Taking the Boards to France - World Cup Road Trip

Rigor Mortis

Thought it might be fun to have a thread for sharing itineraries in advance and then experiences on the road in France. Over two years since registering for the tickets, its finally here!

swiwi_

I haven’t (yet) got tickets. But I’m taking my youngest 11 year old daughter to Paris for the ¼ and ½ final weekends and during the week we’re heading out to Bordeaux. In Paris I’ll stay with a French guy I met when I did an exchange to France in 96/97…and who was my best man at my wedding in 2004. I’m not too fussed if I can’t get tickets, we’ll try out the fan zones or else bars and pubs. This daughter was born in the Coombe in Dublin but she was only about 18 months when we left Ireland. Of my 3 kids she’s the most into sport. I went to NZ vs Fiji in 1987, the first World Cup. 8 at the time and my mum took me out of school for it. I hope to give my daughter some nice memories. I have pretty low expectations for NZ this time round. I’d be happy enough for France to win at home as they have been the bridesmaids a fair few times. Irish are always good fun although I don’t think I’m being unfair if I say you tend to stick together en masse. You guys are fantastic at supporting your teams, much more vocal than NZers. Kiwis are probably a bit more likely to mingle but that’s in our nature. Great idea for a thread I’d certainly read any interesting travel stories or blogs!

Rigor Mortis

I bought the four ticket package but sold back the Scotland tickets to friends. Decided when I was booking accommodation a year plus ago, to try to get out of the cities in between games. So going Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Tours, Nantes, Angers, Chartres and then Paris. Tours has kind of worked out lucky as the Irish team is based there, so we will try and player spot for a few hours. Moving round France on trains.

Podge_irl

Sounds like a fun trip!

I have the follow your team pack, so going for (hopefully!) 5 games, but just doing weekend trips for them all. Never been to Nantes so looking forward to that.

Alkers

In Paris for the SA and Scotland match weekends and staying in a campsite 90mins from Paris in the meantime. Rented a fancy mobile home and going to mix annual leave and working remotely.

Haven't done much more planning than that.

cson

**** or bust for me, flying IAD-CDG on Air France on 26th coming back 28th PM. Have a third place playoff ticket & been hunting daily for a final one. Staying in an Ibis near Montmartre.

I did 2 QFs (inc. the NZ game) and both SFs in Japan, can't watch us lose in a QF again tbh.

kuang1

Taking partner and daughter to Nice for a couple of nights and will watch Italy and Uruguay there on first night.

Fly to Paris on day 3 to take in Ireland v SA on day 4 and back home day 5.

Meself and a few buddies gonna go for a Thursday to Monday trip then in Oct for the QF.

Have tickets for both Paris QFs so may as well go to both regardless of the line up. Should be 2 cracking games.

moby2101

We are flying out day of Scotland game for a few days only landed a pair of tickets at the weekend.

We’re re back out for both quarter finals for another few days and fingers crossed we can go further this time around.

Tickets seem to be getting plentiful

Luckily my brother and his wife have an apartment booked for a month near the Eiffel and we can fly in and out as needs be!!

CuriousCucumber

Flying to Paris for both the South Africa and Scotland games.

Cheapest/handiest way there is with Lufthansa via Frankfurt.

For both games, arrive on the Friday, and leave around midday on the Sunday.

Stupidly excited at the moment.

Keeping an eye on the ticketing site for quarter final or semi final tickets. Tempted to book flights and accommodation, and just travel, and see what happens

brady99

Heading to Bordeaux for the Romanian game with my daughter. Cannot wait!

hibknight

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/french-air-traffic-controllers-union-calls-strike-sept-15-2023-08-29/#:~:text=PARIS%2C%20Aug%2029%20(Reuters),worse%20than%20in%202022%20...

First talk of strikes, potentially on 15th September - the day before our game in Nantes.

Baybay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121042903#Comment_121042903

Me too! Meeting other family there for the game too so bit of a reunion vibe going on also.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121043044#Comment_121043044

bloody French...

alias no.9

Getting into Bordeaux on the 7th and staying in France until the 25th for the first 3 games. Back again on the 6th Oct for the Scotland game, QF if we qualify and whatever after that.

irelandrover

Travelling for the Bordeaux and two Paris games. Hotel just cancelled my rooms in Paris so now scrambling to find something affordable and centralish.

Boscoirl

Trip 1: Ferry to Cherbourg,Drive to Bordeaux,See Romania game, then to ile de Re for a couple of nights. Then Nantes and home on Ferry arriving Monday.

Trip 2: Fly to Paris for weekend do SA game.

Trip 3: Fly to Paris for Scotland game. Down to Lyon for the week. Back to Paris for QF then home.

for some reason if we were to go further in the comp I’d like to be home for it.

Scythica

Have all pool games in Paris and Marseille (apart from opening night).

Airbnbs / trains booked from Paris/Marseille each time (flying Bristol - Paris Orly mostly).

Any tips & tricks on french travel appreciated.

Any food recommendations in Paris or Marseille welcome too! Will mostly spend time around the fanzones on game days but seen a few rugby pubs about and want to do a little sightseeing if possible

Scythica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121045104#Comment_121045104

FWIW we found plenty of reasonably priced accommodation in Monmartre on booking.com, which is pretty direct to the stadium too

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121045240#Comment_121045240

What kind of style/price dining in Marseille and how far from the city would you go?

VinLieger

Flying to CDG for both Australia v Georgia and Ireland V Scotland. Me and a mate flying in morning of the first game to do a recce before I take the missus for a few days for the second. Got accomodation on booking.com around this time last year for pretty reasonable prices considering.

