Tucked on the south-east coast of Fiji’s largest island, the vibrant capital of Suva may be famed for its stunning harbour front, colourful streets and lively markets, but for rugby fans it is the beating heart of everyone’s second favourite international rugby team. This is why Suva is a must-visit destination for every fan.

Bordeaux is a city of history - cultural, gastronomic and, of course, sporting. The familiar faces of Matthieu Jalibert and Damian Penaud ply their trade here, and as the Nouvelle-Aquitaine capital prepares to host five Rugby World Cup games, we cover everything a visiting fan needs to know.

It’s the place where it all begins. France taking on the All Blacks at the Stade de France on 8th September, will kick-off seven weeks of rugby ecstasy, with Paris as its beating heart. The city of romance, art, culture and world-famous gastronomy is the perfect epicentre for a Rugby World Cup. This is what every visiting rugby fan needs to know… 

In a city that is re-inventing itself, bordered by the stunning surrounds of the Massif Central, rugby is coming to town. Saint-Étienne’s sporting pedigree may come from the football club, but events are its speciality; Euro 1984 and 2016, the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup have all been hosted here. Whether the ball is round or egg-shaped, Saint-Étienne’s got it covered.

The gastronomic capital of France may not be a traditional rugby heartland, but it has an awful lot to shout about. At the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône a UNESCO World Heritage site old town meets avant-garde architecture, as well as a rugby club rekindling its past success. With art, culture and cuisine, this might just be the best place you’ve never been to for rugby. Here is what to expect as a visiting fan…

Pilgrims of both the rugby and St James variety find their way to Toulouse in the backyard of the Pyrenees, and are met with a medieval city where maze-like streets are filled with stunning architecture, artisans of every kind, food markets to get lost in, Stade Toulousain fans at every turn, and duck. An awful lot of duck. This is what every visiting rugby needs to know about Toulouse, in south-west France...

The French seaside hotspot of Le Touquet will become Twickenham-on-sea next year by hosting the England team during next year’s Rugby World Cup. If they make it all the way to the final, they’ll be in town for nine weeks, giving you plenty of time to visit the Opal coast resort to sample the high life that so attracted English aristocrats in the twenties and thirties. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Le Touquet.

Lille in northern France is not known as a rugby hotspot. In fact, until undergoing a regeneration drive in the 1980s it wasn’t known as a hotspot for anything. Its turnaround, however, has made it the day-tripping destination of choice in northern France. And, in hosting five matches at next year’s Rugby World Cup, including two England matches, a new international audience is waiting to discover its surprising cultural and culinary delights. Here is a heads up on what to expect.

Gascony-born Pierre Koffmann is a chef famed the world over for his work in the kitchens of The Waterside Inn, his own three-Michelin-starred Le Tante Claire and his legendary pig’s trotter, but less-known are his exploits on the rugby pitch, as a flanker for Toulon.

The capital of the Côte d’Azur is a city rich in UNESCO-class heritage, with an iconic promenade, beloved by Queen Victoria, and with a sporting pedigree that includes the Tour de France, the European Championships (men) and FIFA World Cups (women’s). A host city with four Rugby World Cup matches, this is what every rugby fan visiting needs to know...

The city that gave us Eric Cantona has plenty of flair and attitude of its own, with a thriving food scene fuelled with a diverse cuisine, the sparkling Med on its doorstep, rolling vineyards in the backyard and no fewer than six Rugby World Cup 2023 fixtures, including group games for England and Scotland and two quarterfinals. This is what every visiting fan needs to know...

Whether you’re watching Rugby World Cup games in Nice or Marseille, a trip to Toulon – situated between the two – is essential. As home of the iconic RC Toulon, triple European champions, where galacticos such as Tana Umaga, Bryan Habana, Bakkies Botha and Jonny Wilkinson have all played rugby, it’s bucket-list territory for rugby fans. This is what you need to know when stopping over during the 2023 Rugby World Cup...