Lorient is a modest town with a sympathetic football club, which manages to stand its ground in Ligue 1 with limited resources. A very welcomingly club and the Stade du Moustoir is criminally underrated if you would ask us.
There are clubs in football where not a day goes by without drama and chaos. Lorient isn't one of them. Le FCL usually plays anonymously mid-table and usually doesn't get into a relegation battle. Not bad, given their low budget and the fact that they never played in the French top flight before 1999. The club in orange isn't the most spectacular club of Britanny, but surely one of the most stable clubs.
Lorient is a very neat city where everything is within reach. The stadium is right in the centre of the city. It's officially called Stade Yves Allainmat (after a former mayor), but everyone calls it Stade du Moustoir. It can only hold 18.000 fans and is rarely sold out. The outside isn't that special, but the inside of the stadium is nice because of the contrast between two old stands and two new stands. The orange club colours come back in every detail of the stadium, which gives it a real Lorient feeling.
In the modest harbour city on Britanny's south coast, the fishing industry and the football club have been walking hand in hand for decades. After all, the club was founded by Madame Cuissard, a famous fishmonger from Lorient. It gave FC Lorient the nickname Les Merlus, the hakes. The fish is the symbol of the town and even has a place in the football club's crest. In most of the city's restaurants, hake is on the menu, but you can also buy it fresh. If you would like to do so, go to Halles de Merville, the round building on Avenue Anatole France, where you can buy one in all kinds of measures.
Not far from the ocean, you will find the town of Kerlir, which is about ten minutes outside of Lorient. Along the D152, lies the training ground of Lorient. Although it does not look like it, it actually is one of the country's most advanced training grounds. First-team training sessions are usually open to the public and easily accessible.
Tickets for home matches are easily bought on the official website of the club. You can also buy them in the fan store at Rue du Port 35, not far from the stadium. Against most opponents, you can also buy tickets in the stadium on the evening of the match.
The Stade du Moustoir is quite centrally located in the city. When you stand on the Place Jules Ferry, with the harbour behind you, it's only a five-minute walk away.
Images: Shutterstock, BSR Agency
