Press Kit
The 10 Host Cities of FRANCE 98
Bordeaux
Lens
Lyon
Marseille
Montpellier
Nantes
Paris
Saint-Denis
Saint-Etienne
ToulouseTen cities to host the World Cup
From 10 June to 12 July 1998, ten cities will be hosting games in the 16th Football World Cup. Ten cities jointly chosen by the French Government and the French Organising Committee, with FIFA’s approval.
Bordeaux, Lens, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Etienne and Toulouse ; each city has its own unique history, tradition and way of life. And which visitors from over the world will be able to discover and enjoy all through the summer of 1998.
Within each city, at the very heart of the event, lie the World Cup stadiums. Whether they have been built from scratch for the occasion, as is the case in with Saint-Denis, or modernised and enlarged, as with the 9 other venues, each will be providing spectators with a comfortable seat where they can soak up the big match atmosphere in complete safety. And also endure the sorrows of defeat, or the sweet joy of victory.
With still a year to go until the opening game, the World Cup is already an ever-present reality at the ten FRANCE 98 host cities. Local and regional associates, as well as thousands of volunteer workers from around the country, are all committed to making the next World Cup into a top-class act.
It is also the French Organising Committee’s intention, aside from ensuring that the competition is a resounding sporting success, to make FRANCE 98 the World Cup which includes everybody : a World Cup for the whole world. An aim shared by the ten host cities, where a wide array of pre- and post-match entertainments are being planned for international visitors. All this so that all spectators, whether they be from France or from abroad, can look back at the 16th Football World Cup with fond memories of excitement, universality and sharing.
Bordeaux
The City
Population : Inner city : 214,000 inh. Urban area : 697,000 inh.
Mayor : Alain Juppé
The club
Girondins de Bordeaux 4 French League titles 3 times French Cup winners
“Take Versailles, add Antwerp, and you get Bordeaux”. Thus was the city described by Victor Hugo, struck by its majestic 18th century constructions and its wide river.
A favourable geographical position
Built on the meandering Garonne river, a stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean, Bordeaux was already an important trading centre in the Roman era. With its harbour and maritime activities came extraordinary prosperity in the 18th century. This was the golden age, a century of opulent fortunes and architectural magnificence, which today are the pride and joy of Bordeaux’s citizens.
As early as the 16th century, thanks to its favourable geographical position, the city soon became the hub of north-south trade and spearheaded relations with the New World. Wine, but also the trading of wood products, further contributed to the city’s growth.
Wine capital of the world
The Bordeaux name, of course, is synonymous with fine wines. The largest and finest vineyard in the world are spread over 135,000 hectares; and the annual production of 500 million bottles including such prestigious names as Saint-Emilion, Margaux, Pomerol and Saint-Estèphe, to mention but a few, is shipped to 160 countries.
Bordeaux, cross-roads of the world
Today, Bordeaux has become a veritable cross-roads, with first-class rail, road and air transport facilities. Recognized for its industrial dynamism and quality of life, the city attracts researchers and industrial businesses. Aquitaine’s capital of the aeronautics and space industry, Bordeaux has become a centre of attraction for businesses active in diversification and new industrial processes. Advanced technology, biotechnology, the pharmaceutical and medical industries, oceanology or biological engineering are major research areas.
Bordeaux University is one of the oldest in France; its 60,000 students also make it one of the largest. In the area of culture, Bordeaux is also in the lead. The city is rich in exceptional monuments. The city, in addition to this precious heritage, is also very dynamic and creative, as testified by the many artistic events it hosts every year.
Bordeaux DURING THE RUN UP TO THE WORLD CUP
Welcome to the world…
This is indeed the message that the city wishes to convey to the thousands of fans and tourists that will be coming to Bordeaux during the summer of 1998. A message inscribed on a commemorative plaque in the heart of the city reads : “In 98, Bordeaux will be welcoming the World Cup… We welcome the world”
Collective organisation
In preparation for the World Cup, the city has set up a dedicated task force which works in close cooperation with the World Cup Organizing Committee’s local unit, as well as other local partners, with a view to mobilizing the entire population, irrespective of their social background or age…
The Aquitaine Region at play…
There will be something for everyone in Bordeaux, starting with “Footballito” tournament, a knock-out competition with World Cup rules. The 32 teams made up of young football players from the Aquitaine region have already got the ball rolling. And the final match in the competition is due to be played during the World Cup competition itself.
Shopkeepers and businesses are also actively preparing to meet the challenge of 1998. At last year’s ever-popular Bordeaux International Trade Fair, some 350,000 visitors discovered the World Football Cup pavilion, a joint venture put together by several World Cup partners from the Bordeaux area.
Show time
From 10 June to 12 July 1998, Bordeaux will be putting on a vast show. At the heart of the celebrations, the “Welcome to the World” village will, for over a month, include stands showcasing local culinary specialities, craftsmanship and cultural highlights, where everyone will get a chance to discover the delights of France’s south-west region.
A party just wouldn’t be a party without music! 15 Aquitaine “Bandas”, i.e. folk fanfares typical of the region, will gather in Bordeaux to provide neighbourhood entertainment; later in the night, they will congregate in the city’s main squares, where the many visitors will be able to dance the night away.
CONTACTS
Director of Communication Stéphane Grimaldi Hôtel de Ville – Place Pey-Berland – 33077 Bordeaux Cedex Tel : (33) 5 56 10 17 50 – Fax : (33) 5 57 79 29 70
World Cup task force Jean-Marie Brillon 32/34, Allées d’Orléans – 33000 Bordeaux Tel : (33) 5 57 20 19 98 – Fax : (33) 5 57 20 19 99
Tourist Office 12, cours du XXX juillet – 33080 Bordeaux Cedex Tel : (33) 5 56 00 66 00 – Fax : (33) 5 56 00 66 01
The Stadium
The Lescure Stadium, a fine example of 1930s architecture, is one of Bordeaux’s major 20th-century landmarks. It has been the stage of many a memorable football game, but also of athletics and cycling events, held on its outstanding track. Today, the stadium is being given a facelift, but will not retain its character and importance in the city’s heritage.
Name of Stadium : STADE LESCURE
Location : 2 km from downtown 4 km from train station
First inaugurated : 12 June 1938 World Cup quarter final Brazil – Czechoslovakia (1/1)
Feature : National heritage protected monument
Capacity before renovation : 45,000 places, including 21,300 seats
Capacity in 1998 : 35,200 seats, including 15,000 sheltered
Renovation operations : Bends to be fitted with seats.Entry points to be revamped and fitted with screening and security facilities. Storage spaces, ticketing office, players’ quarters and peripheral lighting to be completely rehauled. Press stand to be extended. Videosurveillance system to be installed.
Construction operations : Construction of a Press Centre, to be reconverted into multi-purpose sports facilities.
Date of completion : April 1998
Architects : Michel MOGA Pascal TEISSEIRE and Hughes TOUTON
Lens
The City
Population : Inner city : 35,280 inh. Urban area : 376,700 inh.
Mayor : André Delelis
The club
Racing Club de Lens 1 French League title
Lens, a city with Stamina
Located in the heart of the Artois district, the city of Lens is spread over approximately 1,100 hectares. Favourably located in the centre of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, it has a population of 350,000. The citizens of Lens, who are recognised for their courage, altruism and hospitality, are proud of their history and extremely attached to the land.
