the apéro (in moderation) or fine dishes. More than the “terroir” cuisine (traditional cuisine with regional products), which makes France so special in gastronomy, the official website of the Rugby World Cup announced the creation of “Rugby Villages”, accessible free of charge in all host cities, which are dedicated spaces welcome up to 40,000 people with activities and games broadcasted live, convivial spaces and food stands.

As the official website says, the Rugby World Cup 2023 “will be a competition with positive impact, drawing new standards in terms of social responsibility, inclusion and sustainable development for major international rugby events”. And Explore France explains that it will not be necessary to “travel by plane of even rent a car to travel in France and discover natural and cultural gems between two games”. Indeed, all host cities of the Rugby World Cup will be accessible by train and foster “soft travels, a decisive criterion which was taken into account when choosing which country would host the world cup”.

According to organisers, the Rugby World Cup 2023 will be the most popular in the history of the championship, as it will also “celebrate 200 years of rugby”.

Here a few figures about this passion:

• More than 600,000 international visitors are expected in France, a record for a Rugby World Cup;
• 2.5 million tickets sold on 31 May;
• 600,000 fans travelling from city to city expected to attend games;
• 90% of the French support the national organisation of the Rugby World Cup, and 76% are ready to participate in the celebrations in stadiums or fan villages of the host city!

• Rugby World Cup official website
• Explore France website
• Tips and advice