World Cup 2019 Venues – Stade des Alps and Stade de la Mosson

May 31, 2019

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Field Fridays – Stade des Alps & Stade de la Mosson

Grenoble and Montpellier are two of the beautiful cities that will be hosting the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

Stade des Alps – Grenoble

Grenoble

Winding up the road that gets you to Grenoble, you will be surrounded by the beauty of France on all sides and gain a new understanding of the difficulty of the Tour de France. As the road itself is a part of the tour and the sheer incline and turns are enough to make any athlete cringe. But if the windy roads didn’t make you nauseous you will surely be hungry when you get to the top. Grenoble has many delicacies and specialties but some of my favorites are the cheese, walnuts and ravioli’s.

Bleu du Vercors Sassenage, is a local refined blue cheese with an AOC (PDO) label. What better to accompany the cheese then the world-renowned walnuts harvested in the South Dauphine Valley. The nuts can be gobbled down in their natural state or in numerous kinds of pastries and candies. This sweet treat has also received a French AOC label (Protected designation of origin) in 1938. Be careful not to fill up on nuts and cheese, make sure to leave room for the main course, Les Ravioles de Dauphine. These delicious raviolis are thinner than their Italian cousins. Filled with Comté or French Emmental cheese, cottage cheese made of cow’s milk, butter and parsley they are then placed in a yummy broth or possibly fried.

Chartreuse

To pair with any of the above-mentioned yumminess a Cote du Rhone would be a good idea. But for something a little more special with a little bit more kick, try a glass of Chartreuse. This French liqueur comes in two colors, yellow or green that are not only different in alcohol content but also taste. The liqueur is named for the Grande Chartreuse monastery where the monks started making it in 1737.

Activities

Now that your appetite has been fully satisfied why not head outside and participate in some outdoor sports. From hiking to canyoning Grenoble is a beautiful place to get active. The Grenoble-Bastille cable car is a great way to see the beautiful landscape. If you don’t want to be outside than Grenoble’s numerous museums are worth looking into. From WWII, Museum of the Resistance and Deportation of Isère, to natural history, Natural History Museum, to archaeology, Grenoble Archaeological Museum, and everything in between.

Stade de la Mosson – Montpellier

Montpellier

Now that we have gotten all our sporting out of the way in Grenoble, it is time to relax or just take in the sights of Montpellier. If you want a nice day at the beach, different from Nice, you can jump on tram 3 and take it all the way to the end. There you can rent bikes or just enjoy the sun and sand. Otherwise, walking around this intoxicating city is a great way to spend time in between watching games. The old town is home to the cities oldest Gothic building, Saint Pierre Cathedral. The cathedral has beautiful glass windows among the other treasures inside and the best part is; the cathedral is free to visit. If you want to go back even farther in time, head over to the Roman aqueducts and Chateau d’Eau. A beautiful work of art that has stood the test of time.

Gastronomy

Sight seeing could also be done through one’s tummy as the city has numerous restaurants varying in sophistication and class. You can satisfy your belly’s grumbling by a Michelin Star restaurant or a quick bite at Les Halles. The gastronomy of the city is similar to most other Mediterranean cities. It is based on olive oil, garlic, basil and is usually enhanced with mouthwatering herbs: thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. As a city on the water, various seafood’s are a must, such as: Thau Basin oysters, codfish brandade, the small pâtés of Pézenas, tuna à la catalane, and anchovies gratinés.

Wine

Montpellier is a city in the Languedoc- Rousillon Region, which is the home of one of the oldest and largest wine industries in the world. Thus, you can tantalize your palette with various wines at all price points. Wine varietals include Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Chardonnay, just to name a few.

Group Matches

Stade des Alps

Club: Grenoble Foot 38 and FC Grenoble

Capacity: 20,068

Opened: 2008

Fun Fact: The stadium uses solar panels to produce 20% of the energy needed to run the stadium.

Brazil vs Jamaica

9 June

15:30

Nigeria vs South Korea,

12 June

15:00

Canada vs New Zealand

15 June

21:00

Jamaica vs Australia

18 June

21:00

Round of 16

22 June

17 :30

Stade de la Mosson

Club: Montpellier HSC

Capacity: 32,000

Opened: 1972: renovated 1998

Fun Fact: It was the venue for the group stages of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Cameroon vs Canada

10 June