Development fuelled by coal
The discovery of coal in the region in 1849 lead to unprecedented expansion for Lens, where the largest and most productive coal-mines were to be found. For a century, Lens and its population lived from coal-mining. When recession hit the industry in the sixties, Lens embarked on an ambitious modernisation programme.
New-found vitality
The number of businesses settling in Lens has increased dramatically over the past few years. Over 19,000 people work there today in the 125 new businesses found in the 7 business parks and two service-industry centres. Main business activities include retail, the food industry, construction and information technology.
In step with this new expansion, the city of Lens has developed its sports, cultural and university facilities. Today, 3,000 students were involved in higher education in the area. Today, the “Grands Bureaux”, the former coal-mining headquarters offices, have been given back to the people, and in 1992, the municipality played an important part in founding the Jean Perrin Faculty of Sciences, which is now part of the Artois Region University.
In carrying out its many development projects, the city of Lens works in close co-operation with other communities, in particular within the Lens-Liévin District, which at present comprises 36 municipalities, with a total population of 251,000. The Lens area is also known for its youthfulness (41% of citizens are under 25) and a demographic vitality which rank the region as one of the “youngest” in France (birth rate is 17.1%).
Football is a “religion”
One can’t talk about Lens without referring to its obsession with football and the way the entire population gets behind its leading football club, the Lens Racing Club. Several times during the year, the Félix Bollaert stadium welcomes more spectators than the city has inhabitants !
LENS in the run-up to the World Cup
Lens makes up for being the smallest of the World Cup host cities, with its get-up-and-go, its creativity and its determination to make the biggest sport event at the end of this century a roaring success. The city is determined to rise to the challenge and sees the World Cup as a chance for international recognition.
Prepare to host the World Cup!
Immediately following the announcement that Lens was to be one of the ten World Cup venues, strategic working groups were hard at work planning how the city could best provide suitable hospitality, entertainment or communication facilities for its visitors. A new feature downtown is a tourist office set up by Lens and the Lens-Liévin District, which will mainly be in charge of welcoming visitors in 98.
A collective effort
In setting up a regional organising committee, Lens has gathered together all the area’s important political, economic and social “players” to prepare for the competition. Ultimately, this will mean that the entire Nord-Pas-de-Calais region will come out on top.
With Lille’s candidacy bid for the 2004 Olympic Games having been turned down, it is the World Cup that has definitely taken over in the hearts of the population in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. And make no mistake: when one knows how excited the population of Lens and its renowned football fans can get over a black-and-white ball, one can easily imagine the atmosphere that will spread throughout the region when the time comes for the World Cup! As early as this summer, the Lens Racing Club will travel to about 30 towns in the area with the “Mini Bollaert”, a mobile football pitch, and offer a wide range of activities for the young and not so young. The World Cup will, of course, be central to this initiative, which has received generous support from local partners.
A time for celebration
Celebration is a way of life in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The region and its inhabitants are second to none in organising events, and any excuse is a good one for gathering together in a festive and jovial atmosphere. The local flowers market, trade fairs and processions featuring the well-known local “giants” are all witnesses to the city’s fun-loving reputation.
It has been a priority in Lens to include young people in preparations for the big footballing event. Thus, Lens schoolchildren have prepared an exhibition on the World Cup, presently on show in the municipal media library. This initiative fits into a wider-scale citizenship education project, based on inter-school exchange programmes among the 10 host cities.
Of one thing you can be certain, the summer of 1998 in Lens will be a memorable one !
CONTACTS
General Secretary city of Lens Serge KUZNIAK Hôtel de ville – 62307 Lens cedex Tel : (33) 3 21 69 86 86 – Fax : (33) 3 21 43 11 65
Tourist Office District of Lens-Liévin 26, rue de la Paix – 62300 Lens Tel : (33) 3 21 67 66 66 – Fax : (33) 3 21 67 65 66
THE STADIUM
The geographical position of Lens perhaps explains why its stadium has such an “English feel to it”. The Félix Bollaert stadium is, more than any other contruction, a symbol of the contrasts of the city of Lens. Indeed, many times during the year, it welcomes more visitors than the city’s entire population ! This unique phenomenon is a sign of the whole region’s craze for football, and certainly bodes well for the organisation of the World Cup newt year.
Name of Stadium : FELIX BOLLAERT
Location : 10 minutes from downtown and from the train/TGV station Highway exit at the stadium
First inaugurated : 1932
Capacity before renovation : 49,581 places, including 32,000 standing
Capacity in 1998 : 41,275 seats
Renovation operations : Access rows to the MAREK-LOUIS stand to be widened New sound system New ligting New scoreboards surveillance new video monitoring system
Reconstruction operations : Construction of the TRANNIN (inaugurated in February 96) and DELACOURT (public opening in August 96) stands. Reconstruction of the LEPAGNOT, also called presidential, stand, with new prestige and media seats.
Date of completion : July 1997 Architect : Milan MARTIC
Lyon
The city
Population : Inner city : 422,400 inh. Urban area : 1,262,000 inh.
Mayor : Raymond Barre
The club
Olympique Lyonnais 3 times French Cup Winners
Lyon, capital of the Gauls
In 43 B.C., L.M. Plancus chose Fourvière, a hill dominating the Rhône river as it makes its way to the sea, as the site for founding “Lugdunum”. The city, a younger sister to Rome, was built at a point where many roads met, and was also symbolic of a crossing of destinies. It became the capital of Gaul, and Lyon is nowadays the oldest Roman archeological site after Rome itself. The Old Town is one of the most important and well-preserved Renaissance sectors in Europe. But Lyon is also a silk capital, the place where the Jacquard method of weaving was invented, where manufacturers, merchants and silkweavers made the town famous throughout the world.
Lyon, economic focal point
The capital of the Rhône-Alpes region has a unique position at the very centre of Europe, and as a large city possesses considerable industrial and business advantages. Numerous world-class companies and international institutions have set up their headquarters there, bringing the city into the front line among Europe’s economic leaders. Its wide range of business sectors include metallurgy, electronics, chemistry, pharmaceutical products, biotechnology, the food industry, electricity, plastics technology and textiles, as well as banking and insurance, engineering, consultancy and communication.
Lyon, the art of living well
Lyon owes its distinctive character to its surroundings, which include two steep hills, a vast plain and two rivers. During the last decade, the city has become even more handsome, transforming and improving its squares and gardens, and implementing a lighting strategy to show off its finest features: 150 points of interest are now illuminated each night. A strategy which has been exported elsewhere throughout the world with great success, for the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the city of Jerusalem, and recently Havana have all benefited from Lyon’s expertise in this respect.
More than 4 million tourists visit Lyon each year, enticed by its many aesthetic pleasures and famous cuisine, spear-headed by Paul Bocuse and also to be found in the city’s “bouchons”, little picturesque restaurants offering a wide range of Lyon specialities.
Cultural metropolis
Lyon is the place where cinema was first brought to light by the Lumière Brothers in 1895, and possesses many important cultural institutions that all contribute to its glowing international reputation, including Lyon Opera, the Institut Lumière, the Maison de la Danse and 27 museums. The Rhône-Alpine capital positively buzzes with artistic activity, and its contemporary art and bi-annual dance festivals attract increasingly wider audiences each time around.
