Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is the exclusive stadium of the Saint-Etienne club. This stadium can host 41500 people. One of France’s oldest stadiums is this one. The same-named individual gave the property on which Geoffrey-Guichard Stadium was constructed in 1931, and his son, who is also regarded as the club’s founder, gave the stadium his father’s name. This stadium originally had an athletic track, but after its reconstruction in 1956, the track was removed from its map, and the stadium was renovated in English style.
The four stands of Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium are named after Charles Parry, Jean Snella, Pierre Favran, and Henry Poin. It was in 1968 that after the transfer of the club to the city of Saint-Etienne, another renovation was granted to this old stadium and its capacity reached about 40 thousand people. Also, in 1984, the capacity was increased to 48,270 people for the Nations Cup matches, although not all of them had dedicated seats.
Finally, for the 1998 World Cup, the last renovation was done on the stadium and it became the current one. The most famous game held in this stadium in the framework of the 98 World Cup in France was between England and Argentina in the round of 16.
History & description
Geoffroy Guichard, who also created the retail company Casino, gave a piece of land to the club on which Stade Geoffroy-Guichard was constructed. His son Pierre, the club’s president, made the choice to honor his father by renaming the stadium. On September 13, 1931, AS Stéphanoise (which would subsequently become Saint-Etienne) and Cannes (1-9) played in the stadium’s ceremonial opening game.
The arena comprised only one grandstand with 800 chairs, various terraces, and a track for running that circled the playing field. The nearby steelworks’ exhaust frequently overflowed onto the pitch. The running tracks were taken out and the stands were given a rectangular design in 1956, which resulted in a significant transformation of Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Additional improvements were made to the stadium in 1968 after Saint-Etienne, France, took ownership of it. These included building a brand-new stand next to the main one and covering the two kop stands. The capacity as a result was close to 40,000.
For the Euro 1984 Championships, the stadium had additional renovation and expansion, resulting in a 48,270-seat capacity. It played home to two group matches during the championships. The stadium wasn’t significantly upgraded again until the following major competition, the 1998 World Cup. There are also more seats and expanded corporate amenities.
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard hosted five group games and the Argentina-England encounter in the round of 16 of the 1998 World Cup, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Stade Geoffroy-Guichard underwent extensive renovations in 2011 after being chosen as a venue for the Euro 2016 Championships.
The renovations or reconstruction of all stands created a 41,500-seat arena as a consequence of the work, which was finished ahead of the 2014–15 season. Stade Geoffroy-Guichard served as the site of three first-round group matches and the round-of-16 match between Poland and Switzerland (1-1) at the Euro 2016 Championships.
How to get to Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
A little more than 2 kilometers from the city’s center and main train station, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is situated in the northern part of Saint-Étienne. In around 30 minutes, one may walk to the stadium. Alternatively, from the city’s center (Place Jean Jaurès), one may catch trams T1 or T2. Take them in the direction of the north and get off at stop G. Guichard after a brief ride. The stadium may be reached by foot in 5 to 10 minutes from there.
Take bus 9 in the direction of Montreynaud from the major train station (Châteaucreux). The stadium may be reached by walking just a short distance from station Le Marais. The trip shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes and buses run at least once every 15 minutes. The A72 freeway is close to Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Follow the signs for the A72 Saint-Étienne if approaching from the Lyon direction. Take exit 13 Montreynaud/Technopole on the A72, then turn right to head into the city. After proceeding for approximately a km, turn right into Rue Camille de Rochetaillée. Turn right again onto the Rue Paul et Pierre Guichard after a few hundred meters.
Eat, drink, and sleep near Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
The Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is close to a number of retail stores, manufacturing facilities, and athletic facilities. It is not a particularly attractive region and there aren’t many places around to dine or drink; these activities are better performed in Saint-Etienne’s downtown.
Although there aren’t any accommodations directly adjacent to Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, the Hotel Austria and Hotel Ibis Saint-Etienne are respectable choices along the A72 and only a 15 to 20-minute walk away, respectively, if you’re arriving by vehicle. The most sensible choice for lodging if arriving by public transportation is most likely in or close to the city center of Saint-Etienne. You may discover a number of respectable selections in this location.
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard stadium tours
The ‘Musee des Verts’ museum, which is housed at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard and offers guided stadium tours, is devoted to the history of Saint-Etienne. The museum’s doors run every day, except Monday, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It is also open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Multiple days a week, usually three times daily, tours are offered. For the most recent schedule and reservations, see the Musee des Verts website. The tour and museum both cost €15.00, however just the museum is €7.00.
Conclusion
The 42,000-seat Geoffrey Guichard Stadium first opened its doors in 1930. This stadium hosted two games in the 1984 European Cup and six games in the 1998 World Cup. Geoffrey Guichard Stadium, which was renovated in 2015 to host the 2016 European Nations Cup. This stadium hosted three competitions from the group stage of Euro 2016.
