New stadium in France for Valence rugby

Article posted by Coliseum, April 22^nd, 2024

Image: Ferrier Marchetti Studio & Naska

French rugby club Valence Romans Drôme Rugby (VRDR) have revealed plans to build a new €44 million stadium in Valence by 2028.

Le Dauphiné said the project will be largely carried out by Pieric Brenier, CEO of the Koésio group. He will invest his own funds in the ultra-modern venue in France.

Valence Romans Drôme Rugby is a French rugby union club based in Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme). For the 2023–24 season they have been playing in Pro D2 having been promoted from Nationale.

Bernier will contribute €33 million, the agglomeration of Valence Romans €8.8 million and VRDR €2.2 million. The new stadium features include:

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An overall covered seating capacity of 7,000 (with the possibility of expansion to 10,500)
An English-style stadium hosting the Valence Romans Drôme Rugby team but also cultural activities and corporate events
Optimal operation during the week (seminars) and at the weekend (matches)
A quality VIP welcome with more than 2,000 hospitality seats
Grandstand terraces with a view of the pitch
A bodega for the general public on match days / brasserie during the week
An event square for food-trucks, entertainment and shops
A synthetic pitch for complementary activities (concerts, meetings major sporting events…).

The stadium will be sustainably built in Rovaltain, using stone from the Saulx Valley for the portico and wood from the forests of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region for the structure, roof and interior fittings.

Rovaltain is a business park in Valence Romans Agglo which has more than 150 companies and 3,000 employees working in green technologies, environmental health, digital, tertiary higher education and research and development.

VRDR said it is an ideal location for the future stadium in particular because of its proximity to the TGV station, several already existing car parks and its location halfway between Valence and Romans.

Work is expected to get underway in 2026 and be completed by 2028. Ferrier Marchetti Studio is the architect.

VRDR said in a statement: “This exceptional and historic opportunity for the club will allow VRDR to develop its economic model and unveil an ambitious plan for the period 2024-2029, the details of which will be revealed in May 2024 in our Damiers Project, so stay tuned!”

Pompidou Stadium

VRDR currently play at the Pompidou Stadium, which will itself undergo a series of renovations while the new stadium is being built.

Pompidou Stadium was inaugurated in 1973. It is used for athletics, football, rugby and for PE lessons (nearly 4,000 students per year). It has a capacity of 14,750 including 10,281 seats.

It hosts Valence Romans Drôme Rugby, Olympique de Valence, Entente Athletic Rhône-Vercors, ASPTT Grand Valence, Valence Triathlon and schools.

Since 2018, €2.3 million has been invested to modernize, renovate and rehabilitate the stadium. More work will be done to support the development of VRDR until the delivery of the new stadium.

Major works and developments to come include renovation of the stand; expansion of reception spaces: a second lounge and two new terraces; creation of an event space: a 1,000 m2 bodega and a shop for VRDR.

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