Lyon in the run up to the World cup
Lyon’s destiny, as its origins and each stage in its history clearly show, has always been linked with other parts of the world : Roman Lyon, Christian Lyon, the Lyon of Renaissance bankers and poets, and the development of its silk industry which opened the way even further afield to China and Asia. An important focal point in south-east Europe in general, Lyon is a city immensely accessible to the rest of the world, as witness the staging of the recent G7 summit there. The football World Cup, which it is to host in 1998, is a natural consequence of its outward-looking policies and already considerable international celebrity.
Partners rally round
All the «partners» in the Lyon area – the local, departmental and consular authorities, and, of course, the State – work together on a daily basis to achieve the many big projects that lay before them. The organisation of the coming World Cup is another chance to show their solidarity. At this very moment, the regional authorities, General Council, urban community, Guild chamber, Tourist Office and the city and urban division councils are all putting their shoulders to the wheel so that the great football celebration will be a success. Their ambition is to give Lyon’s thousands of visitors the chance to really discover the city and what it has to offer, so that they will want to come back, for business or for pleasure.
The great celebration will involve all Lyon-dwellers. Many of them have already declared their willingness to help in making the occasion something truly to remember.
A call for new ideas
The city of course, intends to pull out all the stops so that the Football World Cup celebrations go off with a bang ! To this end, a national call for tenders has been sent out seeking original ideas on how to entertain the foreign visitors and at the same time include the local population.
A foretaste of the celebration
In hosting two matches for the Tournoi de France, Lyon has been propelled directly into the operational phase of the World Cup. The feast of football has already begun there with a special musical soirée put on free for all the citizens of Lyon on 7 June, the night before the Brazil vs Italy game, when Brazilian, Italian and French artists gave thousands of Lyon dwellers the chance to soar away to other climes, just for an evening. Excitement, universality and sharing are already the order of the day, twelve months before the World Cup kicks off !
CONTACTS
Director of Communication Patrick LAMARQUE Hôtel de ville – 1 place de la comédie – 69205 Lyon cedex 01 Tel : (33) 4 72 10 30 34 – Fax : (33) 4 72 10 30 45
Tourist Office Place Bellecour -69002 Lyon Tel : (33) 4 72 77 69 69- Fax : (33) 4 78 37 02 06
THE STADIUM
The Stade Gerland, designed in 1926 by Tony Garnier, is one of the two World Cup stadiums listed as historic monuments. Inspired by Roman architecture, the stadium is surrounded by a gallery set on a grass embankment and punctuated by four great symbolic gateways. After many alterations throughout the years, Gerland is undergoing a further youthful facelift in readiness for the World Cup.
Name of the Stadium : GERLAND
Location : Lyon’s 7th arrondissement Easily accessible from city centre
Original inauguration : 1926 by Edouard Herriot
Capacity before refurbishment : 42,000 places
Capacity in 1998 : 44,000 all seated
Renovation operations : New lay-out of two curved sides of stadium, with new metallo-textile roof to cover them. Restructuring of Jean-Jaurès and Jean Bouin stands, with installation of individual seating, new boxes and improvement of players’ areas. Competition equipment, and lighting, sound, display and video monitoring systems to be brought up to World Cup standards.
Reconstruction operations : Esplanade to be built in front of Jean-Jaurès stand, and square behind the terraces.
Completion date : September 1997
Architect : Agibat – Atelier de la Rize Albert Constantin
Marseille
The City
Population : Inner city : 807,000 inh. Urban area : 1,000,000 inh.
Mayor : Jean-Claude Gaudin
The Club
Olympique de Marseille
Winner of European 1 Champions League 8 French League titles 10 times French Cup winners
The Oldest City in France
In 1999, one year ahead of schedule, Marseille will be first to kick off the celebrations to mark the third Millennium, in commemorating, with great pomp and circumstance, the city’s own 26th centenary !
The city first came into existence 2,600 years ago, born of the union between Protis, a Greek sailor from Phocaea, and the beautiful Gyptis, daughter of the king of the Ligurians. They settled on the shore of what is today called the “Vieux Port” ( the Old Harbour). This was Massalia which became the first urban outpost in France. Over the years, Marseille dwellers have always been proud of their city’s distinctive character. Inside the famous Cosquer cave is evidence that Marseille’s first inhabitants lived there some 28,000 years ago! Today Marseille is also seen in the context of its beautiful setting, an attractive region containing 111 villages, charming hills nearby and a jagged coastline of bays and inlets.
Marseille’s New Image
Having now turned the corner after a number of difficult years, Marseille is ready to embark on the third millennium with great verve and a brand new image. Continuing the traditional role as a cross-roads between northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the East, the city is presently being “restructured” around the harbour area : the Euro-Mediterranean economic development and planning operation will make Marseille a hub in southern Europe for international trade and decision-making. While the overall plan for the city is designed to develop and renovate areas most in need of attention, the renovation of the city centre has already produced results with improvements in housing, the building of a university and student facilities, the emergence of new businesses and the innovation of “theme streets” such as the recently inaugurated “rue de la mode” [fashion street] near the Opera House.
The cultural Capital of the South
Over recent years Marseille has put on dance, theatre, music exhibitions, as well as street art, earning itself the reputation as the Euro-Mediterranean capital for artistic creation. The people of Marseille have always been greatly attached to their opera house and to the Roland Petit National Ballet Company; it is in fact the city with the record for the highest number of theatres per head of population in France. And today, there is more cultural enterprise in the city than ever before, including concerts, festivals and major projects such as the “Grand Library” and the “Cité des Arts”.
Marseille in the run up to the World cup
The World Cup in Marseille, where football is an integral part of the average citizen’s everyday life, is symbolic indeed. And so in preparation for this momentous event, the majestic and newly renovated Velodrome stadium will play host on 4 December 1997 to the draw that will decide the fate of the 32 qualifying teams for the Finals. But the World Cup is also a prelude to another grand and symbolic event : the city of Marseille celebrates its 2,600th birthday a few months later in 1999 !
Welcome!
In preparation for these events, Marseille has composed a comprehensive programme including a communication campaign designed to motivate and involve the population of the city to join together in a spirit of welcome.
So that everyone who lives in Marseille realises just how important the World Cup is, the municipal authorities will be installing six multi-branch signposts on the main roads leading into the city and at the Parc Chanot near the stadium. In Marseille this Summer no one could possibly fail to hear the news that the most important sporting event of the millennium is coming to the city !
Building up to the draw
A city programme is to be launched at the International Fair in September, where Marseille dwellers traditionally gather. The World Cup will also be featured at the “Cité de la Réussite” [City of Success] held at the Palais du Pharo in October and attended by members of various elites in such fields as culture, economics and politics. In November the message will be festive for the “Fiesta des Sud”, focusing this year on the colours of the different qualifying nations. World Cup fever should reach a pitch on 3 December with a big light show over the Old Harbour and will culminate on 4 December at the Velodrome stadium where thousands will gather for the Finals draw.
Marseille has planned a number of communication events and presentations in the first half of 1998, aimed at maintaining the level of excitement and interest right up to the World Cup. This will include the Marseille Carnival focusing on the nations which are to play World Cup matches in Marseille in Summer.
A Hot Summer Ahead !
Long-term forecasts for the Summer of 1998 show that things are bound to heat up in Marseille where six activity centres will be operating full-time for a month. As well as football sites such as the Velodrome stadium and nearby area, the Parc Borely will be the venue for a cultural adventure travelling “around the world in just one country”, a voyage of initiation across the world. The Old Harbour will feature crafts and food stalls by day, plus music and dancing by night. The Prado Beach will be set aside for young people to play sport, listen to music or watch the matches. And for business, the Palais du Pharo will be transformed into a large centre for commerce and contacts of all kinds, presenting a display case for the dynamic forces at work in Marseille.
