Stade René-Gaillard – stadium description

The multi-use stadium in Niort has been used by local professional football club Chamois Niortais since its earliest days. Built with one concrete grandstand in the west and landfill stands in the east, the building still has exactly these facilities.

In 2006 it was thoroughly modernized, including a large covered stand (still, tubular) built onto the eastern landfill. Six individual temporary stands were built along the curves, but none of this infrastructure increased comfort for football fans. For this reasons the long-abandoned concept of football specific stadium created in 2004 by renowned architects remains the dream of the community…

When opened, this stadium was built with a beautiful, romantic name of Venise Verte (Green Venice). To this day this name is in use, though officially the stadium naming celebrates former mayor of Niort, René-Gaillard.