Saint Denis: The Stade de France

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Designed by no fewer than four architects and built over a period of three years in an unused industrial zone of the Plaine St. Denis north of Paris, the Stade de France is meant to be the arena of the 21st century. A symbol of the universal nature of sports, this ellipse bursting with light covers a total of over 17 hectares. Its most original feature is the disk-shaped roof (13,000 tons!) that protects its 80,000 spectators without covering the playing field.

 

Its clean lines and original design are associated with a major technological innovation: thanks to a process using cushions of air, the pitch can change its personality and become an athletics track. To accomplish this, the lowest of the three seating tiers is retractable; once drawn in, 70,000 spectators can sit back and watch the race. The SDF's adaptability should favour Paris's candidacy as future host of the Olympic Games. Already in 2003, the ground-breaking sports Mecca successfully held the World Championships in Athletics.

 

The Stade de France is the theatre of all major French sports events (French football cup finals, rugby tournament finals, international matches...), as well as the venue for other grand-scale happenings, including operas and concerts. Consecrated by the French football team's victory at the 1998 World Cup finals, its idol goes by the name of... Zinédine Zidane. It's now up to the Gallic rugby men to live up to the exploits of their cousins and make the legendary stadium their own.

 

For the Rugby World Cup, the Stade de France will hold the opening match pitching the French Tricolores against the Argentinean Pumas (7 September). Six other matches will follow: England v South Africa (14 September), France v Ireland (21 September), a quarter-final (7 October), both semi-finals (13 and 14 October) and, last but hardly least, the final (20 October).