CONTACTS
Director of Communication Guy PHILIP Palais du Pharo – Boulevard Charles Livon – 13007 Marseille Tel : (33) 4 91 14 64 07 – Fax : (33) 4 91 14 64 01
Tourist Office La Canebière – 13001 Marseille Tel : (33) 4 91 13 89 00 – Fax : (33) 4 91 13 89 20
The Stadium
The Paris region has the Stade de France, but there are also plans for a “grand stadium” in Marseille, the city where football is virtually a religion. Although new foundations will not be laid, the stadium is to undergo a complete facelift, making it a “new stadium”, designed as a vast domain devoted to games and sport and part of the city itself.
Name of Stadium : VELODROME
Location : Right in the heart of the city.
First inaugurated : June 13, 1937
Capacity before renovation : 42,000, of which 10,000 standing
Capacity in 1998 : 60,000 seats
Renovation operations : Upgraded to comply with World Cup standards for fittings, lighting, sound system, signs, score display fixtures and video-surveillance. Modernisation of the changing rooms and boxes Press conference room, permanent press centre and catering areas to be built.
Reconstruction operations : Increased capacity by rebuilding the stands and surrounds. Construction of 32 km stands.
Date of completion : January 1998
Inauguration of renovated stadium : Spring 1998
Architect : Jean-Pierre BUFFI
Montpellier
The City
Population : Inner city : 210,000 inh. Urban area : 350,000 inh.
Mayor : Georges Frêche
The club
Montpellier-Hérault S.C. 1 French Cup.
Montpellier, a thousand years young
The name Monspestellario is recorded as far back as 985. From its earliest days, the town on the edge of the Mediterranean coast has always been “on the up”.
It was a stop for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela, traders would halt there on their way along the Salt Route, and students and scholars made it into the first Euro-Mediterranean city by setting up the world’s first Faculty of Medicine. Rabelais, Rondelet and Nostradamus all contributed to the renown of the university, which attracted scholars from all over the world.
In 1204, with the “Charter of Customs and Liberties”, it became a true democracy, a free and prosperous town. The city, under Spanish Catholic rule for two centuries, then under Protestant influence during the reign of Henri IV, still bears the scars of the Wars of Religion. Only in the 18th and 19th centuries did peace and prosperity return, when, as the centre of the Languedoc states, Montpellier acquired true capital status.
A Mediterranean Eurocity
Capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, over the past few years Montpellier has created more businesses than any other city in France with a population of over 100,000, rising in the space of two decades from 21st to 8th city in the country.
Since 1985, the Montpellier District has been conducting its economic development strategy under the aegis of the Association Montpellier Languedoc Roussillon Technopole, which is active in fields ranging from tourism to tropical agronomy, medical industries, telecommunications and real-to-virtual-world interfaces. The association also provides members with tools and services to support their development and company start-up strategies, and works closely with universities and research sectors. With 65,000 students, 3 universities and a wide range of curricula, Montpellier is constantly broadening its reputation as a Eurocity and one of southern Europe’s most prominent technological research parks.
Art in the heart of the city
As a university city, Montpellier has a young and dynamic population, and has made culture one of its priorities. With its philharmonic orchestra, two opera houses, rock ‘n’ roll venue and numerous music festivals, Montpellier’s dedication to music is undeniable. Dance is also a feature, with the Languedoc-Roussillon national choreographic centre of Montpellier, recently set up in new premises devoted entirely to dance, and unique in Europe. Lastly, the Mediterranean Film Festival is a yearly celebration of the movie industry.
Montpellier in the run up to the World Cup
“To use the event to project the best possible image for the city and the region, to involve the community, to offer our visitors entertainment and warm, well-organised hospitality, to provide the event with a true cultural dimension”, these, in a nutshell, are the aims underlying all projects developed by Montpellier over the past few months.
The FRANCE 98 crusade
The city and the surrounding area have been preparing for the Football World Cup for a long time, starting in 1996, when the Mayor of Montpellier and the President of the Languedoc-Roussillon Football League embarked on a vast regional tour to spread the word about the World Cup among the population.
Montpellier is already in a position to measure the spin-off of the Football World Cup in terms of jobs, with many local companies working on the Mosson stadium renovation. The World Cup will also have a significant effect on tourism, given the world-wide profile of the event. As it is hosting 6 matches, Montpellier will be welcoming thousands of new visitors. The city is already well-known for its hospitality, as is borne out by its reputation. So it is not surprising that the entire tourist industry, both in the city and further afield, is dedicated to preparing for the event, so that visitors can discover and enjoy the many architectural, gastronomical and cultural treasures of Montpellier and the Languedoc-Roussillon region. In 1998, creativity will be an essential ingredient in tourist circuits and gastronomical menus, as well as in the city’s decorations, which are sure to be highly original.
Goooooooaaaaal!
Today, the famous Place de la Comédie is ready for the Football World Cup : the FRANCE 98 mascot Footix is an integral part of the countdown to the big event, crowing “Buuuuuuut!” (“goal !”) every hour on the hour from his perch.
A time to relax after the game In December 1996, the city launched a wide-ranging press campaign highlighting post-match entertainment, an initiative acclaimed with an award by a jury of advertising professionals. The programme of events prepared by the city is highly appealing. For example, two orchestras representing two teams are to “play” each other, while a football game is projected onto a giant screen behind them. Another project is the world premiere of a large-scale dance event accompanied by 112 musicians. And Montpellier has much more in store. A year before the event, the city is ready !
CONTACTS
Director of Communication Marie-France DEWAST Hôtel de ville – 1 place Francis Ponge – 34064 Montpellier cedex 2 Tel : (33) 4 67 34 72 12 – Fax : (33) 4 67 64 56 77 From the 1st July Tel : (33) 4 67 61 67 27 – Fax : (33) 4 67 61 67 00
Tourist Office 78, avenue du Pirée – 34000 Montpellier Tel : (33) 4 67 58 67 58 – Fax : (33) 4 67 58 67 59
THE STADIUM
By increasing capacity to 35,500 seats, the Stade de la Mosson is taking a big step and joining France’s family of large stadiums. The facility, built in 1988, has since its construction undergone a series of transformations that parallel the ascent of its home team.
Name of Stadium : LA MOSSON
Location : In the La Paillade quarter, 4 km from downtown, in Northwest Montpellier
First inaugurated : 1988 (when Montpellier ascended back into 1st division)
Capacity before renovation : 23,500 places, of which 7,500 standing
Capacity in 1998 : 35,500 seats
Renovation operations : Standing places to be converted into seats. Changing rooms and lighting, sound, scoreboard and videosurveillance system to be brought up to World Cup standards.
Reconstruction operations : New Press Centre, Official Salon and multi-level VIP stands (Aigoual, Cévennes, Gévaudan, Méditerranée) to be built, for a total of 1,600 seats.
Date of completion : June 4, 1998
Architect : Cabinet BBA Denis BEDEAU and Philippe BONON
Nantes
The City
Population : Inner city : 244,500 inh. Urban area : 499,200 inh.
