Sport, health & fitness in Paris

The modern Olympic Games, as well as football’s FIFA, World Cup and European trophies, were all planned and developed in the boardrooms of the French capital, and the range of activities available in Paris does justice to the city’s proud sporting history.

Much is owed to the dynamic influence of the sports press, particularly the daily newspaper L’Equipe and bi-weekly France Football. Their fin-de-siècle forebear, L’Auto, introduced the world’s biggest annual cycling event into the calendar: the Tour de France (www.letour.fr).

Spectator sports

The national stadium is the 80,000-capacity Stade de France, it was built for the 1998 football World Cup and staged the final, in which the hosts beat Brazil 3-0 to claim the title for the first time. It also hosted the rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa in 2007.

Indoor events, including judo, basketball, handball and tennis, take place at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy.

The Stade Roland Garros (www.fft.fr) stages the French tennis open; the Parc des Princes, home of Paris St-Germain football club, also hosts rugby and other sporting events. Despite recent doping scandals, the three-week Tour de France is still a national festival, and huge crowds flock to the Champs-Elysées every July to welcome the riders home.

Horse racing

The full racing schedule, the Calendrier des Courses, is published by France Galop (www.france-galop.com). For information on trotting, France’s most popular form of racing, consult www.cheval-francais.com. All betting is done with the state-owned PMU, whose website (www.pmu.fr) provides details of races and odds. Paris Turf (www.paris-turf.com) is a useful source of tips.

Activities & team sports

The Mairie manages many of the general sports facilities across the capital, ensuring very reasonable entry prices. For details, consult its free annual Parisports: Guide du Sport à Paris or view the online version at www.sport.paris.fr.

Some venues require proof of health insurance, ID and passport-sized photos for membership. Note that joining a club or taking part in a competitive event (even a fun run) usually requires a medical certificate from a doctor.

Tickets & information

Tickets for many sports are sold online at www.ticketnet.fr, and at branches of Fnac and Virgin Megastore. For football and rugby internationals held at the Stade de France, contact the respective national associations (www.fff.fr).

All-round sports clubs

The Standard Athletic Club (route Forestière du Pavé de Meudon, 92360 Meudon-la-Forêt, 01.46.26.16.09, www.standac.com) is a private sports club aimed at English speakers. Full membership costs €800 per year. There are tennis and squash courts, a heated outdoor pool and workout facilities. Local multi-sports clubs include Racing Club de France (01.47.63.99.26, www.racingclubdefrance.org), ASPTT de Paris (01.45.69.01.01, www.aspttparis.com), Paris Université Club (01.44.16.62.62, www.puc.asso.fr) and Stade Français (01.40.71.33.33, www.stadefrancais.com).

American football

There are about 15 teams in the suburbs, plus ‘no-tackle’ flag football teams for men and women, and cheerleader squads. Contact the Fédération Française de Football Américain (www.fffa.org).

Athletics & running

Paris has plenty of municipal tracks, open to individual runners for a modest monthly subscription; for details pick up the Guide du Sport. Joggers use the banks of the Seine and the parks (Jardin du Luxembourg, Tuileries and Parc de la Villette), as well as the expansive Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes. The Paris Marathon takes place in April (see p274-279 Calendar), and other classic road races include the Paris half-marathon in March and the Paris-Versailles in September (www.parisversailles.com). The Hash House Harriers organise weekly runs. Log on to parishhh.free.fr for details.

Baseball, softball & cricket

Most Paris teams practise in the Bois de Vincennes. The Fédération Française de Baseball, Softball et Cricket (01.44.68.89.30, www.ffbsc.org) has details. An English expat runs the Château de Thoiry Cricket Club (78770 Thoiry, 01.34.87.55.70), 40km (25 miles) from Paris. Paris University Club (01.44.16.62.62, www.pucbaseball.com) has baseball teams for all ages.

Basketball

Almost every municipal sports centre has a court and club. Contact the Fédération Française de Basketball (www.basketfrance.com) for details.

Boules, pool & bowling

Boules or pétanque pitches are scattered all over Paris. Contact the Fédération Française de Pétanque (www.petanque.fr). Some pool venues require ID or a passport.

Climbing

To use any municipal climbing wall, you will need to obtain a personal ID card. Take a photo, your passport, proof of valid insurance and the fee (€4 per month) to the centre you want to use. For the real thing, try the superb boulder formations in the Forêt de Fontainebleau; Grimporama (www.grimporama.com) has full details, including maps, on its website. The Club Alpin du pays de Fontainebleau (01.64.22.67.18, caf77.free.fr) organises group climbs and weekend outings.

