Group B - Match 1
England v Russia
Stade Velodrome
Marseille, France
11 June 2016
All our tickets for the group matches were Cat 3 tickets from the FA which worked out at a reasonable 55 Euro a ticket
The brilliant Wayne Rooney captains the three lions today and we are all hoping for big things from Wazzer following his 7 goals in 10 games that helped us secure qualification
Attendance: 62,343
England win a free kick on 73 minutes and Eric Dyer steps up to score a 20 yard thunderbolt passed Igor Akinfeev. Despite dominating the match, in extra time Vasili Berezutski out jumps Danny Rose to loop a header into Joe Hart's net.1:1
Stade Velodrome in Marseille is a futuristic looking 67,000 capacity stadium and played host to a number of Group games, including: England v Russia, France v Albania, Ukraine v Poland and Iceland v Hungary. In the knockout phase it hosted the Quarter Final between Poland and Portugal and the Semi Final between Germany and France
Arrival at our fabulous AirBnB apartment
The views over Cours Estienne d'Orves which would later become a battle zone in 2 and half hours time time
Upstairs, downstairs
A peaceful view onto the square from No 25
Everyone is singing, chanting and having a good time
The Rams are in the Old Port
Brazilian dancers doing the Capoeira
Capoeria is more commonly known as dance fighting and is an Afro-Brazilian martial art including acrobatics and dance
England at the Old Port taken from the Ferris Wheel.
The old port is buzzing
Scenes
These are the scenes about an hour before
the attack by the Russkies
the attack by the Russkies
The cube in the background. This was a central meeting point and the place to collect your Free Lions from
The Fans Embassy by the 'Cube'
Sue bombing some English and Russian fans
On the Big Wheel in Marseille
View of the cube and the old port
MacDonald's proves ever popular
A sign of things to come as Police numbers are rising
A very windy Sue chilling after riding the Big Wheel
The Russian Ultras taking a side street down to the Old Port to launch their initial attack just after lunch
The scenes lower down our Square (Cours Estienne d'Orves)
England standing their ground at the Old Port
After the first riot we head to the metro and meet some normal Russians heading to the stadium
Dressed to kill but not to riot😉
Carlisle getting into the mood by the metro
The metro 2 line from Castellene was supposed to take us to Rond Point du Prado but we only got as far as Perier and walked the rest along Avenue Du Prado because of reports of more trouble, this time on the metro
Craig Mac with his famous flag just before it gets robbed by the Russians in the second charge. The only thing left was the severed bungy cords hanging limply to the trees
Posing with Sunderland lads (Andy + Lawrence ) at 'Le Kilt Brasserie' on Av du Prado
Craig & Sue just before the Russian attack. Thankfully I was in the pub and Craig had gone back to his hotel to get a clean T-Shirt for a bloodied Millwall fan. Tommo grabbed me and we all legged it under a cloud of CS gas - (without the flag)😐
Despite the shenanigan's, were still smiling
The searching takes forever
At last we're through the cordon
Unscathed after surviving the Russian riot
Sue in party mode
Anthems
Anthems
England fans dominate most of the stadium
The Russian's have one half of the opposite end
They unfurl the big flag Россия
We are in here somewhere
On 73 minutes and Eric Dyer steps up to score a 20 yard thunderbolt passed Igor Akinfeev.
England v Russia, continuing my Tourtel cup collection
I'm in there somewhere
Russia's equaliser in extra time
The whistle blows and there are bizarre scenes as the cowardly Russians charge the neutral end
Our view of the shenanigans
Day 2 - Marseille site seeing on the Old Port, Panniers district and Notre Dame De La Garde
Acoustic guitar, Marseille style
Fort Saint Jean to MuCEM Bridge
Three Head Sculpture, Fort St Jean
The bridge from the MuSEM
Bridge linking Fort St Jean to the MuCEM
MuCEM
Steps leading up to the famous Panniers district.
These French shutters painted in Sage green are idyllic and inspired us to get some for our cottage
Deux Pasties s'il vous plait
Lunch in the Panniers
Olympic Marseille Club Shop on the Old Port
The Queen Victoria Public House - The scene of all of the trouble on Thurs/Fri night
We took the trail to Notre Dame De La Garde from the Old Port which was amazing but quite a hilly hike
Up, up, up...
Up, up and more up
But the views make it all worth it
The Flag of Marseille
Selfie time
Stade Velodrome - by foot from Notre Dame De La Garde
Alternative view of the stadium
England's entrance from yesterday - all peaceful now
Bouillabaisse in Marseille's Old Port
Day 3 - Les Calanques
We Took the 23 Bus from just outside Stade Velodrome to Cayolle and walked to Calanque de Sormiou.
The view during lunch at 'Le Chateau', Calanque de Sormiou.
Tuna steak and Rose wine
Wish I had my bathers
Calanque de Sormiou
Sue dips her feet in the Med
Walking the around the world for GCC
Once back from the Calques we head to
the Fan Zone on the Plage du Grand
the Fan Zone on the Plage du Grand
Plage du Grand
Fan Zone, Marseille
Sweden v Republic of Ireland
Day 4 - The Frioul Archipelago
The French team role into town for their match against Albania just as we are getting the tickets for our boat ride.
Ships moored up in the Old Port
Conditions are windy and the sea is choppy for our 30 minute ride to the Frioul Archipelago
Au revoire Marseille
We land at Port du Frioul on Ratonneau Island
A sanctuary for nesting seagulls
The view point behind L'Hopital Caroline
offers incredible views of Chateau d'If on Ile d'If.
Salute Marseille - Last beer in Les Panniers
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