Mayor : Jean-Marc Ayrault
The Club
F.C. Nantes-Atlantique 7 French League 1 French Cup
A City of irresistible charm
Over the centuries, Nantes has thrived by making the most of its strategic position at a natural cross-roads between the land and the sea. The castle that was once the residence of the Dukes of Brittany is now undergoing a major restoration. It was here, four centuries ago, that Henri IV signed the Edict of Nantes, formally recognising the right to individual choice. With its position by the sea, the city developed into one of France’s major ports. While maritime and naval activity have now moved downstream to Saint-Nazaire, the entire estuary has joined forces and turned Nantes-Atlantique into the metropolitan centre for the west of France.
Breeding talent
The estuary has a healthy economy that has been undergoing radical change. Every industry within the service sector is established here, e.g. medicine, administration, finance, information technology and trade, which makes Nantes the second most important French city for the service industry. The estuary itself, the fourth most important industrial region in France, is home to an array of engineering companies (maritime, mechanical, electronics, I.T.) as well as the food and timber industries. In an environment which promotes get-up-and-go, talent and success stories can be found in abundance. A busy port, decentralised expansion facilitated by the TGV high-speed train links and a network of training and research centres made up of 2,000 researchers and 43,000 students all contribute to Nantes’ considerable reputation. Every year a thousand engineers graduate from the various tertiary industry institutions in the area. An amazing place Traditional cultural events are programmed in Nantes, often alongside some quite breathtaking creative innovations. This is only to be expected from the city that was the birthplace of Jules Vernes and the cradle of surrealism. Such eclecticism can be seen today through the harmonious co-existence of institutions such as the famous opera house, the Pays-de-Loire National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Loire-Atlantique cultural centre. Cultural events in the region’s calendar include : the Carnival in April, the Summer Festival in June where musicians from around the world come to perform, and the Erdre programme, which combines music and water sports in a unique natural setting.
Another attraction is the “Folles Journées” at the Cité des congrès where thousands gather to listen to the music of a chosen composer.
NANTES IN THE RUN-UP TO THE WORLD CUP
The city sees the World Cup as an opportunity to offer visitors, both French and international, the very best of what the region has to offer, so they go home with fond memories and dream of coming back one day, to explore further and to learn more. It has been Nantes’ intention, ever since news broke that it had been chosen as a host city, to open its doors to everyone.
The capital of the Loire region wasted no time when it came to taking up the challenge. Football is a tradition here and the “nantaise” style of play universally recognised by fans of the game. For Nantes, it certainly won’t be difficult to drum up World Cup enthusiasm within the local communities.
Football, conveying true values
In 1998, Nantes will celebrate the 400th anniversary of the signing of the Edict of Nantes. And what better way could there be of conveying to the world and the youth of today the message contained in this edict of tolerance than by sport? To achieve this, the city has launched a “Supporters Charter” programme for school-children in the ten cities in the World cup programme: a charter based on the principle of tolerance, a key rule in sport and in particular in football.
Giant celebrations in Nantes !
What was once the LU biscuit factory, and is now part of the city’s industrial heritage, is to be taken over to become a meeting place and entertainment area for the World Cup, where young people can get together, swap ideas and experiences and discover something new.
Nantes is also host to a quite amazing theatre troupe named the “Royal de Luxe”. The troupe, which won the 1996 grand theatre award, will be providing the creative input to make the “giant”, a huge 10 metre tall puppet that walks through the city acting out a series of scenes. In the Summer of 1998, the Giant will be galvanising the streets as it tell tales of travels in Africa, a continent where football is of paramount importance.
As Nantes will be host to Brazil during the first stages of the competition, the municipal authorities have decided to build a copy of the famous Brazilian beach, Copacabana, in the heart of the city. Tons of golden sand will transform the former home of the Dukes of Brittany into a citadel for football.
CONTACTS
Director of Communication Guy LORANT Hôtel de ville – BP 1013 – 44036 Nantes cedex 01 Tél : (33) 2 40 41 67 08 – Fax : (33) 2 40 41 59 39
Tourist Office- Nantes Atlantique 7, rue de Valmy – 44041 Nantes cedex 01 Tél : (33) 2 40 20 60 00 – Fax : (33) 2 40 89 11 99
THE STADIUM
The Nantes-Atlantique club, which has won the French Championship seven times, had a new football stadium built in 1984 to host the European Championship. Though it is a relatively recent construction, further improvements are to be made in preparation for the six World Cup matches.
Name of stadium : LA BEAUJOIRE – LOUIS FONTENEAU
Location : 7 km from downtown
First inaugurated : May 8, 1984. FCNA-Rumania (0-1)
Capacity before renovation : Approx. 52 000, of which 17 000 standing
Capacity in 1998 : 39 500 seats
Renovation operations : New stands to be built on both upper and lower levels and surrounds. Change to the rake of the stands Renovation of entrances to stadium and restoration of playing area Upgrade to comply with World Cup standards for fittings, lighting, sound system, score display fixtures and installation of new video-surveillance network.
Construction operations : Additional boxes and reception lounges. Installation of anti-wind protection.
Date of completion : April 1998
First match : April 4, 1997 (FNCA-Olympique de Marseille) with World Cup capacity.
Construction management : City of Nantes
Paris
The City
Population : Inner city : 2,200,000 inh. Urban area : 9,000,000 inh.
Mayor : Jean Tibéri
The club
Paris-Saint-Germain F.C.
2 French League titles
4 Times French Cup winners
1 European Cup winners Cup
The thousand and one faces of Paris
Paris occupies a very special place in the cultural heritage of the world : all men and women, wherever they come from, discover a little piece of their imagination here, something like a second home. There is the Paris of History : the site has been inhabited since Palaeolithic times. The city grew from an island on the Seine settled by a Gallic tribe, the Parisii (2nd century B.C.), hence its name. There is the Paris of every day, with its hundred villages and “small trades”. This is the Paris where it is so pleasant to live, with its secret gardens like the ones on the banks of the Seine, or in the Marais and Saint-Germain des Prés. There is the Paris of monuments, which the entire world seems to have known for a long time : Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Sacré Coeur, etc. And of course, there is the bubbling, imaginative and lively Paris, always ready for a party or for a show, the Paris of the arts and of creativity. Paris is also a city of challenge, ambition, and determination to succeed. And there is the dynamic and active business world of Paris, with a constant economic revival. Paris is also a city of major works from which is emerging the modern face of the 20th century, that of Bercy, the new Montparnasse and the Left Bank. These are the thousand and one faces of Paris which all the players and spectators of the 1998 Football World Cup will be able to discover, a Paris which has no intention of becoming a museum city, but which discloses itself by chance, when wandering through its streets, meeting its people, encountering the unexpected. It is a city which belongs to the realm of the imagination.
PARIS IN THE RUN-UP TO THE WORLD CUP
Paris is well-versed in hosting international events. With more trade fairs and conventions than anywhere else in the world for the past 15 years, Paris will once again be the destination this summer for hundreds of thousands of young people from all over Europe as they participate in the “Journées Mondiales de la Jeunesse” (World Youth Days).
A warm welcome
It is not a matter of chance that all events held in Paris are so successful. Each one is analysed thoroughly with a view to improving the quality of organisation and hospitality. With some 20 million tourists visiting the capital every year, the quality of the reception given them is a top priority.
It is precisely this priority that dictates the policy of the Paris city council in preparing for the 16th Football World Cup. Together with the tourist industry, institutions and various other partners involved in organising this event, a number of task forces have for some time been working towards the summer of 1998, anticipating all eventualities so that the event will be a resounding success.
