Parc des Princes: the complete Paris matchday guide
Parc des Princes is the home of Paris Saint-Germain in Paris, with a nominal capacity of 47,929 and an opening date of 1972. Built on the site of a former velodrome, it has been PSG's home since 1974 and is the club's oldest continuous ground. This guide covers how to reach the ground, the real names of its stands, the away section, the matchday rules, where supporters gather, and tours and tickets.
At a glance
Paris Saint-Germain have played at Parc des Princes since 1972, and the ground is the anchor of the whole matchday: everything in Porte de Saint-Cloud is organised around the hours either side of kick-off.
Getting there: lines, stations and timings
Routes for Parc des Princes, station by station. Paris Metro — line 9 — Porte de Saint-Cloud is the closest station, a few minutes' walk from the ground. Paris Metro — line 10 — Porte d'Auteuil is an alternative, about a 10-minute walk. RER C and buses — The RER C stops near the Seine, and several bus routes run along the boulevards outside. From the airports — Charles de Gaulle and Orly both take around an hour by train and metro into the city.
Public transport is the default here, and the map below sets out the lines and the stations rather than a single route — there is usually more than one sensible way in.
Driving is possible but rarely worth it. Parking near a ground of this size is limited, expensive and slow to leave after the final whistle.
The matchday essentials
- Arrive about an hour before kick-off — Parc des Princes is large and the walk from the station is busiest late.
- Your gate matters more than your seat: check it against the stand name on the ticket.
- Take only a small bag; there is no general left luggage at the ground.
- Away supporters enter through the Tribune Boulogne, upper tier turnstiles only.
- Plan the journey home before you travel: the nearest station queues after the whistle.
The stands, and where to sit
Tribune Auteuil is the reference point most regulars use when they describe the ground, and the other three stands each have their own character.
If you want volume rather than analysis, head for the goal ends. If you want to watch the way a team builds up, a seat along one of the side stands will always beat a place behind the goal.
As a rule, a seat in the corner between a side stand and a goal end gives you the best compromise: close enough to the singing to feel it, high enough to read the whole pitch.
The away section and its view
Visiting supporters are normally placed high in the south end, above the home support, with separate access from the street. French league rules set the domestic away share; European ties follow the competition's own allocation.
The visiting allocation at Parc des Princes sits in Tribune Boulogne, upper tier. Because the away section is agreed by competition rather than by a single rule, the size and position can change between a league match and a European night.
The view from Tribune Boulogne, upper tier is a trade-off: a corner or upper-tier position gives you a clear sightline but puts distance between you and the goalmouth action.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Club | Paris Saint-Germain |
| City | Paris, France |
| Nominal capacity | 47,929 (Permanent · all-seater) |
| Opened | 1972 · Porte de Saint-Cloud |
| Stands | Tribune Auteuil, Tribune Paris, Tribune Boulogne, Tribune Borelli |
| Away allocation | Tribune Boulogne, upper tier |
Matchday rules: bags, colours, banners and drums
Bag policy is the single most common reason for a delay at the turnstiles. Most grounds in this guide admit only small bags and refuse anything that will not fit under a seat.
Where supporters gather
For Parc des Princes the pattern is this. Porte de Saint-Cloud: The immediate quarter around the ground, with bars on the boulevard. Boulogne-Billancourt: The neighbouring suburb, quieter but convenient for an early arrival. Central Paris: Where most visitors stay; the metro run out to the ground takes about 20 minutes.
Porte de Saint-Cloud is where the crowd gathers before kick-off, and it is the quickest way to feel the mood of a fixture on your first visit to Paris.
For a quieter pre-match, Boulogne-Billancourt is the sensible choice; the streets closest to the turnstiles fill first and empty last.
Tours, tickets and the rest of the visit
Tours run on selected non-match days through the dressing rooms, the tunnel, the dugouts and the club's trophy areas.
On tickets: buy through the club or the official competition channel. Inflated resale prices are a genuine feature of the biggest fixtures at grounds this size, and they are avoidable.
If you are travelling specifically for the ground rather than the match, midweek league fixtures are usually easier to get into than weekend or European matches.
Matchday questions
How long does it take to get in? Turnstiles typically open between 60 and 90 minutes before kick-off, and the queue peaks in the final half hour. Arriving 45 minutes early is enough at most grounds.
Can I buy on the day? Occasionally, for smaller fixtures. For anything involving a big club or a European tie, assume you need a ticket in advance.
Parc des Princes is worth the journey whether or not you have a seat in the best part of the ground. Read the stand names, plan the transport, keep the bag small, and the matchday takes care of itself.