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France football away days: The best five including PSG, Lyon

Written by Harry Dowsett
Last Update: April 8, 2025

Football away days are truly special, and a trip to some of the best stadiums in France may just make that sacred experience all the more worthwhile. From gorgeous backdrops to historic venues, the country has plenty to offer and is certainly worth visiting for avid groundhoppers.

With Ligue 1 being among one of the top five leagues in Europe, there is high-quality action on show across the country on a weekly basis, while many of those same clubs are prevalent in the latter stages of European competitions.

This week, Manchester United and Aston Villa will both make the trip across the Channel, for ties against Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively, and should be in for a treat, with those two clubs and cities among the best to visit in France, as this article will explore.

But they are not the only places worth visiting, as this guide will run through our top five football away days in France and will give insight into the best pubs and places to stay in the respective local areas.

The five best football away days in France

Football away days in France
Photo by Imago Images

5. AS Monaco

While technically not in France, AS Monaco do play their football in Ligue 1, and that is enough to get a visit to the club's Stade Louis II included on the list.

There are two main reasons for this: the first is the team's importance to the sport over the years, producing special players such as Thierry Henry, Lilian Thuram, and, more recently, Kylian Mbappe, and the second is the gorgeous views that surround the stadium.

Best pubs near Monaco stadium

Monaco is a beautiful place, rich in culture and with plenty of options when it comes to getting those pre-match drinks. Our top three suggestions for bars are as follows:

Best hotels near Stade Louis II

4. OGC Nice

Allianz Riviera
Photo by Imago Images

For virtually the same reasons as AS Monaco, a football away day to OGC Nice ranks marginally higher on this list because the Allianz Riviera is a slightly better venue.

Located in the countryside of Southern France, the ground stands among the backdrop of beautiful natural scenery and boasts good weather, particularly in the summer months. Like Monaco, if the destination of your football away day is particularly important to you, the Allianz Riviera is a must-visit.

Best pubs near the OGC Nice stadium

As per our Allianz Riviera stadium guide, the top three bars in the local area are as follows:

Bets hotels near the Allianz Riviera

3. Paris Saint-Germain

Many may have been expecting an away day at Paris Saint-Germain to be number one on this list, but much like the previous two entries, the Parc des Princes' main attraction is also the city in which it is located.

There is no denying that Paris is a wonderful destination, but gone are the days when PSG also had the privilege of fielding the likes of Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe on the same pitch. That being said, the atmosphere in the ground, which has a smaller-than-expected capacity of 47,000, is fantastic and still worth visiting.

For those supporters fortunate enough to see their club drawn against PSG, the Parc des Princes is a wonderful location for a European away day, with the atmosphere among the most intense anywhere in Europe.

Liverpool and Manchester City fans have had the privilege of visiting during the 2024-25 campaign already, before Aston Villa will in the Champions League quarter-finals this week.

Best pubs near Paris Saint-Germain stadium

As per our Parc des Princes stadium guide, the top bars in the local area are:

Best hotels near Parc des Princes

2. Lyon

Groupama Stadium
Photo by Imago Images

Next on the list is an away day in Lyon, specifically a visit to Lyon's famous Groupama Stadium. First opened in 2016, the ground has a capacity of just over 59,000. Thanks to its recent construction, it arguably has the best facilities of any football ground in the country. The matchday experience is incredible.

The stadium hosted matches at Euro 2016 and the Olympic Games in 2024, while also being the venue for the final of the Women's World Cup in 2019, proving its status as arguably the best purpose-built ground in all of France.

Add to that the iconic status held by the club within the sport, and the fact that the city of Lyon itself is spectacular, and the Groupama Stadium's inclusion in this list was never in doubt.

Best pubs near the Olympique Lyonnais stadium

As per our Groupama Stadium guide, the best bars in the local area are as follows:

Best hotels near the Groupama Stadium

1. Marseille

Finally, our suggestion for the best football away day in France is Marseille's iconic Orange Velodrome Stadium. Opened in 1937, it is not only one of the oldest grounds in this list but also the largest, with a capacity of approximately 67,000.

Those two factors alone make a matchday experience at Stade Velodrome incredible, but when you combine them with Marseille's enormous size as a club and the alluring backdrop that the city provides, we simply could not place any other stadium above it.

Best pubs near the Marseille stadium

As per our Stade Velodrome guide, the best bars in the local area are:

Best hotels near the Orange Velodrome

Avatar of Harry Dowsett

Harry Dowsett

Freelance football writer with experience writing for multiple digital platforms, such as GIVEMESPORT. Recently graduated from Portsmouth University with a media studies degree - completing a dissertation on the evolution of sports journalism in the process. He has a love for Arsenal Football Club and a passion for football as a whole.

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