Euro 2016 kicks off on June 10, with the opening match seeing hosts France taking on Romania at the Stade de France. Sure you can catch the game on TV, but seeing as Paris is so near why not enjoy it live?

Driving to the Stade de France follows the same basic route as getting to Paris by car, but here are a few specifics to keep in mind.

How to get to the Stade de France

The Stade de France is the national stadium in France, and where the most important sporting events are held. The stadium is located in Saint-Denis, on the north edge of Paris and has a maximum capacity of 81,338.

If you’re driving to Paris you can get to the Stade France easily enough as it is at the crossroads of the A1 and A86. If you are going straight to the stadium by car then you need to take the following exits:

• A1 – exit two, Stade de France
• A86 – exit nine, Saint-Denis – La Plaine Stade de France

However, the stadium has limited parking and unless you have reserved spaces it is easier to park away from the stadium and use France’s excellent public transport.

You can take the metro, the RER (metro extension) or tram depending on where you park up.

RER lines B and D can be taken from station Châtelet and Gare de Nord. If you take line B you need to get off at La Plaine Stade de France. Taking line D means Stade de France Saint Denis is your destination.

On the Metro you can take line 13 from Montparnasse, Invalides and Saint-Lazare. These stops all connect directly to the stadium and your destination stop is Saint-Denis Porte de Paris.

If you’re staying in Paris’ eastern suburbs then you can get Tramline One to the stadium.

Driving to Paris

You can find out more about how to get to France by car in this guide to driving to Paris from the UK. But here’s a quick rundown.

Driving to Paris from the UK: Getting to France

If you’re driving to the Stade de France from the UK you have two options:

• Take the ferry from one of the various ports, although most people prefer to go from Dover to Calais.
• Take the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais.

Which method you prefer is up to you, but either way the onward journey from Calais will be the same.

If you want to take the ferry to France then you need to get to Dover and make your way to the Port of Dover, which is located on Marine Parade. Ferries to France run 24 hours a day, 364 days a year, and on average there’s a crossing every 30 minutes.

For the Eurotunnel you need to get to Folkestone. Once you near Folkestone on the M20 you will see motorway exit junction 11A, which is signposted for the Eurotunnel and takes you directly to the check-in booths.

From Calais to Paris

There are several routes you can take from Calais on to Paris, but they are quite similar in distance and duration, so the choice is up to you and may depend on if you are intending on visiting any other places on the way.

You can find all routes from Calais to the Stade de France, or from other ports, by using our route planner

Essentials for your car

Don’t forget that France has its own driving rules and regulations. Most are pretty straightforward and you can find out more about them in our guide to driving in France

Always make sure you carry the following items in your car. Some of these are legal requirements, others are recommended:

• Full driving licence (compulsory)
• V5C certificate (compulsory)
• GB sticker (compulsory)
• Warning triangle (compulsory)
• Reflective safety jackets (compulsory)
• Headlamp adjustment (compulsory)
• Breathalyser (compulsory)
• Fuse and bulb set (recommended)
• First aid kit (recommended)
• Fire extinguisher (recommended)

Other Euro 2016 stadiums

The Stade de France is not the only venue that will host matches for Euro 2016. Games will also be played at the following:

• Stade Velodrome, Marseille
• Stade de Lyon, Lyon
• Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
• Parc des Princes, Paris
• Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
• Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne
• Stade de Nice, Nice
• Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens
• Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse

But with the tournament opening and closing in the Stade de France, the tension and excitement is bound to be at fever pitch in this stadium.

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