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The designers came up with a large elliptical diameter, which
measures around 274m and covers a surface area of approximately 17 hectares with seating
capacity for 80,000.
One of the distinguishing features of this modern stadium is its immense roof, which
covers around 6 hectares and is illuminated for evening matches, but another major factor
is a cushion of air that allows the lower stands to slide out in approximately 72 hours
depending on the different configurations needed and the stadium can also be reconfigured
to house a running track for track and field events. This was the case when the
Stade de France played host to the 2003 World Championships in Athletics.
The Stade de France is situated in the Saint Denis area just
outside of Paris, in the Ile de France region and was inaugurated in January 1998,
and you might have been mistaken to think that the word France within its title related to
the country, but in fact it actually relates to the area, as the stadium is located in the
Plaine de France and a local title was what was wanted.
The French football team use the stadium for almost every home game, and it was there that
they defeated Brazil in a 3-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup final of 1998 and it was the
1st time that France had ever won the World Cup. It was also the 1st time in 20
years that a host nation had captured the FIFA World Cup title.
For the past 3 years, the Stade de France has also been the host for the Race of
Champions.
The Stade de France has hosted numerous concerts by performers such as George Michael,
Sting, The Police, The Rolling Stones, although Celine Dion broke records with 2 nights
with an attendance of over 90,000 fans for each night!
This incredible piece of architecture that was built specifically for the 1998 World Cup
replaced the Parc des Princes as the home of French rugby and in their first rugby
international held at the new stadium, France beat England 24-17. And in the year
2007 the stadium had a very important role as it hosted the high profile final of the
Rugby World Cup.
The Stade de France is often considered to be a stadium for the 3rd millennium as this
huge structure has numerous different uses and is well worth a visit and you can even have
a guided tour backstage, but be sure to check before arrival, as the stadium is closed on
certain dates due to different events that have been organised.
Because companies hold corporate events at the Stade de France, there is a meeting room,
an exhibition hall, cafeteria and a restaurant, plus there are 162 VIP boxes with 6,000
VIP seats!
You can reach the stadium, by train, bus or by car. If going by car, then you will
have to pay for parking, which can mount up in cost, but you also need to be wary of the
time limits that you can stay in the car park!
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