Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, located in Saint-Étienne, was inaugurated on September 13, 1931. He was born on the initiative of Geoffroy Guichard, founder of Casino stores, who bought a 40,000 m2 plot to build a sports hall. Originally, the stadium was omnisports, with a track of athletics and associated fields for basketball and volleyball, and could accommodate 10,000 spectators.

The construction began in 1930 on the plans of Stéphanois architects Thierry Meyer and Michael Saidoun. The former dump site was leveled and covered with 11,000 m3 of materials to make it waterproof. The main forum, of 1,000 places, was financed by a public subscription having raised 600,000 francs in ten days. The inauguration took place in a match against AS Cannes, followed by athletics competitions and a rugby game.

In 1936, the mounds on the ground behind the goals were built into popular stands, and in 1938, a second side stand was built, bringing the capacity to 15,000 places. The stadium was enlarged several times, notably for the Euro 1984, where its capacity reached 48 000 places. In 1998, it was completely renovated for the World Cup, with sitting stands and modern equipment.

Geoffroy Guichard transferred the stadium to an SCI in 1957, then to the city of Saint-Étienne in 1965 for 135 million francs. Since 2001, it has been managed by Saint-Étienne Métropole. The latest renovations, for Euro 2016, have increased its capacity to 41,965 places and upgraded its infrastructure, while preserving its iconic nickname of "Baudron".

The stadium hosted major events such as matches of the French team, concerts (Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Hallyday), and international competitions (Coupe du monde de football 1998, Euro 2016, World Rugby Cup 2007 and 2023). It remains a symbol of French football and the sports culture of Stéphanois.

Architecturally, the stadium consists of four stands named Charles Paret, Jean Snella, Pierre Faurand and Henri Point. The Jean Snella stand housed a plexiglas roof between 1983 and 2012. The successive renovations have added lodges, VIP spaces, and high-tech equipment such as a heated and illuminated lawn system for Euro 2016.

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