La Mosson in its finest attire

In order to stage four 2007 Rugby World Cup matches, the Montpellier ground will undergo a facelift. The latest development leaves the old La Paillade stadium and its neighbourhood matches a distant memory.

At the beginning of the 1970s, the La Mosson stadium is no more than a swathe of green encircled by some wooden stands on the banks of the river carrying its name. Thirty years later Montpellier can boast one of the most modern grounds in France. The evolution was linked closely to the growth of the small club from Montpellier’s La Paillade suburb which rose from the ranks of non-league football to a place among the elite. Montpellier Paillade Sporting Club, under its talismanic president Louis Nicollin, pulled itself out of anonymity and by 1977 had a relatively decent 17,000-capacity stand. In 1990, the club led by a certain Eric Cantona, won the French Cup final and the following year shook Europe’s hierarchy with run in the Cup Winners’ Cup ended by eventual winners Manchester United in the quarter-finals. But having established themselves at the top table, Montpellier was hungry for more and the 1998 World Cup gave them the opportunity to rebuild La Mosson.

Rugby comes to life in Montpellier

While Montpellier’s football club has slid into the second division, the city’s rugby club has taken up the torch. Montpellier-Hérault Rugby Club, who won the Second Division title in 2003, are enjoying their third season in the top flight. A new stadium, named Yves du Manoir being built in the Ovalie neighbourhood of the city, is witness to the enthusiasm for rugby in the Languedoc-Roussilon region. This 12,000-capacity stadium with its own training ground, academy and club house, is being funded by over 50 per cent by Montpellier Agglomeration. Its opening is planned to coincide with the 2007 RWC. But Montpellier is already a fixture in French rugby, staging championship final phase play-offs. Toulouse beat Bourgoin at La Mosson to reach the 1999 final and repeated the trick in 2003 at the expense of Agen.

New pitch and giant screens

For the 2007 RWC, La Mosson will undergo some improvements - a new pitch will be laid, the second in four years after flooding in 2002, two giant screens will be installed, the press stand will be enlarged, lighting and loud speakers will be improved and the dressing rooms will be refitted. Montpellier, a youthful, dynamic city, is preparing for a festive 2007. The Place de la Comédie, heart of the city, will be a meeting place for the South African and Australian fans.

Useful information

Address
Avenue de Heidelberg
34000 Montpellier
Tel: 04 67 15 46 00

Access
By plane: Montpellier Méditerranée Aéroport
By train: Montpellier Gare (TGV)
By car: Autoroute : A9 - links up with Lyon and Barcelona
By bus: Lignes 14, 15 et 25
Tramway : Ligne 1

Key figures
Capacity: 33,650
Lighting: 1,400 lux