Bourg-en-Bresse

the ultimate sporty town

One town, three sports

Basketball, football, rugby

Welcome to the town with an excellent sporting level, the town that never gives up and often beats the odds.
How many towns in France can say they’ve got three professional sports teams ?
Here, in Bourg-en-Bresse, there’s something for everyone, and all the sports have one thing in common: victory !

Jl Basket Bourg En Bresse 2019 20©jlbourg (5)

JL Bourg Basket, European champions

“I’ll cross the whole of Europe, and victory will be mine…”

This is from a song (in French) that is sung by our neighbours in Lyon (bringing back some great memories) and that summarises the spirit of JL Bourg basket pretty well.

They were promoted to Pro A in 2017, and since then the team has been going from strength to strength much to the surprise of the experts. Those who bet on them playing in the final of the Leaders Cup in Disneyland in 2019 didn’t regret it. They were beaten by SIG Strasbourg by just one point, and this defeat turned into the beginning of a fantastic adventure. In the 2020/2021 and then 2021/2022 seasons, JL Bourg Basket qualified for Eurocup, and managed to get into the TOP 16 the very first time they participated.

Ekinox, one of the greatest Jeep Elite venues

A basketball court with 3,500 places, so that 3,500 fans can come and cheer on their team !

Ekinox was opened in 2014 and is probably one of the most beautiful arenas in France (and even in Europe). It’s probably not the biggest, but it is certainly the best in terms of technology. This arena was the first in Europe to use video mapping. And the fans who come here are particularly passionate about their team. Many of the matches are played to a full house. If you want to experience something unique in the world of sport, we recommend coming to see a match at Ekinox. An added bonus is the close proximity to the 4,000m² 1055 leisure complex with restaurants, bowling alley, laser tag and arcade games.

Event’s calendar for Ekinox

Ekinox Credit Ap Ot Bourg En Bresse Agglomeration (14)

USBPA rugby, a historic club

It is rare that a rugby team drums up so much of a frenzy and has such a down-to-earth, friendly atmosphere !

USBPA, Bourg-en-Bresse’s historic club. This club attracts fans of all ages, who are always delighted to come and cheer them on throughout the winter, while the cold and rain is felt only by the opposing team. For several seasons, USBPA went between the PRO D2 and the National division (formerly known as ‘Fédérale 1), with unwavering perseverance. President Humbert’s club has always shown true rugby spirit and abides by a strong set of values. Their promotion to PRO D2 for the 2021/2022 season is proof of that.

Marcel Verchère stadium in purple

USBPA’s home ground, Marcel Verchère stadium, is right next to the Carré d’Eau water park in Bourg-en-Bresse. With a capacity of more than 10,000, the atmosphere is electric! Known as the ‘purple cauldron’, after the club’s historic colour, the stadium is also home to the club’s headquarters and a VIP reception area. It has been renovated and extended over the past years, to become an impregnable fortress. If you want to see the frenzy of purple at the stadium, come to a derby match against Oyonnax. You won’t be disappointed !

FBBP 01

The FBBP01 certainly stirs up some happy memories in the sporting history of Bourg-en-Bresse.

Here, everyone still remembers the early days of the FCBP, as they were known back then, when the team got to the 32nd finals of the French Cup against the great FC Nantes with Pedros, Loko, Ouédec, Makelele, Karembeu and their iconic coach Jean-Claude Suaudeau. Nantes’s historic team. Today, the FFBP01 has been promoted to the National division after playing in the French ‘Ligue 2’ for three seasons. The club’s short term goal is to stay at this level.

Marcel Verchère stadium in blue

Marcel Verchère stadium is actually both a football and rugby stadium. When they were promoted to ‘Ligue 2’ in 2015, the club’s stadium in Péronnas was no longer adapted, so work was done on this stadium to make it more suitable for professional championship level. With new turf, a new stand and access facilities, the stadium was completely overhauled. Since then, some well-known teams have played here, including Olympique de Marseille in 2015 for the 8th final of the League Cup and Olympique Lyonnais in 2019 for a 32nd final match of the French Cup. A place with a fascinating story to tell.

A destination

100% sports

Oxyrace 2018 y compris championnat de France de triathlon, organisé par Frederic Pitrois à Treffort Cuisiat dans l'Ain, le 2 septembre 2018.

Sporting events’ calendar

All the trail-running itineraries

Hop on your bikes

Lac de la Rena, a hint of south-west France

From discovery to discovery