Planning a trip to France and Id like to catch some French league action. RC Lens are the closest French team to England so I thinking over heading there for a game. They are in Ligue 2 these days...
Anybody been already? What was it like?
I go once or twice a year to watch them mate, it's a decent little trip. First watched them when they won the league and they've slowly declined since following them.
If you need tickets then it's easy to sign up on their website and they'll email you e-tickets.
If you're driving you can park outside the stadium for nothing and it's a few minites walk in to town. Best bar is The Pirates, which is on your left as you walk up the main road through town.
Still waiting on the bloody fixture changes for when we play Burnley. Anderlecht are at home on the Sunday afternoon but I'd now rather get Lens ticked off. All goes well it could even become a semi-regular thing.
Still waiting on the bloody fixture changes for when we play Burnley. Anderlecht are at home on the Sunday afternoon but I'd now rather get Lens ticked off. All goes well it could even become a semi-regular thing.
Im with you on that one, get a London supporters club going! They are our local French league team afterall!
Went there for a stag do a few years ago. Match was good as was atmosphere, but we should have commuted from Lille as the town was dead by 10pm! Discovered Ruby Leffe while there, from what I remember!
So Lens' game has been moved to the Monday night, getting back from Brussels is a stretch after Anderlecht on the Sunday, then I noticed PSG are playing the Saturday evening...
My idea of it only costing a little more than Burnley was completely unfounded and I feel a bit dirty for lining their coffers, but it's another one I've intended to do and it'll be cool to finally see Ibra live. Match tickets are 55 Euros.
The train was also more than I'd bargained for but it's bloody tough watching most leagues abroad. They all announce TV changes 4 weeks in advance by which time flights or whatever are loads. Gambling isn't worth it when your main reason for travelling is football.
If enough of us are up for the trip then we could make a real go of it get a minibus and the ferry out at fairly short notice pass an afternoon drinking a few evening of footie and then back next day. Motels in northern France are still very cheap
Oh as a side note if you are visiting Lens you should try and get to Arras it is a great town. Just watch out for the local ladies they bite
Agree with you there. Had a couple of nights there earlier in the year, great place.
Really liked Arras, only stayed there one night but really enjoyed the afternoon/evening there....it was our first stop on a European road trip, just back after 6 weeks away....3 draws and 3 defeats later.
If enough of us are up for the trip then we could make a real go of it get a minibus and the ferry out at fairly short notice pass an afternoon drinking a few evening of footie and then back next day. Motels in northern France are still very cheap
Back in the days of CIFC (the unofficial supporters team) we used to see RC Lens up at the big national tournament in Leeds every year where 40-50 supporters teams would play each over in a World Cup style tournament over 2 days - Lens used to bring a coach load of fans & players from France, while we struggled to get 11 up from London...played against them one year, think we won but I might be wrong...
According to google maps (from Dover) its 121 miles and 2 hours 28 minutes to Lille, and Lens is 111 miles and 2 hours 19 minutes, both by car. As the bird flies Lille might be closer but Lens is closer by road....
PSG-Toulouse was decent but an expensive trip for only one night and one match. The stadium is pretty much as you'd expect although a bit cramped and very steep, thankfully they didn't have the dodgy kiosk cards on the go. The atmosphere was better than I had expected, not bad noise from both ends whilst I was among the more affluent folk on the side. I'll try and do another French game or a Belgian one before the season's end but I could be put off by the late TV changes and high train prices.
I'm going back to Italy when we have Yeovil away, though. All goes well then I'll have Bologna-Juve the Friday night, a Serie B game Saturday (most likely Cesena-Padova), Verona-Atalanta Sunday afternoon then if I push it I could probably get to Inter-Parma and back that night... I've been to San Siro before but four games in a weekend would be bloody great.
Comments
If you need tickets then it's easy to sign up on their website and they'll email you e-tickets.
If you're driving you can park outside the stadium for nothing and it's a few minites walk in to town. Best bar is The Pirates, which is on your left as you walk up the main road through town.
Let me know if you need any advice etc.
My idea of it only costing a little more than Burnley was completely unfounded and I feel a bit dirty for lining their coffers, but it's another one I've intended to do and it'll be cool to finally see Ibra live. Match tickets are 55 Euros.
The train was also more than I'd bargained for but it's bloody tough watching most leagues abroad. They all announce TV changes 4 weeks in advance by which time flights or whatever are loads. Gambling isn't worth it when your main reason for travelling is football.
I'm going back to Italy when we have Yeovil away, though. All goes well then I'll have Bologna-Juve the Friday night, a Serie B game Saturday (most likely Cesena-Padova), Verona-Atalanta Sunday afternoon then if I push it I could probably get to Inter-Parma and back that night... I've been to San Siro before but four games in a weekend would be bloody great.