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Cycling

City cycling is growing in popularity, thanks to Mayor Delanoë’s expansion of bike lanes and the Vélib intiative. The Fédération Française de Cyclisme (www.ffc.fr) has details of the many local cycle clubs. The Stade Vélodrome Jacques-Anquetil (Bois de Vincennes, 12th, 01.43.68.01.27) is regularly open to amateur cyclists, and the circuits by the Hippodromes at Vincennes and Longchamp attract large groups of road cyclists. Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette (www.mdb-idf.org) organises free rides for members (€30 per year).

Mountain biking (VTT, or vélo tout terrain) is popular in the many forests on the outskirts of Paris, including the Forêt de Montmorency in the north and the Fôret de Meudon in the south.

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Diving

Courses for the French diving licence are offered at the Club de Plongée du 5ème (7bis rue Poliveau), which makes use of the Piscine Jean-Taris and runs trips to the Med. Bleu Passion (www.bleu-passion.fr) runs a diving school and sells equipment.

Fencing

For a list of clubs, consult www.escrime-ffe.fr. The fencing section at the Racing Club de France (www.racingclubdefrance.org) is suitable for leisure or competition, with 12 fencing masters and 18 pistes. All levels and ages are welcome.

Fitness clubs

Club Med (www.clubmedgym.fr) dominates the health club scene, with 22 branches in Paris and the western suburbs, including five Waou Clubs with spa facilities. Single visits cost €25, and annual memberships start at €760. Other leading fitness centres include Vit’Halles and Forest Hill (www.forest-hill.com). The non-profit La Gym Suédoise (www.gymsuedoise.com) holds one-hour gym sessions in ten locations across Paris. Membership is €75-€110 per term, or €10 per session. Unlike most gyms, it runs free trials at specified locations. There are free weekly ‘Sport Nature’ sessions of outdoor stretching, aerobics and running, set up by the Mairie at 13 locations around town. Check the annual Guide du Sport or visit www.sport.paris.fr.

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Golf

The suburbs are full of courses suitable for all levels and budgets. Contact the Fédération Française de Golf (www.ffgolf.org) for more information.

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Horse riding

To enjoy the horse-riding trails in the Bois de Boulogne or the Bois de Vincennes, you need to join a riding club such as La Société d’Equitation de Paris (www.equitation-paris.com), the Centre Hippique du Touring in the Bois de Boulogne (www.chtcf.com) or the Cercle Hippique du Bois de Vincennes (www.chbv.fr). Beginners can learn at the Club Bayard Equitation in the Bois de Vincennes (www.clubbayard.com). During July and August, you can have one-off lessons (€21) or take a special five-day course for €291. Out near Versailles, the Haras de Jardy (www.haras-de-jardy.com) is open every day and offers lessons by the hour for all ages, with no membership fee. Leisurely rides in the forests of Fontainebleau are run by La Bleausière (la.bleausiere.free.fr).

Ice skating

The most popular open-air skating rink is the free one in front of the Hôtel de Ville, which is open from December to February. Smaller wintertime rinks are also erected at the Tour Montparnasse and Bibliothèque François Mitterrand.

In-line skating

You can hire skates from Nomades (37 bd Bourdin, 4th, 01.44.54.07.44, www.nomadeshop.com). For lessons for all ages, try the Roller Squad Institute (01.56.61.99.61, www.rsi.asso.fr). For real in-line skating and skateboard acrobatics, head for Rollerparc Avenue (100 rue Léon-Geffroy, 01.47.18.19.19) in Vitry-sur-Seine, or the Espace Glisse de Paris.

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Rowing & watersports

Paris residents can row, canoe and kayak for free on Saturdays at the Base Nautique de la Villette (41bis quai de la Loire, 19th, 01.42.40.29.90). Reserve a week in advance and bring along proof of residence, two photos and a swimming certificate (obtainable at any pool). You can go waterskiing and wakeboarding at the Club Nautique du 19ème (Bassin de Vitesse de St-Cloud, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, 01.42.03.25.24). Serious rowers can join the annual Traversée de Paris. Contact the Ligue Ile-de-France d’Aviron (94736 Nogent-sur-Marne, 01.48.75.79.10). For a leisurely paddle, hire a boat at Lac Daumesnil or Lac des Minimes in the Bois de Vincennes, or at Lac Supérieur in the Bois de Boulogne.

