Stade Lesdiguières () is a

multi-purpose stadium A multi-purpose stadium is a type of stadium designed to be easily used for multiple types of events. While any stadium could potentially host more than one type of sport or event, this concept usually refers to a design philosophy that stres ...

Grenoble Grenoble ( ; ; or ; or ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Isère Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The stadium holds 12,000 spectators (8,500 seated). It is the home of the

FC Grenoble The Football Club de Grenoble Rugby (FCG) is a French rugby union club based in Grenoble and founded in 1892. FCG was champion of France in 1953–54 French Rugby Union Championship, 1954 and runner-up in 1992–93 French Rugby Union Championshi ...

rugby union club. The name of the stadium was given in honor of François de Bonne, Duke of Lesdiguières, died in 1626. The Stadium is made up of 5 stands, the largest of which is the Tribune Présidentielle to the south. The Tribune Tennis is on the east side, so called because it is next to a tennis club, and is the only stand which is uncovered. On the north side there are the Tribune Nord and Tribune Alberto stands, which lie adjacent to each other.

History

France hosted the

1972 Rugby League World Cup The sixth Rugby League World Cup was held in France in October and November 1972. Australia started as the favourites to retain the trophy they had won just two years previously. New Zealand had beaten all three of the other nations in 1971 a ...

and Stade Lesdiguières was the venue for one match between the home team and

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

. When the stadium hosted football venues, from 1998 to 2008, the Tribune Alberto welcomed the away supporters, as well as some home fans and the last stand, the Tribune Finet, was home to the noisiest fans of

Grenoble Foot 38 Grenoble Foot 38, commonly referred to as simply Grenoble or GF38, is a Football in France, French association football club based in Grenoble. The club plays its home matches at the Stade des Alpes, a sports complex based in the heart of the c ...

. From 2008, the football venues are hosted by the Stade des Alpes and Lesdiguieres is today only used for Rugby union matches. It was at this stadium that

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

defeated

by 40–32 to win their first historical triumph in the 1995-1997 FIRA Trophy, which paved the way to their admission to the expanded

Six Nations Championship The Six Nations Championship (known as the Six Nations, branded as Guinness M6N) is an annual international rugby union competition by the teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. It is the oldest sports tournament conte ...

. It hosted a match between

and

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

at the

1991 Rugby World Cup The 1991 Rugby World Cup () was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France: at the time, the five European countries who participated in the Six Nations Championship, Five Na ...

. The

New Zealand national rugby union team The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

also played a game on September 4, 1981, against a French Selection, which they lost 16 - 18, their only defeat of that 1981 tour in France.

References

Rugby union stadiums in France Rugby league stadiums in France Sports venues in Grenoble Grenoble Foot 38 Multi-purpose stadiums in France Football venues in France Sports venues completed in 1921 1921 establishments in France {{France-sports-venue-stub