Sports and hobbies in France
Sport is a popular pastime in France with soccer, judo, tennis, and basketball dominating the sporting arenas. France also gets involved in major auto racing events, bike racing also makes its presence felt in the world of tennis and martial arts.
popular sports
The most popular sport is soccer, but the French have a known taste for speed and endurance in car and bicycle racing, grace and precision in tennis and soccer, as well as rough-and-tumble showmanship. offered in both League and Union rugby styles.
bicycle racing – The Grand Tours of France are recognized worldwide for being the oldest and most prestigious. One of them, the Tour de France is the most famous cycling event in the world.
car races – Endurance racing in sleek, well-made sports cars is a test to the limit for both driver and car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race is described as the most famous held on the Sarthe speedway.
tennis tournaments – Grand Slam tennis tournaments are a sight to behold on the French lawn. One of the four Grand Slam tournaments known as the French Open and also the Paris Masters is played.
Olympic Games – A French aristocrat by the name of Pierre de Coubertin was the inventor of the modern Olympic Games for his enthusiastic call to revive the Games in the late 19th century. The site of the first Games was Greece as a fitting gesture for the land where the Games were born. France hosted the second Games in 1900 and became the first home of the International Olympic Committee. Since then France has hosted 4 Olympic Games, one again in Paris in 1924 and 3 Winter Olympics in 1924 (Chamonix); another in 1968 (Greoble) and the third Games in 1992 (Albertville)
Soccer – This is the favorite sport of the French crowds in which team members wear the blue jersey and tricolor shorts during matches showing their patriotism. The national football team gained immense success and popularity starting in the 21st century by winning the FIFA World Cup in 1998, a second place in the same series in 2006 and 2 European Championship wins in 1984 and 2000. La Ligue 1 is the main national league in the country. competition.
rugby union – This is another popular sport with a large following, especially in the Paris area and southwestern France. The national rugby union team has amassed an impressive array of victories by winning 16 of the Six Nations Championship series. Participated in Every Rugby World Cup; he reached the semi-finals 6 times and was a finalist in 3 Rugby World Cup matches.
rugby league – Crowds of spectators in the south love this variant of rugby football. The locations are mainly in the cities of Perpignan and Toulouse. The top league for competition in Europe is the Super League, but for local professional competition the Elite One Championship is the league to watch.
Basketball – Basketball has taken hold of France’s sports-minded people and over the last 20 years the country has spawned teams that are now rated elite world class. The national team won the FIBA Euro Basket in 2011 surpassing its performance in the last 60 years. To complement the feat, the team also won 2 Olympic silver medals in 1948 and 2000.
Surf – Sailing alone and with a small crew is the favorite of the French when it comes to fighting against the winds and waves of the Atlantic and the world’s oceans. The zenith of the sport is represented in the Vendée Globe, which is a solo ocean challenge around the world. The grueling journey begins off the French Atlantic coast every 4 years. To maintain the suspense and excitement there are 3 sailing competitions across the Atlantic Ocean: the Mini Transat 6.50; the Sailing Tour de France and the Rum Route.
hobbies
The French also regularly enjoy a variety of hobbies. There is skiing on the high slopes of the Pyrenees and Alps; fencing is a very popular form of self-defense that is widely practiced. Another very popular pastime is kitesurfing, mainly above and along the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Going to the theater and listening to or playing music, as well as dancing, are popular pastimes. For the physically active interested in physical self-defense, there is “parkour”, a variant of the martial art that originated in France.
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