Catering to everyone’s taste
Not only will Paris be welcoming spectators for all the matches played at the Parc des Princes, it will also be the place through which most fans will be passing to reach the 9 other World Cup host cities. It will also be a platform for the 9,000-odd accredited journalists covering the competition, with the International Media Centre at the Parc des Expositions (trade fair centre), located at the Porte de Versailles. Nevertheless, Paris won’t be forgetting the hundreds of thousands of other tourists, maybe less keen on football, who will be coming to visit the capital, nor will it ignore Parisians themselves, whom it would like to involve in the great celebration.
So that everyone can go home with fond memories of Paris in the summer of 1998, the city has set a number of objectives: • Quality hospitality, with information areas scattered throughout the capital and offering multilingual services; • Mobilisation of the tourist industry to provide top-quality service; • Close co-operation with public transport operators to optimise traffic flow.
On with the show!
For the first time in history, and to make the last World Cup of the century something truly to remember, a huge show for everybody is to be laid on, getting the 16th World Cup off to a roaring start. On June 9, the day before the opening match, Paris and all of France will be welcoming the world with a vast celebration in the heart of the capital. A symbol of excitement, universality and sharing on the eve of the year 2000! And when the lights are finally dimmed after the event, the streets of Paris will still be ringing with the sounds of the party, and with the Parisian gaiety without which Paris just would not be Paris.
So whether you are a fan or not, French or foreign, Parisian or from the suburbs, 1998 will have something for everyone. Welcome to Paris !
CONTACTS
Special Adviser to the Mayor of Paris for Communication Jean-Pierre LABRO Hôtel de ville – 75196 Paris RP Tél : (33) 1 42 76 40 21 – Fax : (33) 1 42 76 64 51
Tourist Office 127, avenue des Champs – Elysées – 75008 Paris Tél : (33) 1 49 52 53 54 – Fax : (33) 1 49 52 53 00
THE STADIUM
The Parc des Princes has a special place in the hearts of the French people. Ever since its renovation in 1972, it has been the stage for the triumphs of France’s rugby and football teams, and with its versatile lay-out has a reputation as one of the top-class venues in Paris for concerts, supercross championships and showjumping competitions, not to mention the Paris S-G matches. «Le Parc» is to undergo several improvements before hosting World Cup matches.
Name of stadium : PARC DES PRINCES
Location : In the 16th arrondissement in Paris, above the “périphérique” (ring road) at the west side of the city (Porte Saint Cloud).
Original inauguration : June 1972
Capacity before refurbishment : Up to 48,725 seats
Capacity in 1998 : 49,000 all seated
Renovation operations : Replacement of all seats in the stadium for improved spectator comfort. New lay-out for presidential and official stands, together with press areas. Modernisation of changing rooms. Lighting, sound systems and scoreboards to be brought up to World Cup standards; new video monitoring system installed.
Construction operations : New 44-seat stand with accessibility for physically disabled spectators.
Completion date : March 1998
Construction management : City of Paris
Architect: Cabinet Roger TAILLIBERT
St-Denis
THE CITY
Population : Inner city : 95,000 inh. Urban area : See Paris.
Mayor : Patrick Braouezec
Saint-Denis is a city rich in contrasts, a place where the famous Gothic basilica and the ultra-modern Stade de France can exist side by side in perfect harmony. With a solid footing in the past and resolutely turned towards the future, it is a place that often glows with the magic atmosphere generated by big events. And the royal city is forging ahead to the third millennium with all the force of a champion.
Necropolis for the Kings of France
Denis, the first bishop of Lutetia in the 3rd century, met a tragic end. According to legend, after he was beheaded at Montmartre, he walked with his head under his arm to the village which took his name. His tomb was a place of pilgrimage before becoming a royal abbey with a very special function. For the celebrated basilica, jewel of the Gothic period, houses 70 royal tombs, those of nearly all the kings of France since Hugues Capet. An important focal point in the France of mediaeval times and the Capetian era, Saint-Denis took on a very different aspect during the industrial revolution of the 19th century, becoming one of the chief industrial and economic centres in the immediate vicinity of Paris. Several waves of immigrants since then have made a considerable contribution to the economic dynamism of the city, and given it a truly cosmopolitan feel.
Contrasts in architecture
Saint-Denis has preserved many of its architectural splendours from the past: the cathedral with its royal tombs, together with a monastery built under Louis XV, now “Maison d’Education de la Légion d’Honneur” (a school for the children of those holding the Légion d’honneur) and several archaeological remains, which can be seen in the city museum.
But Saint-Denis also boasts many buildings impressive for their modernism, designed by well-known architects such as Simounet, Ciriani, Gaudin and Oscar Niemeyer.
Saint-Denis, 9 km north of Notre-Dame in Paris, plays an important role in the economic life of the Paris metropolitan area. For the last hundred years it has been the home of large business concerns, which today include Siemens, Panasonic, the Gaz de France research centre, the TGV (high-speed train) workshops and numerous audio-visual companies.The new road infrastructures being built to accommodate World Cup traffic are additional bonuses which have attracted several new companies to the city.
Cosmopolitan city
With the passing of time and developments in economic and industrial areas, Saint-Denis’ population has gradually gained a variety of people from different ethnic backgrounds, who have in turn made the city a universal meeting place. Its culture has been vastly enriched by this ethnic injection, a feature of life in Saint-Denis of which the city is justly proud. And while many celebrated cultural events regularly take place there, such as its music and “Acteurs à l’écran” festivals, the book fair, and performances at its famous theatre, Saint-Denis is also a city with a high profile in the sports world, and annually hosts an international athletics meeting.
SAINT-DENIS IN THE RUN-UP TO THE WORLD CUP
A metamorphosis in action
The World Cup at Saint-Denis represents far more than the 9 matches and the opening and closing ceremonies that are to be staged there. It’s even more than a gigantic stadium that gets handsomer every day – it’s even more than an already fantastic adventure!
Ever since the announcement that it was to be one of the host cities, Saint-Denis has considered the World Cup as a real project embracing many issues: social, economic and cultural. The city and the whole population is working as one on a process of transformation and improvement, moving together towards the great global “consecration” in 1998, which everyone sees, with enormous enthusiasm, as a dynamic springboard to the third millennium.
At the heart of this metamorphosis, the Stade de France rises majestically skywards, and in its wake follows a whole new world of infrastructures. For the World Cup means that Saint-Denis will have two new stations for access to the stadium, and numerous amenities and services in the locale which will contribute to the new royal aspect of the city where the kings of France have their resting place. Something for everybody From the outset, the City Council of Saint-Denis has wanted to involve as many people as possible in the preparations for the event. The football logo is already proudly displayed throughout the city through a street exhibition tracing the history of the Football World Cup, and a year away from kick-off, Saint-Denis has launched a World Cup countdown system, inaugurated on 9 June at the main junction in the city centre.
Students and pupils are thoroughly involved in all the city’s schools. Those at the Suger school have been corresponding for several months already with schoolchildren in Barcelona, Milan, Paris and Manchester, so that they can get to know other supporters’ clubs better. Their work will culminate in 1998 with a grand meeting on the theme “Sport and citizenship”. Other schoolchildren have been involved in the transformation of the areas they live in by participating in exhibitions.
Plans for a welcome village are at present being finalised, and it will soon be built. This will be a rallying point for all the local and regional partners, who will doubtless want to take advantage of the occasion by advertising their services and products.