Rugby

For a good standard of play, try the Athletic Club de Boulogne (Stade du Saut du Loup, av de la Butte-Mortemart, 16th, 01.46.51.11.91), which fields two teams. The British Rugby Club of Paris (58-60 av de la Grande-Armée, 17th, 01.40.55.15.15, www.brfcparis.com) fields two teams in the corporate league.

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Skateboarding

In 2008, the Mairie inaugurated the Espace Glisse de Paris, doubtless hoping to reduce skateboarding in public places. Nonetheless, the most popular skateboarding spots remain the riverfront courtyard at the Palais de Tokyo, known as ‘Le Dôme’, and the ledges and steps at Trocadéro. La Défense tends to be full of security guards, but is still worth exploring for smooth marble, ledges and rails; the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy has vast ledges and some almighty gaps. A more relaxed scene is found at the place des Innocents (by the Forum des Halles, 1st), which has low ledges and smooth ground, and at the Opéra Bastille (11th), which has small steps. For equipment and advice, try Street Machine at Les Halles (12 rue des Halles, 1st, 01.40.26.47.90, www.streetmachine.fr).

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Squash

No membership is necessary to play squash at the Club Quartier Latin, which charges €17.50-€26 per match (racket rental from €2.50). The Standard Athletic Club (www.standac.com) also rents squash courts to members or on payment of a €185 seasonal fee.

Swimming

Pools are plentiful and cheap. Most require a swimming cap and ban bermudas, and many are open late. Swimming to music is integral to Nuit Blanche in October.

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Tennis & table tennis

The Paris Tennis system (www.tennis.paris.fr) allows you to register a password and reserve a court online, €6.50 per hour, €12.50 for indoor courts. Among the 43 municipal courts, the six at the Jardin du Luxembourg are convenient, but there’s a better selection at the Centre Sportif La Faluère.

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Triathlon

The multi-discipline effort of triathlon (swim, bike, run) is one of Europe’s fastest growing sports, and the Paris area hosts some of the sport’s biggest clubs. Held in June, the Paris Triathlon (www.triathlondeparis.fr) comprises a 1.5km swim in the Seine, a 40km bike leg around the Bois de Boulogne, and a 10km run in the Hippodrome de Longchamp. For details of local clubs, contact the Ligue Ile de France de Triathlon (www.idftriathlon.com).

Festivals & events

Six Nations: Brits and Celts invade Paris for three big rugby weekends in spring. Log on to www.rbs6nations.com at least three months in advance for tickets (Feb-Mar).

Marathon de Paris: perhaps the world’s most picturesque marathon, with 35,000 runners heading from the Champs-Elysées along the Right Bank to the Bois de Vincennes, and back along the Left Bank to the Bois de Boulogne (5 Apr 2009). The 2009 half-marathon takes place on 8 March.

French Tennis Open: the glitzy Grand Slam tournament, whose tricky clay courts have been the downfall of many a champion, always attracts a selection of showbiz stars (24 May-6 June 2009).

Tous à Vélo: cycling tours and activities as Paris’s two-wheelers take to the streets. To hire a bike or learn more about the Vélib free bike scheme, visit www.velib.paris.fr (early June).

Prix de Diane Hermès: the French Derby draws the crème de la crème of high society to Chantilly, sporting silly hats and keen to have a flutter (7 June 2009).

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: France’s richest flat race attracts the elite of horse racing for a weekend of pomp and ceremony (early Oct).

Mondial de l’Automobile Paris-Expo: a fortnight of automotive madness with cutting-edge vehicle design from all over the world (early Oct).

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Top tips

Sportswear: if you’re looking for sportswear and equipment, head for the excellent Décathlon (www.decathlon.fr) or Go Sport (www.go-sport.com) chain stores.

Street skate: skating is a sociable affair in Paris. Every Friday night, thousands meet by the Tour Montparnasse for Friday Night Fever (www.pari-roller.com), a free, fast-paced three-hour skate through the streets, open to anyone who can keep up. Cars have no choice but to grind to a halt as thousands of skaters fly by. Beginners can join the more sedate skate event run by Roller et Coquillage (www.rollers-coquillages.org), which sets off from boulevard Bourdon, by place de la Bastille, at 2.30pm on Sundays. The route covers about 20km (12 miles) over three hours.

Our listings

While every effort and care has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this guide, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors it may contain. Before you go out of your way, we strongly advise you to phone ahead and check the particulars.

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