French football is boring. French football is just PSG. French football is dead. This is what most people think, maybe even yourself? Well, let me tell you – they are lies. And I will prove it to you.

Paris

If you love the beautiful game, you need to know about the French football scene, especially the Parisian one. You need to know about the football club who first played at Parc des Princes. And you need to know about the crazy atmospheres that accompany Ligue 2 matches.

Because French football is electric. French football is much more than PSG. French football is alive.

Fasc(h)inating

It’s Paris Fashion Week.

One of the craziest weeks in the French capital, if not the craziest one. Dozens of shows every day and hundreds of celebrities driven around in black-mirrored vans.

As I walk from one street to another searching for a delicious pain-au-chocolat to warm up my belly, I witness the same scene over and over again: photographers are popping up like ants from each and every corner, camera ready to take pictures of the most absurd fits. It’s literally madness.

However (if it isn’t obvious already), I’m not here for Fashion Week. I’m on a mission to experience the French football scene first hand.

If you’re in Paris, and love football, there’s one team that immediately comes to mindt: Paris Saint Germain.

The tyrants of Ligue 1. The superstar team. The name-your-price club.

Going to a PSG game would be the easy choice: Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar. Just these three guys up front themselves are probably worth every cent of a rather expensive ticket.

But I told you, football in France (and Paris in this case) is much more than PSG. It would have been easy to share the PSG experience but that’s something you can read about anywhere and everywhere.

That’s not who we are at onetwo, that’s not our DNA.

We like living and telling those stories that one rarely hears about. We’re here to bring light to the unknown. To satisfy your burning desire for knowledge and passion for the game we all love.

So, what does that mean?

It means I’m going to a match of another football club within the city, who is currently playing in the French second division. Let me introduce you to Paris Football Club.

Folks’ Football

If you’ve never heard of Paris FC (or PFC), that’s totally fine. To be completely honest with you, I didn’t know about them either, so I had to do a little digging myself. And what I found out was pretty cool.

The club was born in August 1969, in an attempt to make the city’s football scene thrive again. The founders had big plans in mind (they wanted to reach the 1st division ASAP), so they started looking for a club to join forces with, and this is where it gets really interesting.

After being rejected by the then Ligue 1 club, CS Sedan Ardennes, PFC went looking into lower divisions, as they thought there was a better chance of finding a partner there. You’ll never guess who they ended up shaking hands with.

They found this 2nd division club located in the outskirts of the city, precisely in the district of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The name? Stade Saint-Germain. Sound familiar, right?

In 1970, this merger gave life to none other than the Paris Saint-Germain. Yes, the PSG.

What happened next? Well, the city’s mayor was not really pleased with the club’s location and ultimately led to a split after only two years of existence.

PFC kept their status and even moved into Parc des Princes, while PSG went down to 3rd division and had to start again from scratch. You would think PFC would be better off because they got the better half of the deal, right?

Well, not really.

In only a couple of years, PSG climbed up the rankings and like poetry, reached Ligue 1 in the exact same year in which PFC got relegated to Ligue 2. This turn of events led to PSG moving into Parc des Princes, while PFC roller coastered down the lower divisions. A plummet stemming from financial difficulties, other mergers, promotions and relegations.

A path that, on Saturday, March 4th 2023, led them to play against Guingamp for the 26th match-day of Ligue 2. Which is where I am headed to.

Outside

After I exit the bakery with the smell of pain-au-chocolat and the image of the most delicious quiches I’ve ever seen still in my head, I walk over to the southern part of Paris, where Stade Charléty is located.

It’s a pretty big stadium: 20.000 seats in total, a track,and even an indoor sporting arena underneath (where exactly I’m not sure, please don’t ask me).

The temperature is close to 0º, and there’s even a little breeze that makes every little body movement hurt. This is true for me and every other human being present at the game. Or at least I thought it was.

As I approach the stadium, I see the PFC supporters are sort of low-temperature repellers as few have jackets, scarves, or beanies on.

They all share the same secret ingredient – their passion for the club (as well as quite a few beers).

The Old Clan (that’s how they’re called) are warming up as the game is about to begin, taking out flags, drums, and bullhorns. The security guys know them by now, but still have to scold some for getting a little bit too heated with some Guingamp supporters. Nothing new.

As the two teams enter the pitch, the atmosphere intensifies, and what I’ll witness next is simply amazing.

Paris FC and Guingamp both play in Ligue 2; they’re both middle of the table; there’s no particular rivalry, and it’s a Saturday afternoon. You would expect a nice atmosphere, some chants, but nothing special.

Instead, from the very first minute, these guys start singing chants, waving flags, clapping hands, playing drums… and they don’t stop!

The atmosphere is simply unreal in the home stand, and this is exactly what I was looking for.

Take a Seat

On the pitch the game is pretty intense as well. There are two players in particular who are bringing up the level. Number 11 of PFC, Ilan Kebbal, and number 20 of Guingamp, Hugo Picard.

Both playing left wing, absolute ballers, and showing their talent out there through dribbling, passes, and fantastic touches. It’s none other than Picard (19 y.o.) who unlocks the match, beautifully curling the ball in top left corner with his right foot.

The game goes on and Guingamp slowly takes over, with Picard continuing to play an instrumental role on the left wing. Beautiful pass in for Guillaume, little chip over the keeper, and 0-2 Guingamp.

Never count Paris FC out though, especially with the Old Clan supporting them at every single action. The second half is another story, with the navy blue creating dozens of chances, but only being able to score one resulting in a final 2-1 scoreline.

But whether they win or lose, all PFC fans care about is supporting their players. This is exactly what they kept doing until the final whistle, even if the score in the end was in favor for Guingamp. This is exactly why we love the beautiful game.

Chapeau

Never would I have ever imagined that a Ligue 2 game on a cold and grey Saturday afternoon of March could give life to such emotions.

To summarise in one single word: ‘chapeau’

Now, as you’re scrolling the last few lines of this article, do you still think football in France is boring, that it’s only PSG, and that it’s dead?

Make me (and the whole onetwo team) proud and say no. However, if your answer is still yes, then read everything again, buy a match ticket, and go to Paris yourself.

You won’t regret it.

This was our Day Out in Paris.

Day Out: Paris

Day Out: Girona

Day Out: Verona