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Ok so need to tell you about the pro sports in Vannes!!! Yes we have football/soccer and rugby , the intensity is a bit low with the rugby been the more popular. My company was a sponsor of the Vannes rugby club playing in Pro 2 or second division (tops is call Top 14), and it allows me to go to a couple games. Therefore, need to tell you about this in my capital city of Vannes. Maybe you want to taste the experience ….Hope it helps.

The Stade de La Rabine stadium is the main stadium in the city of Vannes. Located on the right bank of the Vannes marina, the stadium takes its name from the Rabine promenade, a long alley planted with trees that stretches nearly 800 meters between the port esplanade to the north and the quays of the commercial port to the south. The term “Rabine” is of Breton origin, it means “alley planted with trees. “

This stadium is used jointly by the Rugby club from Vannes or RCV, which plays Pro D2, and by the Vannes Olympique Club, or VOC, which currently plays in National 2 (4th division).

A bit of history I like

In 1920, the first Rabine stadium was built by the city of Vannes. It was a velodrome with no grandstand and a football pitch in its center. In 1925, changing rooms were built. In 1932, the first stadium stand was built, it is a covered stand with 7 rows of seats

On July 14, 1954, the end of the 7th stage of the Tour de France between Brest and Vannes took place in the stadium, in front of a large crowd, Jacques Vivier won the stage ahead of François Mahé.

In 2000, the original stadium was destroyed and a new stadium suitable for football was built. In 2000, the ground was excavated and then the honor stand was built. The stadium is equipped with a grass field and a 1,600-seat grandstand with yellow and green seats. It contains six changing rooms, an infirmary, rooms for delegates and referees. The total capacity of the stadium is 6,500 places, including 1,600 seats.

In 2008, after an excellent season, the VOC was promoted to Ligue 2. For this, the Rabine stadium must be brought up to standard to comply with the LFP standards for Ligue 2. The north stand of the stadium is built, This is a 2358-seat grandstand with white VOC-colored seats. Another stand is built opposite the main stand, it is the “music school” stand with 1,166 white seats, this stand was inaugurated on May 8, 2009. In 2016, the RCV was promoted to Pro D2. For its first season in Pro D2, the RCV welcomes an average of 6,600 spectators in each match, a stadium record.

The stadium has hosted matches for the 2013 Rugby Union Junior World Championship, During the month of August 2018, the stadium was requisitioned by FIFA to host the football/soccer U20 women World Cup, of which it hosted 12 matches, including the final between Japan and Spain in front of 5,409 spectators. Japan won 3X1…..

In the future, there is talk of the music conservatory be destroyed and replaced by a larger stand, increasing the capacity to 1,344 seats, it will have a capacity of 2,510 seats. This new stand will increase the capacity of the stadium to 10,100 seats against 9,600 currently.

The city of Vannes on sports: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/vannesloisirs/sport/

The official RCV rugby club: http://www.rugbyclubvannes.bzh/

The official VOC football/soccer club: https://vannesoc.com/

There you go folks, a bit of sports in my capital city of Vannes. Maybe an off the beaten path for some of you while in the area. The Rabine stadium is surrounded by old chapels, and conservatory of music in a spledid walkable area along the canal marina that goes into the Gulf of Morbihan, very nice area. Hope it convince you for a visit ……

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!!

Well how can I left this out of my blog so far,well… Glad taking a closer look these days of lovely retirement. … How can I left this Palais des Arts/Theater Anne de Bretagne of Vannes out!! My company did all managerial events here! and of course I was there all over for several years. We have a world hq in Paris so for the world we went to Paris usually the Palais Brongniart (see post) but here in Vannes we had the world hq for our division, and the meetings were held at the Palais des Arts! I need to give credit when credit is due and tell you and me a bit more about this place.

The Palais des Arts et des Congrès, often referred to as the Palais des Arts, is a complex in the capital city of Vannes , dept 56 of my beautiful Morbihan in my lovely Bretagne. It combines a large performance hall and a conference venue. It is located 300 meters from the historic city center, on the Place de Bretagne. its construction began in the 1960s. The building was inaugurated in 1971 by Raymond Marcellin, mayor of Vannes.

In 2011, the theater, which until then had been a municipal theater, left the city’s bosom and became a public administrative establishment. But it was in 2007 that the appellation Théâtre Anne de Bretagne was given to the season’s programming. The performance hall of the Palais des Arts underwent a complete renovation in 2007, which provided it with greatly improved acoustics. The Palais des Arts et des Congrès has an 850-seat performance hall, with a 19.40 meters wide and 15 meters deep stage: the Lesage room. This amphitheater hosts various artistic performances, mainly focused on theater and dance, but also music, French song, circus and humor. These events are managed by Scènes du Golfe. Congresses and associative events are hosted in a set of smaller rooms, the main one being the Ropartz room, a 314-seat amphitheater. The Palais des Arts also houses the central municipal media library.

It is true that this formidable Palais des Arts has rooms of different sizes: Lesage, of 1,100 m² for 800 places; its large dimensions (19 meters opening and 15 meters deep, ie 300 m² of stage) make it possible to accommodate large stage devices. It is one of the largest “plateaux” in Brittany!  Ropartz, 400 m² for 288 seats + 26 folding seats; its dimensions (10 meters of opening and 9 meters of depth, that is to say 100 m ² of stage) allow more proximity with the artists. Other rooms are the  Corvette, 99 seats; Schooner, 90 seats; Dundee, 90 places; Ketch and Cotre, 50 seats; Espace du Golfe, 400 people in cocktail format; Gateway, 300 people in cocktail format. The large room’s plateau has impressive dimensions as told above which can accommodate large stage devices. Thus, the stage can support 650 kg per m2, which has made it possible to host an elephant, a swimming pool, an ice rink during shows, etc. But also much more basic installations such as a simple chair. At 13.50 meters high, one can access via a narrow openwork walkway with the second arch, the part above the stage allowing the spotlights to be hidden on forty-seven poles.  Already equipped with two amphitheatres and five rooms, the Palais des Arts was able to count on a new place in 2018. Nothing to do with a possible extension. It is, in fact, a room that had never been fitted out for thirteen years. This additional room, in a cozy spirit, has a capacity of 108 seats and is used for conferences, screenings, small shows, meetings, congresses… To this day, it still does not bear a name.

It was in 2000 that the three golden columns were erected on the forecourt of the Palais des arts et des congrès, which also houses the Anne-de-Bretagne theater. This global work called, “The hard desire to last” was produced by the Sarthe sculptor Jean-Bernard Métais. These 7 meters high metal columns with a diameter of 1.20 meters are perforated with the names of 1089 artists, thinkers, cooks … who have marked the artist’s history for 25 years. At night, the artistic work takes on its full dimension because the interior lighting brings out these names !

The paid car park located in front of the Palais des Arts will be removed in January 2022. The City plans to create a total green space there, with benches, trees, in the heart of the city, including breathing spaces The six PMR places ( People with reduced mobility) will be repositioned next to rue Nominoë.

The official Scénes du Golf on the theater webpage: https://www.scenesdugolfe.com/spectacles-a-vannes

The official Palais des Arts et Congrés webpage: https://palaisdesartsetdescongres-vannes.fr/les-salles/

There you go folks, now I feel better another wonderful memorable spot is in my blog. The Palais des Arts/théatre Anne de Bretagne has many funny anecdotes but professionally kept out.. Hope you enjoy the place and do visit as is has a wonderful programming as well. This is in my capital city of Vannes!

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!