Why Paris Saint Germain makes the perfect family trip
Do you want to take a football trip with your son, daughter, partner, father or mother? Put your prejudices (poor, boring, not a football city) aside for a while. Paris Saint Germain meets all the conditions for a perfect family trip and we've got six reasons why.
1. There are plenty of tickets (usually)
Home matches of Paris Saint Germain are often very easy to visit. Even since the arrival of Lionel Messi, you can often buy a ticket via the club site, especially if you plan your trip in advance. It is just a matter of registering on the site and ordering. The Parc des Princes is almost always full, but often not completely sold out. In addition, PSG has an excellent 'online marketplace' for people who have a spare (season) ticket. You pay a bit more there, but usually not absurd amounts. You are also safe with children on the long sides: the so-called hardcore usually gathers on the north side behind the goal.
2. Lionel Messi!
Come on, he may be a bit on the decline, but still: seeing Lionel Messi play live with your son, daughter or family. It is just bucket list stuff, you know. After a difficult start, he is slowly starting to find his way (at the time of writing it is February 2022), but apart from that: Messi is the best footballer of all time, a player of the absolute otherworldly category. You just have to see him once before it's too late.
3. The City of Paris
The city of Paris needs no introduction, of course, but the endless possibilities in this city make it an ideal trip for a (short or long) weekend. First to the Eiffel Tower and then to Paris Saint Germain? That is absolutely possible because both the stadium and the tower are located on the southwestern side of the city. The great advantage of Paris is that it is relatively close to the Netherlands: it is also perfectly doable for one night. Just go again later to see, say, Montmartre.
BONUS TIP: Book your hotel near the Parc des Princes and the Boulogne-Billancourt district. A perfect base, which you can drive to relatively easily, and with sufficient parking spaces for your car. From here you can easily explore the city. Are you coming primarily for the match? This leafy, relatively quiet neighbourhood is teeming with nice bars and eateries.
4. The (rather underestimated) atmosphere
Paris Saint Germain has a gritty and somewhat cold image, and that is not entirely incomprehensible, but the rawness of the club is often underestimated in other countries. PSG may be a relatively young club (founded in 1970), but it has a very fanatical following which makes for a great atmosphere. The Parc des Princes is also a great and classic stadium, both inside and out. Its location next to the Bois de Boulogne (and the Roland Garros tennis park) only makes it more beautiful.
BONUS TIP: Be sure to read our comprehensive guide to the Parc des Princes via the link below, full of great tips about the stadium and the surrounding area.
5. A Fanshop in a prime location
You know that the money is being robbed out of your pocket, that you pay way too much for a shirt with 'Messi' on the back, but you really have to go there: the Paris Saint Germain fan shop on the Champs-Élysées . In terms of the offerings, the shop is similar to the one next to the stadium, located on the side of the 'Stade Jean Bouin' rugby stadium, but the location makes all the difference.
The Champs-Élysées, with all its flagship stores, is really an experience in itself. A little further on is the 'House of Innovation' by clothing sponsor Nike, a dazzling shop and a paradise for sneaker fans.
BONUS TIP: Preferably go and visit the Champs-Élysées on a Sunday. Not only because the street is much quieter to reach in terms of traffic, but you can also park for free in the side streets. You don't have to worry about the shops, because they are also open on Sundays.
6. Not obscure enough? There is always Red Star
Do you think Paris Saint Germain is too showy and commercial? In Paris, you can always go to Red Star Paris, a wonderful hipster club in the style of St. Pauli or Dulwich Hamlet. The old Stade Bauer in the Saint-Ouen district is great, obscure and very special, but make sure to check whether Red Star is playing there (at home) that weekend. Stade Bauer is quite outdated and has regularly been declared 'unsafe'. If you like 'cult' (excusez le mot), you can indulge yourself perfectly there.
BONUS TIP: Saint-Ouen is ideally located on the north side of Paris. It's not far from the famous Sacré-Coeur and therefore easy to combine, but also doable for a day trip from the Netherlands.
Images: BSR Agency
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