This summer, millions of football fans from all over Europe will travel to France for the 2016 European Championship. Some fans will travel specifically to watch their nation compete whilst others will have time to take in a few French highlights and monuments throughout the tournament. With 10 host cities across the country, there’s plenty of scope for travelling around and checking out some of the tourist hotspots. Here are three cities that are certainly worth having a look at during your time in one of the most picturesque countries in Europe.
St Etienne
One of France’s hidden delights. St Etienne isn’t renowned for tourism nor does it have too many attractions. However, it does have an incredible array of restaurants, bars and museums, which makes it the perfect place to visit this summer. It is remote enough to get away from the hustle and bustle of the competition but will still carry an immense sense of excitement and anticipation across the city. Roy Hodgson’s England will travel down to St Etienne for their final group stage game against Slovakia in what might just be the pick of the four matches to be held in St Etienne this summer.
Paris
The French capital is home to a number of attractions and you can soak up the city’s atmosphere whether you’re a football fan or not. On June 10th, the Stade de France will host the opening ceremony ahead of the first match when hosts France, who are priced at 7/2 with Paddy Power to win Euro 2016, take on Romania. Who knows, we might even see Didier Deschamps’ men involved in the final of the competition, which takes place at the same venue on July 10th. In your spare time, you can visit the stereotypical tourist attractions – such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe.
Bordeaux
For fabulous food and fine wine, Bordeaux is the place to be. The region is famous for its incredible wines, and tourists travel from all over the world to visit the various vineyards and taste the French wine at source. For those who prefer the beach, you’re never too far from the coast and Bordeaux is usually blessed with sunshine throughout the summer months. There is plenty of football on at Nouveaux Stade de Bordeaux and you can always head down to the stadium – which is a little out of the city centre – to soak up the football atmosphere and enjoy a bit of fun with the travelling supporters.
