Brittany is the westernmost region of Metropolitan France. It covers about four fifths of the territory of the historic province of Brittany. Its capital is Rennes. It is one of the two Regions in Metropolitan France that does not contain any landlocked departments, the other being Corsica.
Nantes is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, 50 km (31 mi) from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabitants (2018). With Saint-Nazaire, a seaport on the Loire estuary, Nantes forms one of the main north-western French metropolitan agglomerations.
Football Club de Nantes, commonly referred to as FC Nantes or simply Nantes, is a French professional football club based in Nantes in Pays de la Loire. The club was founded on 21 April 1943, during World War II, as a result of local clubs based in the city coming together to form one large club. From 1992 to 2007, the club was referred to as FC Nantes Atlantique before reverting to its current name at the start of the 2007–08 season. Nantes play in Ligue 1, the first division of Football in France. Nantes is one of the most successful clubs in French football, having won eight Ligue 1 titles, four Coupe de France wins and attained one Coupe de la Ligue victory.
The French rugby league championship has been the major rugby league tournament for semi-professional and professional clubs in France since the sport was introduced to the country in the 1930s.
The French Rugby League Cup, also called Lord Derby Cup after its championship trophy, is the premier knockout competition for the sport of rugby league football in France. The French Cup was first contested in 1934–35, which also marked the first season of the French Rugby League Championship.
Rugby league has been played in France since 1934. As with rugby union, rugby league was introduced by the English and the heartland of the game is in the south of France.
RC Carpentras XIII are a semi-professional rugby league club based in the city of Carpentras, Vaucluse in the south of France. Formed in 1938, they play in the Elite Two Championship in France, which is the 2nd tier. Their home ground is the Stade de la Roseraire.
Villefranche XIII Aveyron are a semi-professional rugby league club based in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron in southern France. Formed in 1950, they currently play in the Elite Two Championship. Their home stadium is the Stade Henri Lagarde.
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two rivals, particularly in Association Football. In North America, crosstown rivalry is a more common term.
The Stade Marcel-Saupin is a sports complex in the city of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), France. It was opened in 1937 under the name Stade Malakoff, and was used primarily by Stade nantais université club for rugby union, then became the stadium of FC Nantes after World War II until the club moved to the Stade de la Beaujoire in 1984.
Elite 1 is the top level rugby league competition in France, sanctioned by the French Rugby League Federation. The season runs from September to April, which is in contrast to the majority of other major domestic rugby league competitions worldwide. The clubs play each other home and away then they enter into a play-off series culminating with a Grand Final. The competition is the continuation and first division of the French Rugby League Championship, which has been in existence since 1934, and is generally regarded as the third most important domestic championship in the world, behind Australia's National Rugby League and the transnational European Super League, and ahead of the NZRL National Competition, PNGNRL, Balkan Super League and Rhino Cup.
Montpellier XIII Red Devils are a semi-professional rugby league club based in Montpellier, in the region of Herault, France. They currently play in the National Division 2. Their home ground is the Stade Sabathé.
The French rugby league system is a four tiered structure with the major national club competition being the Elite One Championship. Below this is the Elite Two Championship and a number of regional leagues. The teams in each competition can change each year depending on final standings and relegation/promotion.
Elite 2 is the second tier semi-professional rugby league competition in France below Elite 1, but above the National Division 1. The season runs from September to April. The clubs play each other home and away before entering into a series of play-off matches resulting in a Grand Final. The winners can gain promotion to Elite 1 providing they meet a minimum criteria. Occasionally the runners-up could be offered promotion.
The Albert Falcou Cup, also called Albert Falcou French Cup, is an annual knock-out competition organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII for amateur rugby league clubs in France.
National Division 2 is the fourth tier of rugby league in France, below the National Division 1. The season runs from September to April. The Division is split into 5 regional leagues, Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrenees, Aquitaine, Ile de France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA). Clubs play each other home and away in their respective regional league with the top clubs progressing into a series of play-off matches to determine the champions. The champions can apply for promotion to the National Division 1. This tier was formerly known as the Federal Championship.
Racing Club de Roanne XIII are a French Rugby league club based in Roanne, Loire in the Rhône-Alpes region. The club plays in the Rhône-Alpes League of the French National Division 2.
The Georges Aillères French Cup is a French rugby league tournament. It is the league cup competition for Elite 2 teams.
Football Club de Nantes, commonly referred to as FC Nantes or simply Nantes, is a women's football club based in Nantes, France. It has been the women's section of FC Nantes since 2012. Coached by Mathieu Ricoul, the club competes in the Division 2 Féminine.
Stade nantais, also called Stade nantais rugby, is a semi-professional rugby union team based in Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, France. They compete in the Fédérale 1, France's fifth tier.
