When you think about France, you might envision only cheese, fashion and romance. France is no different from any other country when it comes to loving particular sports. The Americans have their favorite sports, including baseball, football and basketball.
The French also favor various sports, including football (not the American version), rugby and tennis. The French are highly competitive when it comes to sports. They produce talented teams and individuals that represent their country around the world.
The most popular sport in France is football. This is not big burly men, donning helmets and shoulder pads tossing around the pigskin. Known in the United States and Australia as soccer, the French definitely have a flair for kicking that ball exactly where it needs to go.
They have various leagues for football players of all skills. From professional players to amateur players to women’s and international teams, France certainly takes its football very seriously. The Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue are the two major football competitions in France. Think of these two competitions as comparable to the Super Bowl and the World Series in the United States. That is how important these events are in France.
Rugby is another popular sport in France. Rugby is a contact sport involving two teams competing for an oval-shaped ball to run with toward opposing H-shaped goals. Sound familiar? Rugby is the influence behind American football. One of the biggest differences between the two is rugby is played without all of the protective gear and there are different rules governing both games. The South of France is the heart of rugby-land; this is where the sport is most popular.
Finally, there is cycling. Some people ride for pleasure and others ride in the various competitive races held in the country. Paris-Nice and Paris-Roubaix are two such races famous in France. Le Tour de France is probably the most recognized cycling competition in the world. This race got its start in 1903 because of the rivalry between two sports newspapers. Le Tour de France is a 2,000 mile-long course that lasts about three weeks. You cannot talk about Le Tour without talking about Lance Armstrong. This talented American won the race seven times in a row, breaking all other records for consecutive wins. Even more impressive is that he achieved this record after battling cancer.
