About the Stade Du Ray The very pleasant Cote d’Azur climate means that watching football in Nice is a pleasant experience on most occasions. The stadium is very basic – temporary seating surrounds the pitch on three sides, and provide a more than adequate viewing experience. It does have the advantage of being located close to the city centre – although plans have been drawn up for a new stadium in the Lindostiere region of the city, although recent corruption scandals in the past few seasons have caused these plans to be put on hold.
In terms of a viewing experience, avoid the stands behind the goal which do not offer particularly good views due to the presence of the fencing. The hardcore Nice fans are located in the narrow Tribune behind the south end and generate a real atmosphere despite the open conditions. Away fans, and French football doesn't have many, are located along the side of the pitch in the north east section. Facilities are very basic and not what you would expect from such a high profile and glamorous city as Nice.
Who plays there? In 2005/06, Nice started the season like a train and for most of the season looked like they would break the Olympique Lyonnais monopoly. However, injuries amongst the paper thin squad caused the team to lose their way and an 8th place finish was a poor reward for their hard work. Whilst the season was considered by many as a poor return, it was their best finish for many a year. The club were one of the strongest teams in France during the 1950’s, winning the championship in 1951, 1952, 1956 and 1959 in a legendary period for the club that also saw two French Cup victories. Since the last championship in 1959 they have only won one more honour – the 1997 French Cup.
How to get there The Stadium is located to the north of the Vieux port and within a 15 minute walk of the main station. Exit the station onto Avenue Thiers and turn left. At the junction with Avenue Malausséna, turn left and head north. This will become Avenue Bomiglione after a few hundred yards, and in turn Avenue du Ray after another two hundred yards. The stadium is on your left hand side. Pubic transport options to the stadium are via the Bus Ligne d’Azure on lines number 1 and 18 which run from the centre of the old town. The new tramway has recently open and runs directly from the old town to a stop at Le Ray that is only a few minutes walk from the stadium. It is a 10 minute journey from the old town and tickets are either €1 for a single or €4 for a day long travel pass. Remember to validate your ticket in the machines on board.
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Getting a ticket With average attendances struggling to break the 11,000 mark, tickets are easy to get hold of on the day of the game. The cheapest tickets in the stadium are in the temporary open air stands behind the goals which cost €8. A seat in the only covered area of the stadium will cost €30 to €40 depending on the opponents. Tickets can be purchased in advance by phoning the club on +39 8 92 70 21 06 or by email on billetterie@ognice.com. Tickets can also be purchased from the club shop in Rue Lepante in the city centre. The club's online ticket shop is run by Digitix and allows you not only to pay via paypal but also allows you to print your tickets off from home.
Getting around Most of the city centre can be transversed on foot, although there is a network of trams and buses that can carry you from the old town to the new town. There is also a small tourist train that runs the whole length of the Bay d’Anglais which is useful if your legs are tired. A single ticket for any form of transport is €1.
Nice Airport is one of the busiest in the country, handling over 200 flights a day from two terminals. It is located at the western end of the Bay d’Anglais, some 5 miles from the centre of the city. The city centre is easily reached from the airport by Bus on line 98 or 99 from outside the terminals with a cost of €5 single or €8 return. Alternatively, you can walk to the nearby Nice St Augustin railway station, some ½ kilometre away and well signposted from the airport which is on the direct Marseille to Nice line.
The airport is also the home of the Helicopter shuttle to and from Monaco and St Tropez. Currently the airport is served by a number of airlines from the UK including British Airways from London City, Gatwick and Heathrow, BMIBaby from Birmingham and East Midlands, Flybe from Exeter and Southampton, Jet2 from Leeds-Bradford and Manchester, and Easyjet who fly to and from Terminal 2 from Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London Gatwick, Luton and Stansted and Newcastle.
About the Stade Du Ray