Champions League Final: Everything you need to know if you're going to Paris

The biggest match of the season for the Reds is nearly here and, while most fans will be watching it on TV on BT Sport, thousands will be heading to Paris to actually be there to see them take on Real Madrid.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who managed to get a ticket to the Stade de France, and you’ve sorted where to stay, it’s going to be an incredible weekend.

Klopp’s men will take care of business on the pitch, but if you’re going to Paris, here’s our fans guide to everything you need to know …

Getting to Paris

Champions League Final

Travelling fans are used to going to far-off parts of the world to watch European games, so Paris feels like it’s down the road by comparison. There’s still the issue of half term, though, so the number of people flying or going by Eurostar is likely to be higher than usual.

There’s also France’s Covid requirements. According to the Government website, you’ll need to show:

A COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that you were fully vaccinated at least 28 days before arrival or at most 270 days.
Or a negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test taken at most 48 hours before departure from the first embarkation point.
Or a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point.
Or a COVID-19 recovery certificate issued at least 11 days and at most 6 months before departure from the first embarkation point.

Unlike flying, where liquids in hand luggage have to be 100ml or less, anyone travelling on Eurostar is allowed to carry a maximum of four bottles/cans of beer (standard 440ml) or one bottle of wine (750ml) per person, but large bottles of spirits aren’t allowed.

If you’re planning to go straight from the airport or train station in Paris to the Stade de France, LFC recommends travelling light because it says bags bigger than A4 size can’t be brought into the stadium.

There’s a fan meeting point

Champions League Final

LFC have confirmed there’s going to be a meeting point for fans heading to Paris for the Champions League Final from 2pm on Saturday in the build-up to the game, with free music and entertainment from Jamie Webster, the Lightning Seeds, Cast frontman John Power plus BOSS regulars Kieo, Ben Burke & Timo Tierney, and food and drink stalls. It’s in the south east of Paris on Cours de Vincennes/Place de la Nation, between Boulevards de Picpus/de Charonne and Rue de Pyrénees, and the recommended station is Nation, on the RER A and Metro line 1.

Getting to and from the Stade de France

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Once you’ve arrived in Paris, you need to make your way to the national stadium, France’s equivalent of Wembley, which is to the north of the city.

If you’re going directly from Charles de Gaulle airport, an RER train will take you straight to La Plaine Stade de France station, and it’s a 10-minute walk from there.

Arriving from your hotel or Air BnB in Paris is just as simple – Metro line 13, pale blue on the map, will take you to St Denis – Porte De Paris station and then it’s a 10-minute walk.

There’ll be extra trains laid on after the match, with the last ones running until after 1am so plenty of time to get back.

While you’re there

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It’s never cheap to watch footy abroad, but Paris was named the second most expensive city in the world last year (actually down from number one!) so if you’re not careful you could get badly stung, especially if you go for an outdoor table somewhere touristy – £20 for a cheese and ham toastie’s no fun.

Avoid sightseeing hotspots when you’re eating out – maybe head to the Latin Quarter or Marais, and look for somewhere with lots of restaurants because then they’re likely to compete on Prix Fixe menus which keeps the set price down.

The French like to eat restaurant lunches, but if you’re on a budget there are plenty of sandwich shops selling huge baguettes for about 4 euros which should keep you going in the daytime.

Picnics are another cheap option, and there are lots of beautiful parks in Paris, but you have to be discreet because they don’t all allow alcohol and especially not late at night.

What to see

Champions League Final

If you’ve never been to Paris before then there are a few must-sees, including the Eiffel Tower obviously. It’s open until 10.45pm if you want to go up, and prices vary depending on how high you fancy going and whether you want to take the lift or walk. The cheapest is walking, but that will only take you to the second level – if you want to go right to the top, and get the most amazing views across the city, you’ll have to buy a combined walk/lift ticket which is just over 20 euros for adults and just over 10 for 12-24-year-olds.

The Canal St Martin, a short walk from Place de la Republique, is a nice place to get away from the crowds and enjoy outdoor bars and cafes by the water, and there are decent indie shops too.

If you just want to chill in the park, the Tuileries Gardens (Concorde Metro) is a great big open green space, right by the Louvre and the Seine so you get beautiful views. You could also combine the Eiffel Tower and a park by going to Champ de Mars, a lovely grassy area right in front of the tower where you’ll get a perfect angle for a pic.

Lastly, if you get chance to do a bit of shopping in between the build-up, the match and hopefully the celebrations, Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann (Opera Metro) is absolutely stunning – it makes Harrods look like Primark!