France v England
Stade De France, St Denis
Paris, France
13 Jun 2017
After just about recovering from our trip to Glasgow we were packing our bags again for England's friendly in Paris against Les Blues. The French were licking their wounds following their recent last minute defeat by the Swedes in Stockholm in their recent World Cup Qualifier. Added to this, the game was being played against a backdrop of solidarity against Islamic extremist terrorism which has affected both countries, most recently the bombing of the Manchester Arena. The French reciprocated the reception that they were given at Wembley in November 2015 following the attack on the Bataclan Theatre on 13 November. At State De France the French raised the flag of St George in the home end, they sang "God save the Queen" and also played the Oasis classic "Don't look back in anger".
The last fixture played between France and England at the State De France was eight years ago on 26 March 2008, a game which we lost 1-0 to a Franck Ribery penalty.To be fair our recent record in Paris is shocking. We've lost 2 and drawn 1 at the State De France which is a slight improvement on our record at Parc des Princes, where we managed to lose all 3 fixtures. In fact our last Paris victory came in 1949 at Colombes, a 3-1 victory in the stadium that was built for the 1924 Olympics and ended up hosting the 1938 World Cup Final between Italy and Hungary.
There were plenty of changes for Englands' last game of the season. Burnley's Tom Heaton started in goal. Phil Jones and John Stones got starting places in defence. Trippier came in to bolster the midfield and Bertrand started on the left in a team captained by Tottenham's Harry Kane. The game got off to a flying start with both teams attacking at will. England struck first when Harry Kane turned in Ryan Bertrand's cross which was set up on a plate following a Raheem Stirling back heel. The French responded with pace and power and equalised when Giroud's strike was parried into the path of Samuel Umtiti by the luckless Heaton in the 22nd minute. Just before half time the French took the lead when Ousmane Dembele broke free and unleashed a hard shot that Tom Heaton could only push into the path of Djibril Sidibe who pounced to smash the ball into the gaping net. After the interval England were level again when Dele Alli ran at the keeper but was tripped from behind by Raphael Varne. The penalty was awarded and up stepped Harry Kane to despatch the spot kick on 48 minutes. The big talking point here was that the VAR confirmed to the referee that Varne had to go for the foul that thwarted Ali. The red card made no difference to the French who continued to play with power and speed as Pogba controlled the French midfield, cutting the English apart with ease. The winning goal came in the 78th minute when Dembele fired in a powerful low shot to beat England's replacement keeper Jack Butland, after he was set up by Monaco's Kylian Mbappe.
France 3 England 2
Attendance: 75000
Inside the Parisian spaceship, 'Stade De France'
Outside Patricia's apartment in Montmartre
Our digs
Rue Andre Del Sarte
Ticket collection was near to most mental roundabout in Europe, Place de L'Etoile which the Arc de Triomphe sits on.
First beer and a well deserved burger at a cheapish
Bistro next to La Cigale in Pigalle
Le Chat Noir 1881 (The Black Cat), Montmartre
English fans outside James Hetfeeld's Pub, Montmartre
The first of many bars enroute to the State De France.
Piu Cafe outside the RER station at Gare de la Plaine
Piu Cafe outside the RER station at Gare de la Plaine
Yet more bars on Rue de Brennus
Avenue Jules Rimet...more bars
Gate B of the spaceship
The French have really laid on the hospitality with
most of the bars dedicated to England
"Sacre Bleu, mon pistolet"!
England end filling up
The Band of the Republican Guard
getting ready to enter the stadium
Vive La France
Anthems
St George's cross in the French end, well done France.
Merci beaucoup.
South Stand
View from the Lower South Stand
North Stand (Home end)
The Spaceship lit up at half time
Beautiful sun set in St Denis
Harry Kane claims the ball for the spot kick.
Kane dispatches the penalty passed
his Spurs team captain Hugo Lloris
"Goooooooooooooal"!
The England end
Can you spot Theresa May and Macron?
A really good game but the French deserve their victory.
Steps leading up to the Sacre Coeur Basilica
The first stop on the Montmarte walking tour; Place des Abbesses, the square where
St Denis is thought to have been beheaded on his way to martyrdom.
St Denis is thought to have been beheaded on his way to martyrdom.
The 'Wall of Love' where "I love you" is featured 311 times in 250 languages. Feeling sick?
Place Emile Goudeau, where Picasso
and his mates made history
Place du Tetre, Monmartre
Artists selling their wares
Rue Cortot
For €6 each we scaled the heights of the Sacre Coeur Basilica to be blessed with the most incredible views of Paris
To the North Saint Denis and Stade De France
The East towards Barbes and Chateau Rouge
South West facing the Eiffel Tower
To the West is St Pierre de Montmartre and Place du Terre
To the West is St Pierre de Montmartre and Place du Terre
Anyone for Petanque?
Le Moulin de la Galette. This old mill was once a famous dance hall painted by Renoir and Van Gough
No 54 on Rue Lepic is the house that Van Gough lived with his brother Theo
The famous Moulin Rouge at the end of the walk
A short metro ride and a new walk begins in the Latin Quarter on the left hand bank of the Seine
Rue St Severin
St Severin church is one of the oldest
churches still surviving on the left bank
St Julien le Pauvre, built in the 13C
Rue Saint Julien Pauvre
One of the best views of Notre-Dame taken from the left bank
Happy Hour at Place de la Sorbonne
The Pantheon
Saint Etienne-du-Mont is famous because it contains the shrine of St Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris
Roman Arena in Paris discovered in the 19C
Place Larue, a nice hidden square on the left bank
Bassin de l'Arsenal linking up with Place de la Bastille
Right bank of the Seine
Hotel de Ville
Book store on the 'right bank' selling Charlie Hebdo mags
Pont des Arts is the famous pedestrian bridge leading to the Louvre where lovers snapped their padlocks on. Sadly these have now been taken down due to the excessive weight!
Sue at the Louvre
The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel built in 1806 to commemorate Napoleon's victories
Joan of Arc statue
Parc des Princes
Main entrance to Paris St Germain's home at Parc des Princes
Gare du Nord
Au revoir Paris et merci beaucoup
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