Stade Pierre-Mauroy Sports Fan Tips

Stade Pierre-Mauroy is a venue in or near Lille that is most often used for Soccer

What to expect from the Stade Pierre-Mauroy crowd?

A lot of French teams retain the bands of 'Ultras' that really does help keep the atmosphere ramped up throughout the game! Lille is no different. The North Stand houses the Hardis Mastiffs and Go Lille 1 and they do a great job at chanting and singing with some great choreographed songs that intimidates the opposition and the away fans. The stadium is very big and the way the team is playing it means that the seats are full every week.

Best Food and Drink at Stade Pierre-Mauroy?

For a stadium built in 2012, you would expect that the Stade Pierre-Mauroy would have some adequate dining options – guess what, it does! With over 40 points of sale in the concourses there is something for everyone. There are lots of different types of food available. French Fries – either on their own or in a sandwich, delicious salads and wraps. There are Panini, Pizza, Hot Dog and Candy Stands also. All offering 'a la carte' meals or package deals with drinks discounts.

Best Bars around Stade Pierre-Mauroy?

There are lots of bars in Lille that can offer you any type of experience that you are looking for. You can become a traditional Lille fan for the day and sink a few pints at Le Mondrian – the only real bar in the immediate area where the stadium is. It's a large place that does fill up due to the cheapness of its beer and wine. La Regie is found in the new development of restaurants and bars and has a big screen that shows the game and all the build up. Tables are reserved pre- and post-match so do ring up or pop in before hand!

Things to check out around Stade Pierre-Mauroy?

A lot of people see Lille as more of a stopgap, and more of a place to change trains before heading onto Belgium or South into more of France. However, Lille has some delightful parts that really should be discovered.Wandering round the city will take up a lot of your time, and there are magnificent green spaces available with the Jardin Vauban being a particular highlight as well as the hanging gardens. The Ville Bourse and Musee d'Hospice offer a slice of history and an insight into the cities former grandeur.The Parc Zoologique is also a fantastic day out – with a load of great animals to see, and best of all, it's free!

How do I get to Stade Pierre-Mauroy?

Luckily there are three separate metro stops that will get you close to the station – though to be honest, all of them are a little walk away from it. Both Cité Scientifique Pr Gabillard and 4 Cantons Grand Stade are around 10 minutes away – though the walk is through a pleasant leafy university area. Villeneuve d'Ascq Hôtel de Ville is a little further away but will drop you in an area that is flush with bars and restaurants.You can also get the Number 18 bus – and get off at 'Versailles'. There are also several car parks near the stadium – though the club does recommend booking your spot online before you get there!

Best restaurants near Stade Pierre-Mauroy?

Lille draws lot of influence from French cooking as well from nearby Belgium. It's classic dishes include carbonnade de boeuf (beef stewed with beer), coq à la bière (chicken with beer) and waterzooi. There are plenty of restaurants such as the classic La Chicoree which is more than capable of giving you a great experience as well.Aux Moules specialises in one thing. Moules Marrianre – a heap of mussels cooke din white wine and cream, served with a mountain of fries! The fact that this place has been top of its game since 1930 gives you a clue how good it is.Otherwise head to Il Piccolino for some of the best Pizza in town at a really good price – their pasta dishes are worth trying too!

Best Insider tip at Stade Pierre-Mauroy?

If you had built a brand new stadium like Lille have done, you would want to show it off too! Lille run an excellent tour of their stadium and you get to go behind the scenes to see the hospitality areas, the press rooms as well as going down into the stadium itself and seeing the changing rooms before running down the tunnel and seeing the pitch from a player's eye view. For just €12 for an adult and €9 for a child, it's something you have to do!

Stade Pierre-Mauroy seating?

Only a couple of years old – the biggest football stadium in France certainly pulls out all the stops. The seats are great, with good legroom and of course the sightlines from all the seats are fantastic, there isn't a bad seat in the house. Despite being designed in the newer 'bowl' shape, the stadium does maintain 4 distinct stands – and thus where you sit, depends on what kind of experience you want.As with a lot of grounds, the most vocal fans sit in the North Stand and the away fans are located opposite in the South East corner. Ticket prices fluctuate a lot – with seats behind the goals going for €20 although a great seat near the half way line can cost upwards of €50.