Championnat d'Europe de football 2016

Glass Bottle Recycle Bin - Decorated as a Football

 

(NOTE: Click on photo for large size in a separate window)

France is the host this year of the Championnat d'Europe de football 2016 (2016 UEFA European Championship) the 15^th addition of the quadrennial international men's football championship of Europe organized by UEFA, from June 10^th to July 10^th. There are 10 cities throughout France where the games will be played: Bordeaux, Lens, Lillie, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Etenne, and Toulouse.

Fifty three teams competed for the 24 slots, which was an increase from the 16 teams for the past championship games. The teams playing this year are: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and Wales.

The winning team earns rights to compete at the 2017 FIFA Confederation Cup hosted by Russia.

Each host city has erected a “Fan Zone” where giant TV’s are so that football fans who do not have tickets to the stadiums can watch the games. It is estimated that during the entire event there will be 7 to 8 million spectators at the “Fan Zones” and 2.5 million in the stadiums. The “Fan Zones” range is ‘spectator size’ from 10,000 to 92,000 (Paris) fans.

Fan Zone - Paris

 

In Paris, the “Fan Zone” is located at the foot of the Tour Eiffel on the Champ de Mars, encompassing the entire park. The Champ de Mars is a large public greenspace between the Eiffel Tower and the École Militaire. The park is named after the Campus Martius ("Mars Field") in Rome, a tribute to the Latin name of the Roman God of war. The name also alludes to the fact that the lawns here were formerly used as drilling and marching grounds by the French military. The park is approx. 2,600 feet (9 American football fields) in length and approx. 840 feet (3 American football fields) in width.

Champ de Mars - from Eiffel Tower looking towards Ecole Militaire (building at the end of the grass)

 

During the month it will only be closed on the days that the games are not broadcast on television – otherwise it will be open from noon, 3:00pm or 4:00pm (depending what time the games begin) to midnight. The TV screen is the world’s biggest outdoor screen at 420m2 (4,520 square feet), with additional smaller screens set up within the venue. There are also restaurants, food stands, entertainment, concert stage and a soccer field within the “Fan Zone”.

"Fan Zone" Layout

 

A high priority during the championship games is security  – not only for these games but France is also in the running for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and this event can/will showcase France’s ability to provide security for such a large event. (Note: France has hosted these championship games twice in the past).

Security has been on the minds of the French, particularly in Paris, throughout 2015 – starting the year (January) with the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack and closing the year (November) with the multi-location terrorist attacks leaving 130 dead and scores injured. The first and last games of this championship are being held at the Stade de France, located just outside of Paris proper in Saint-Denis, which was one of the locations of the November 13^th terrorist attacks. Since November, France has been under “State of Emergency” allowing police greater latitude in their police powers. Terrorist groups, in particular DAESH, have declared France as their number one target for attacks. Because of that threat, along with the attacks that happened in 2015, both the United States and Great Britain’s Department of State issued travel alerts regarding potential terrorist attacks throughout Europe, including mentioning these championship games.

Since I have lived here, I have been truly impressed by the security measures taken by the police (Prefecture de Police, Police Nationale and the Gendarmerie), as well as the military. For these championship games France has tasked over 90,000 security staff to the 10 cities involved. This security staff includes 42,000 police, 30,000 gendarmeries, 10,000 soldiers, and 13,000 private security.

Motor Cops on La Motte-Picquet

Many of you know that I live close to the Champ de Mars/Tour Eiffel, it is only approx. 700 feet to the intersection where the Champ de Mars begins in front of the École Militaire - because of that my neighborhood is directly affected by the “Fan Zone”.

"Fan Zone"

 

At first I was a bit concerned at having the “Fan Zone” – on two levels: 1) the heightened probability that a terrorist attack will occur, and 2) the noise of the footballs fans lasting all night, every night into the wee hours.

I’ll address number 2 first. On Thursday, the 9^th, there was a free concert at the venue so that the security measures could be tested out. 80,000 people attended. From my apartment I could, sometimes, hear music or a drum beat – but it was muted, I have no idea what kind of music it was. Occasionally I could hear someone talking on a microphone but again it was muted. This was with my windows closed, with them open it was a bit noisier. So I expected that I’d be having a bit of disturbance during the entire championship. Then yesterday, the 10^th, the opening game of the series was played, with France being one of the teams. I was surprised that I only notice 3 or 4 times a roar of noise – I know that at least 3 of those times points were scored (by France, they won) – other than that it was quiet …. And I don’t even think the roars came from the “Fan Zone”, it sounded to close – I think it was from people at the two café’s on the corner of my street. So hopefully I’m not writing this prematurely but it looks like I won’t be living in what I’m calling “football hell” for the next month.

Now to address number 1 – as I’ve mentioned above I’m quite impressed with the security via the different police agencies and the military because of the attacks last year. So, I decided I was going to walk around my neighborhood and go to the Champ de Mars and the Tour Eiffel to see what extra measures they took for this event. I had already received a letter from my local Mairie (like a Mayor – for the 15^th arrondissement only) about the event. It was quite an interesting letter because there was nothing ‘politically correct’ about it – it was written in expected French style (known for saying what they think – people don’t get their feelings hurt here if they don’t agree on a topic) clearly delineating that they had tried to move the event from the Champ de Mars to a different stadium due to the terrorist risk factors and the good chance that after the games there could be crime committed by “hooligans (I loved that one), thugs, gangs and demonstrators/rioters” but the main Prefecture de Police refused to relocate the “Fun Zone”. It went on to say that the streets would be secured and everyone would have to show ID and proof of residency at these secure points – to keep non-residents from the area (so far I haven’t had to show either).

 

The Google Map below shows the Tour Eiffel south of the Rive Seine, which has fenced off all general pedestrian traffic and only those who purchase tickets to go up the Tour Eiffel at the temporary entry/exit points can enter. Normally you can walk under the Tour Eiffel. The entire Champ de Mars is fenced off with access only through security check points. Across the street from the south end of the Champ de Mars is the École Militaire. My apartment is denoted with the red drop to the left of the École Militaire on rue de la Cavalerie.

 

Avenue de Suffren to the west of the Champ de Mars

La Motte-Picquet between the Champ de Mars and the Ecole Militaire

 

All of the side streets off of Avenue de Suffren, from La Motte-Picquet to the Seine, on the park side are fenced off with police manning those posts. There is a minimum of 6 officers at each site, with most having about 10 officers.

Side Street Leading to the Champ de Mars off of Avenue de Suffren

 

The major intersection of Avenue de Suffren, and La Motte-Picquet has two security check points – one for Avenue de Suffren and one for La Motte-Picquet, because of that there are many more officers there.

Intersection of Avenue de Suffern and La Motte-Picquet

 

La Motte-Picquet runs between the Champ de Mars and the École Militaire. Today when I walked in front of the École Militaire I counted 25 Gendarmerie vehicles (each holds 8 officers) and 10 Police Nationale vehicles (each hold 6 officers). That was just in a one block location.

Gendarmerie vehicles in front of Ecole Militarie on La Motte-Picquet

 

I estimate, that my walk from my apartment, through the check point at Avenue de Suffren and La Motte-Picquet , then along Avenue de Suffren to the Tour Eiffel I saw 300+ police officers. And, that’s basically just along one side of the Champ de Mars – so I imagine you’d double it for the other side and then realize that it doesn’t account for the officers, both uniformed and undercover, that are inside the “Fan Zone”. Oh, and these security measures are in place 24/7 for the month of the championship games.

I’m feeling pretty well protected in my neighborhood!

Merci police et l'armée pour votre service