Saturday, May 18Sports. Travel. Events

France 2022 sports events: Le Tour, French Open, Le Mans and more

Here we look at the calendar of major sporting events taking place in France in 2022. The schedule includes events such as cycling’s Tour de France, the French Open tennis grand slam and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

It’s set to be a busy few years ahead for French sport with the country hosting the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2023 and the capital city Paris hosting the summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2024.  

2022 at a glance 

  • 18 December 2021-27 March 2022: Ski train returns to connect London with the Alps
  • 2022: 50th anniversary of ski resort Isola 2000
  • 6 February-19 March: Six Nations rugby 
  • 14-20 March: FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals, Courchevel and Méribel
  • 16 May-5 June: French Open tennis grand slam
  • 27-28 May: European Rugby Challenge Cup and Heineken Champions Cup finals, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
  • 11-12 June: 24 Hours of Le Mans
  • 23-26 June: French Road Cycling Championships in Cholet, Pays de la Loire 
  • 30 June-3 July: Le Mans Classic returns to Le Mans
  • 21-24 July: Evian Championship women’s golf major
  • 1-24 July: Tour de France
Tour de France in the French Alps (Image: Pete Goding via Atout France)
Tour de France in the French Alps (Image: Pete Goding via Atout France)

Sport in France in 2022

2022 Six Nations rugby championship 

  • Sunday 6 February 2022: France vs. Italy (Stade de France, Paris; 3pm GMT)
  • Saturday 12 February 2022: France vs. Ireland (Stade de France, Paris; 4.45pm GMT)
  • Saturday 19 March 2022: France vs. England (Stade de France, Paris; 8pm GMT)

International rugby union will be a major focus on the sporting schedule in early 2022 when the Guinness Six Nations championship takes place in Europe. Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, France and Italy will be competing for the men’s championship, which starts on Saturday 5 February and finishes on Saturday 19 March 2022. France will play three Six Nations home matches at the Stade de France in Paris.

FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals

  • When: 14-20 March 2022 
  • Where: Courchevel & Méribel, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes   

The high-octane finals of the Skiing World Cup are set to take place in two of France’s most iconic mountain resorts. Proceedings kick off with two downhill training sessions on 14-15 March. The official men’s and women’s speed events will take place on 16-17 March: downhill and super-G. A parallel team event will then take place at Méribel’s Corbey stadium, followed by the men’s and women’s slaloms and giants. Awards will be given in each discipline and the “big globe” will be awarded to the world’s best team. Situated in the majestic Trois Vallées, Courchevel and Méribel offer an amazing variety of activities for non-skiers in addition to their world-class slopes. 

Tennis grand slam: French Open 

  • When: 16 May-5 June 2022 
  • Where: Roland Garros, Paris, France

The second grand slam of the 2022 season will see the world’s top tennis players head to Roland Garros in Paris. Novak Djokovic won the French Open men’s singles title in 2021 while Barbora Krejcikova in the women’s singles defending champion. 

European rugby union finals 

  • Friday 27 May 2022: European Rugby Challenge Cup final (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France) 
  • Saturday 28 May 2022: Heineken Champions Cup final (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France)

The Stade Vélodrome in Marseille will host both European club rugby union finals in May 2022. 

24 Hours of Le Mans 2022 

  • When: 11-12 June 2022 
  • Where: Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France

The 90th edition of the biggest event in endurance racing will take place on 11-12 June 2022.

French Road Cycling Championships 

  • When: 23-26 June 2022 
  • Where: Cholet, Pays de la Loire

The town of Cholet in the Pays de la Loire région plays host to the 2022 French Road Cycling Championships. 

Le Mans Classic 

  • When: 30 June-3 July 2022 
  • Where: Le Mans, Pays de la Loire 

After a two-year postponement, the iconic classic car event will return to Pays de la Loire’s motoring capital next year. Le Mans Classic has continued to grow since its beginnings in 2002 and it attracted more than 195,000 spectators in 2018. Expect 600 racing cars on the track and 8,500 classic cars displayed in the specially designed enclosures.

Women’s golf major: 2022 Evian Championship 

  • When: 21-24 July 2022 
  • Where: Evian Resort Golf Club, Évian-Les-Bains, France

The Amundi Evian Championship, the fourth women’s golf major of the year, is scheduled to take place in July at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-Les-Bains.

Cycling: Tour de France

  • When: 1-24 July 2022
  • Where: Denmark (Grand Départ) and France

The Tour de France, one of cycling’s three grand tours, starts on 1 July in Copenhagen, Denmark, before heading to France. The Tour will finish with the 21st stage in Paris on 24 July. 

Main image: Atout France

SPORTS EVENTS CALENDAR