Le Coq

A Journey to the Heart of French Rugby

Peter Bills

• Publisher: Allen & Unwin
• Year: 2023
• eBook ISBN:
  9781838956042
• Print ISBN:
  9781838956035
• Subtopic: Travel

Experience the thrilling history of French rugby, from its English origins to its unique cultural identity.

Acclaimed rugby writer Peter Bills journeys across France, from Le Havre to the Basque country, uncovering the passion, color, and excitement that define French rugby. Through exclusive interviews with legends like Dan Carter, Serge Blanco, and Antoine Dupont, Le Coq reveals the anecdotes, locations, and pivotal moments that have shaped the sport's 150-year legacy. Discover the deep love of rugby that has created a culture and playing style like no other, as France prepares to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Explore the heart of French rugby and understand why former Grand Slam captain Jacques Fouroux proclaimed, 'Rugby; the game, the life.' This is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the soul of French rugby.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword by Dan Carter
• Prologue
• 1 The Ruggers of HAC: Le Havre–Paris
• 2 City of Mayhem: Paris
• 3 The Journey South: Paris–Bourges–Vichy–Clermont–Ferrand
• 4 The Lost Corridor: Strasbourg–Lille–Besançon–Dijon–Mâcon–La Voulte-sur-Rhône–Cavaillon–Nice
• 5 A Day at The Lake: Sète
• 6 A Litany of Tragedies: Sète–Béziers
• 7 Split Personalities: A small town, a quiet South of France café. For reflection on the violence...
• 8 The Elixir of Life... and a Force of Nature: Béziers–Narbonne
• 9 La Ville Rose: Narbonne–Castelnaudary–Toulouse–Auch
• 10 Peter Pan and The Legend of Lourdes: Auch–Lourdes–Bagnères-de-Bigorre
• 11 The Man Who Put Men To Sleep: Biarritz–Bayonne–Perpignan
• 12 Way Out West: Mont-de-Marsan–La Rochelle
• 13 A Golden Era: Toulouse–Castres–Narbonne–Perpignan
• 14 The Rugby-Loving Abbot: Clermont Auvergne–Toulouse–Albi–La Rochelle
• Acknowledgements
• Bibliography