Europe's Essential Soccer Stadiums for Every Football Fan
26. Stade Geoffroy-Guichard: The Cauldron of Saint-Étienne
Nicknamed “Le Chaudron” (The Cauldron), Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is a crucible of emotion and noise in French football. Home to AS Saint-Étienne—France’s most historically successful club—the stadium channels decades of triumph, tragedy, and working-class pride. Opened in 1931 and expanded over time, its bowl-like structure holds over 41,000 fans, who are among the most devoted in the country. Matches here feel intimate, fierce, and rooted in tradition. Even during lulls in club performance, the fans never waver. This is a place where football is religion, history is sacred, and matchday becomes a ritual of defiance and hope.