A festival of joy
Saint-Denis has pulled out all the stops in honour of the greatest sporting event at the end of the century. 1998 is to be a real festival, a truly magnificent occasion where sport, cultural activities and the performing arts will combine in a magical experience involving everybody, locals and visitors alike. The programme includes a grand carnival procession, a son-et-lumière show called “New Look”, a fairground set up for the duration of the event, a “literary voyage” around all the 32 countries qualifying for the World Cup, a rock concert venue, a multi-section exhibition put on throughout the city, dance cafés all along the canal and many, many more events to be conceived and performed by acclaimed professionals in the world of performance – in short, nothing less than a festival of joy !
CONTACTS
Director of Communication Fabien DOUZENEL Hôtel de ville – BP 269 – 93205 Saint Denis cedex Tél : (33) 1 49 33 62 30 – Fax : (33) 1 49 33 68 24
Tourist Office 1, rue de la République – 93200 Saint Denis Tél : (33) 1 55 87 08 70 – Fax : (33) 1 48 20 24 11
The FRANCE 98 Football World Cup was the force that generated it, and now the Stade de France can only be described in superlatives: the biggest multi-function Olympic-sized stadium in the world; the biggest worksite in France, and the one that has received the most media attention. From day one in May 1995 when building work started, the site, due for completion in November 1997, has never failed to astonish its visitors. It has to be said that over and above its technical achievements, the stadium, conceived by the Bouygues, GTM-Entrepose and SGE Groups, and designed by the architects Macary, Zubléna, Regembal and Costantini, is impressive for many other reasons!
Variable capacity
Thanks to its variable capacity, its unparalleled comfort, and the exceptional quality of its installations, the Stade de France can host a wide variety of events ranging from football and rugby matches to shows on a grand scale, as well as athletics competitions.
The ability to vary its capacity is one of the Stade de France’s chief assets. The circle of mobile stands closest to the sports area, and which contain 25,000 seats, is an amazing technical achievement, for never before has flexibility on this scale been attempted. The stands, when set in a configuration 15 metres back from the running tracks and the jumping pits, provides 21,000 seats, giving spectators maximum visibility. The middle stand has a capacity of 30,000, and the upper stand 25,000. In addition, the stadium ground itself can accommodate 25,000, bringing the maximum capacity for large-scale shows to 105,000.
Comfort for everybody
Everything has been designed with the comfort of each spectator in mind: the public has easy access to covered seats thanks to a special compartmentalised system in the stands, which leads directly to the esplanade. The elliptical form of the stands was chosen to enable the best possible view of the games area, while their actual design, “hugging” the curve of the race track, has long been recognised as the most effective for an Olympic stadium. The comfort of the sportsmen and women was also a prime concern for the architects, as well as those for the media, who will find in the Stade de France the best possible working conditions.
But for the moment, the 16th Football World Cup is the driving force behind the giant structure. And if you close your eyes, you can already hear the clamour rising from the stadium, this clamour that will be thrilling the whole world throughout the summer of 1998 ! Directeur de la Communication Eric de BRANCHE Tél : (33) 01 49 46 37 25 – Fax : (33) 01 49 46 38 65
St-Etienne
THE CITY
Population : Inner city : 200,000 inh. Urban city : 450,000 inh.
Mayor : Jean-Michel Thiollière
THE CLUB
A.S. Saint Etienne 10 French league titles 6 times French Cup winners
Saint-Etienne, the bold “green” city
A city rich in skills inherited from its industrial past, Saint-Etienne ranks today as the second largest urban conglomeration in the Rhône-Alpes region. With its ambition to conduct extensive economic projects, the city is banking on the World Football Cup to demonstrate its vitality and know-how.
Birthplace of the industrial era Saint-Etienne started booming right back in the 16th century, becoming prosperous through the manufacture of furnishing trimmings and weapons. Then, in the 19th century, the city really began to build its industrial reputation, largely through coal-mining, and the industrial revolution turned Saint-Etienne into one of France’s leading cities. The famous “Ecole des Mines” (national school of mine engineering) was founded there in 1816, and it is no coincidence that France’s first railway line had a terminus in Saint-Etienne in 1827. In the mid 19th century, the city prudently began to diversify its activities and develop new industries. It was then that the mass-distribution specialist Perrachon, today known as “CASINO”, was founded, as well as the famous “Manufrance” company selling arms and cycles. Coal-mining was at its peak. With the 20th century emerged new economic models: the leisure industry was born, and .Saint-Etienne built its theatre, stadium and museums. Building on its past 0heritage, the Saint-Etienne of the year 2000 is developing by adjusting to the new demands of the present.
A successful conversion
Former capital of the arms, fashion accessory and cycle industries, Saint-Etienne has rapidly built up a reputation for its expertise in sub-contracting andmechanics. Today, close to 400 small and medium-size businesses, grouped in industrial “poles”(including industrial automation, medical technologies and optical engineering) make up the city’s economic fabric and provide its driving force. With top-class higher education institutions (Ecole des Mines, and colleges for fine arts and architecture), the city is also home to 700 researchers and is a major venue for scientific conventions.
The city of art and culture
Known in the past for the expertise of its craftsmen, Saint-Etienne is now a lively artistic centre. A large number of shows are held every season at the Comédie Jean Dasté and the Esplanade Opera House. The Modern Art Museum houses the second largest public collection of French contemporary art, after Paris. The Museum of Art and Industry is about to receive a unique collection of weapons, while the Coal-mining Museum and the Planetarium, among others, constitute cultural landmarks in a city that also welcomes nearly 400 authors every year at the Book Fair.
An exceptional environment to live in
But Saint-Etienne is also known for its natural environment, and has received much acclaim for its quality of life. With 60,000 hectares of protected green areas, the region offers a wide range of outdoor activities for nature buffs.
SAINT-ETIENNE IN THE RUN-UP TO THE WORLD CUP
From the very outset, Saint-Etienne grasped the importance of hosting the Football World Cup in 1998, and was quick to involve its whole population, making the success of the event a goal for everyone.
Living the World Cup
The first symbol of this goal has been the founding of an association entirely devoted to preparing for the big event : thanks to SECOM (Saint-Etienne Coupe du Monde), the whole city lives and breathes the World Cup. The countdown has already started, as evinced by three giant clocks, placed at the gates of the city and along the highways, that are measuring the time left before Saint-Etienne welcomes the games. At 365 days before kick-off, this is truly “a countdown that counts” : this was the message in the city’s press campaign, where it stressed its determination to mobilise the entire population to ensure the success of FRANCE 98.
Image-building…
Looking beyond its regional borders, Saint-Etienne has also embarked on a billboard campaign in six French cities, with a view to enhancing its image and restoring its reputation as a city of grandeur and excellence.
Know-how
The city is proving highly creative in the run-up to 1998, as highlighted by the operation conducted the day before renovation work started on the Geoffroy Guichard stadium : the old pitch was cut up and offered to the football club’s supporters, enabling them to take home a piece of the “sacred turf”. About 5 weeks before the World Cup kick-off, Saint-Etienne’s citizens will be invited to share a moving moment, with a huge show organised for the inauguration of the new stadium.
Meanwhile, all entertainment initiatives that are to be organised in the city in 1997 will be sporting the colours of the World Cup.
And for those who can’t wait until 1998, Saint-Etienne promises to rise to the occasion. A village set up in the downtown area is to host a permanent celebration, with activities, meetings with well-known personalities, and exclusive shows, while the city’s neighbourhoods will dress up in the colours of the qualifying countries, as impressive parades file down the main streets, bringing a feeling of cheerfulness and fun to everybody’s hearts.
