Work will begin early next year on the new home of French hockey, also the venue for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
As with most Olympics, the construction cost has unsurprisingly increased. It is now estimated that works for the Yves-du-Manoir departmental stadium will total £65 million, a rise of 20 per cent from original costings.
The project is primarily funded by the Hauts-de-Seine Departmental Council and will see two synthetic hockey pitches built, while the centre will also comprise rugby and football fields and an athletics track.
Work is due to begin in January 2022 and completed in December 2023 ahead of the Paris Games. The venue is situated 15km from the centre of the capital.
As well as the hockey training facilities and main competition pitches for the Olympics, there will be 1,000 permanent seats, while a resident club in Hauts-de-Seine, Racing club de France Hockey 92 Colombes, will also play there.
The centre will also be home to the French Hockey Federation in new buildings and facilities, or the ‘the cradle of field hockey in France’ as it’s being billed.
Yves-du-Manoir – Stadium Facts
The Stade Olympique de Colombes is also referred to as the Stade Yves-du-Manoir. In 1928, It was re-named in honour of a French rugby player.
A century after hosting the 1924 Olympics, the Yves-du-Manoir Departmental Stadium in Colombes will now be home to the Olympic hockey competition and training site for Paris 2024.
Back in 1924, the Olympic venue also staged horse riding, gymnastics, tennis, football, rugby and, in modern pentathlon, the running and fencing events.
The stade’s capacity reached 60,000 and hosted France matches in the soccer World Cup in 1938. It was the country’s biggest stadium until Parc des Princes’ renovation in 1972.
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