Podge_irl

I'm taking the missus for the first weekend to Bordeaux for Romania and then abandoning her for the next 4...

Let's see how that goes.

alias no.9

Anyone in Bordeaux in time for France NZ opener next week?

Dave_The_Sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121045240#Comment_121045240

Avoid meeting up with other Irish fans, particularly if you've not met them before. They can be dodgy as ****.

cson

That's absolute nonsense.

I've met a ton of great Irish people in Japan and at the Euros in France in 2016, some of whom I'm still in touch with.

Dave_The_Sheep

It's an in-joke, don't worry about it, I don't actually think you're weirdos. Scythica and I are meeting up over there.

readysetgo

Anybody have good advice on getting to Beauvais after a Saturday night 9 o'clock game in Stade de France?

i'm thinking of just going straight to the airport for a sleep instead of trying to get a hotel on my own!

Am i right to presume it will be midnight by the time we get out of the general stadium area?

Havent booked any flights yet but am open to suggestions on how best to get home home! Can get an early morning out of Orly on the Sunday to the uk instead of Beauvais?

Its not for any particular match, i got tickets for quarters, semi and final, was goong to just go if ireland got through but think i'll just go anyway now, but cant take any fri or mon off🙈 1st world problems!!

finbarrk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121059286#Comment_121059286

Hardly worth the hassle if Ireland aren't there.

kuang1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121066349#Comment_121066349

Worth it if you're a big fan of rugby generally.

I've flights and accommodation sorted for the weekend of the final. Tickets too.

Will be going to the bronze final and the final regardless of who's playing in them.

Can't Pheckin wait.

JojoLoca

We are flying to Marseille for the SA - Scotland match this Saturday, staying at the airport hotel. Return flight via Madrid with Iberia on Monday.

Then on Fri the 22nd flying to Brussels and taking the train to Paris for SA - Ireland match. Return flight from Nantes.

readysetgo

hardly worth replying to the post if youre not going to be helpful.

i dont see it as hassle, its exciting. flying to bordeaux, train to paris, cant wait.

World Cup final I dont really care who is in it, it's s unique experience, comes around every 4 years and is in australia next and then the us so dont see myself making those.

qf and semis are a gamble but if ireland arent playing it will be nz/france v southafrica probably so a great game. not so much if scotland beat us admitedly.

semi-final could be an epic ireland-england, so willing to put up with argentia v france if i have to.

Irish fans meeting point in Bordeaux on Saturday or is it the fanzone by the river?

Canyon86

Heading to the romanian and scotland matches, lucky to get sorted with tickets

Buzzing!

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121068960#Comment_121068960

One suspects

swiwi_

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_JNZg49fc4

...have yourselves a bit of Kiwi humour...

Rigor Mortis

NO MORE SLEEEEPS!!!

wake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121073271#Comment_121073271

Is this open today? Website says closed but have to believe they won't ignore a big payday

Podge_irl

No idea I'm afraid. Just hopped on a plane out of bordeaux. Its not super neat other options but everything is just a short enough tram tide away

Rigor Mortis

La Rochelle has plenty of Irish in it. Great little town.

mlekelly

You know of any QF tickets floating about?

ShatterProof

Hope nobody was eating sardines in the  Tchin Tchin Wine Bar

Rugby fans urged to be on alert after fatal botulism outbreak in Bordeaux (irishexaminer.com)

tall chapy

Bought city pack Cat 2 - (Aus v Geo - Ire v SA - Ire v Scot). Sold Aus v Geo tickets to fund the tickets to the Ireland v France football match.

Went with wife - Thurs-Fri - Air France DUB/CDG return. Stayed in Bastille area

Ire v SA

Going with mate - DUB/CDG return. Air France - Fri-Sun - Cost an arm & a leg(€400+). Staying in Ternes (Arr 17)

Ire v Scot

Going with daughter- DUB/Orly return. Transavia - Fri-Sun - Got them cheap (€93) Transavia, then they changed the DUB/Orly flight time from 07.40 to 19.50 now losing a day in - Staying in Ternes (Arr 17)

Quarter Finals

In last sale, managed to get a Cat 1 for each quarter final.

Going solo - Flying in to Nimes - Ryanair - (Thurs) cheap flight (€24), 2 nights in Nimes. TGV (1st class - €59) to Paris early Saturday - 3 nights in Paris.

Staying near Latin quarter

Flight out - Aer lingus - Tue - cheap flight (€45) - CDG-DUB

flatface

Heading with the wife and some friends to Paris for the 1/4 final weekend, no tickets but will soak in all the atmosphere, wine and rugby. Can’t wait either!

tall chapy

Hi everyone,

I mistakenly booked Arc de triomphe for 19.50(sunset) for September 15th. If anyone wants the tickets they are more than welcome to use then. So if you know anyone PM me and I will email the pdf tickets

VinLieger

Been reading on reddit that the fanzones have been closed for multiple matches and aren't actually even showing matches when open....

Rigor Mortis

Yep Nantes was closed on Friday night. They’re not great anyway

Dave_The_Sheep

The one in Marseille is a token effort, total shite.

CuriousCucumber

Getting excited now. Flying Friday morning, and back on Sunday evening.

Weather doesn't look too great.

Any restaurant recommendations for dinner in Montmartre

The Parish King

Any ideas which pubs/bars the Irish fans will be gathering in Paris before the game on Saturday afternoon?

BullBauld

We are sailing tomorrow afternoon. Down to Lyon for NZ v Uruguay on Thursday and back up to Paris for the Ireland match. Can't wait 😁

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121137632#Comment_121137632

All of them

Rigor Mortis

There was certainly loads around Montmartre but to be honest there werent many places I didnt see a lot of Irish