CONTACTS
Director of Communication Sandrine JALLON Hôtel de Ville – BP 503 – 42007 Saint-Etienne cedex Tél : (33) 4 77 42 86 70 – Fax : (33) 4 77 41 61 81
Tourist Office 3, place Roannelle – 42029 Saint Etienne cedex 1 Tél : (33) 4 77 25 12 14 – Fax : (33) 4 77 32 71 28
THE STADIUM
The capital of football since the string of successes of its green-clad football club in the 70s, Saint-Etienne will, more than ever, show its love for football in 1998, when it will host the World Cup games in a newly renovated stadium (referred to as the “chaudron”, or cauldron, a nickname acquired in the seventies).
Name of stadium : GEOFFROY GUICHARD
Location : 3 km from downtown
First inaugurated : September 1931
Capacity before renovation : 42,000 places, of which 19,000 standing
Capacity in 1998 : 36,000 seats
Renovation operations : Standing-room steps to be replaced with seats in the north and south stands. Press stand to be converted, boxes and private salons to be built, interior rooms of the west stand to be extended. East and west stands to be fitted with special equipment for disabled visitors. Lighting, sound, and score display fixtures to be brought up to standard; new videosurveillance system. New layout for the stadium surroundings, including extended parking facilities, access road, 851 trees.
Reconstruction operations : New pitch
Date of completion : Late 1997
Inauguration of renovated stadium : May 98
Architect : Messrs BERGER et JALLON
Toulouse
THE CITY
Population : Inner city : 365,000 inh. Urban area : 600,000 inh.
Mayor : Dominique Baudis
THE CLUB
Toulouse F.C. 1 French Cup.
Toulouse, a city with a heart
Founded on the banks of the Garonne River over two thousand years ago, the rose-coloured city still retains its Latin character. Neither entirely Mediterranean nor entirely oceanic, it is first and foremost a city of the “Occitan”, the region of the ancient language “langue d’Oc”. On the eve of the third millennium, its position as one of Southern Europe’s great capitals is evident, thanks to its many rich and varied assets.
Pink bricks and red tiles
With its subtle marriage of stone, brick and red tile in the Capitole and Daurade quarters, its labyrinth of alleyways lined with sumptuous mansions, the cool, refreshing atmosphere of the banks of the Canal du Midi and its houseboats, and the romantic charm of the Garonne and Pont-Neuf embankments, Toulouse is a city of the open air, inviting exploration on foot.
Aerospatiale, high tech and university campuses: looking to the future.
From the pioneers of the first Latécoere airlines, Jean Mermoz and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, to the Airbus aircraft and the Ariane rockets, Toulouse has had an important place in Europe’s aeronautical history. Through its high profile in aeronautics, electronics, space telecommunications and the biomedical industry, Toulouse is at the forefront of advanced technology and is a prominent research pool with its 400 laboratories. The University of Toulouse has enjoyed a considerable reputation ever since it was founded in 1229. As the second largest university centre in France today, Toulouse attracts over 115,000 students each year and has become a European standard of reference in teaching and research.
A city proud of its heritage
Toulouse is the site of unique cultural heritage, which includes the renowned Canal du Midi, built in the 17th century and linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. It has recently been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Museums and galleries abound, giving visitors a glorious taste of the city’s local riches.
Always looking to the future, Toulouse has also risen to the challenge by embarking on large-scale construction projects, such as its subway system, the Congress Centre, the Cité de l’Espace, the Modern and Contemporary Art Centre and the Cinémathèque, among many others bearing witness to the city’s dynamic spirit.
Toulouse in the run up to the World Cup
Sixty years after hosting a Football World Cup, Toulouse is once again to be the stage for the celebration of football in 1998. Although the city is a more familiar venue for rugby, with its famous multiple cup-winning team, the citizens are still firm football fans. The capital of the Midi-Pyrénées region will certainly be doing justice to football in 1998, and visitors for the World Cup will have a wonderful chance to experience its very special quality of life.
Organisation and hospitality
This quality of life is first and foremost based on the way tourists are welcomed, an aspect central to the staging of the competition. Anyone who has already visited the southern capital will be familiar with the warmth of Toulouse hospitality.
Toulouse has already set the stage for the event by selecting a special team of men and women to be ambassadors of the “Toulouse spirit”. Discreet but omnipresent, they will be on hand to see to every visitor’s comfort. Criss-crossing the city on foot or on their bicycles, they are to be the city’s mobile hospitality squad. A central hospitality village is to act as a super-tourist centre, and there will be satellite information sites at the city’s main access points as well as downtown. No less than 50 “pagodas” like this are to be set up at key points throughout the city.
Spotlight on the Garonne Toulouse loves its river, the subject of many a popular song, and has enhanced it by lighting the bridges and restructuring the locks. The Garonne is truly the focus of the city, and will be even more so during the World Cup, serving as a thoroughfare, a games area and a stage for shows based on old traditions, as fun-lovers gather on its banks. Decked out in the colours of the competing nations, its embankments will become a permanent fair ground offering gastronomical and cultural specialties from the area. River shuttles will be taking visitors to the Ile du Ramier, home to the Stadium, and further celebrations are to be staged on the water, such as “Garonna”, a huge parade whose aptly-named floats will surely inspire a great flowering of creativity and imagination.
Reviving tradition with the values of France 98
This is another challenge Toulouse has set itself in preparation for the World Cup. Everyone will be invited to relive popular tradition by participating in the “Grand Fenetra”, an event dating back to the 14th century, with traditional dancing, singing and general merriment. And then there are the famous “Toulouse Jousts”, to be revived in 1998 : yet another project to bring the sense of excitement, universality and sharing to the last Football World Cup of the century.
CONTACTS
Director of Communication Paul-Henry CABROL Hôtel de ville – Place du Capitole – 31030 Toulouse cedex Tel : (33) 5 61 22 21 02 – Fax : (33) 5 61 22 21 64
World Cup Communication Sybille FORCA Tél. : (33) 5 62 27 65 65 – Fax : (33) 5 61 22 21 64
Tourist Office Donjon du Capitole – BP 0801 – 31080 Toulouse cedex Tél : (33) 5 61 11 02 22 – Fax (33) 5 61 22 03 63
THE STADIUM
With its oval, rugby-style pitch, the Municipal Stadium is familiar chiefly to those who regularly follow the Toulouse rugby team. But the venue is also used by the Toulouse Football Club, which just gained its comeback in the french first division. Built on an island between two branches of the Garonne, the Municipal Stadium is located on an exceptional site, an island of greenery a stone’s throw from the city centre.
Name of Stadium : STADIUM
Location : Ile du Ramier, close to city centre 15 mn from airport and train station
First inaugurated : 1949
Capacity before renovation : 34,000 places, of which 10% with reduced visibility
Capacity in 1998 : 37,000 sheltered seats with full visibility
Renovation operations : Lighting, sound, billboarding and videosurveillance system to be brought up to World Cup standards.
Construction operations : Existing roof to be demolished and replaced with a metal and textile structure; pillars in the bench rows to be eliminated so as to increase visibility. 3,500 seat dress circle to be built in the north stand; New boxes.
Date of completion : January 1998
Architect : Cabinet FERRET, principal architect Cabinet Cardete et Huet, associated architects
