Le Hameau | |
 | |
 | |
| Full name | Stade du Hameau |
|---|---|
| Former names | Stade Olympique du Hameau |
| Location | Pau, France |
| Coordinates | 43°18′34″N 0°19′1″W / 43.30944°N 0.31694°W |
| Owner | City of Pau, France |
| Capacity | 14,588 |
| Field size | 120 m × 70 m (390 ft × 230 ft) |
| Surface | Hybrid grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1948 |
| Opened | 1948 |
| Renovated | 1988, 2017 |
| Expanded | Ossau Stand (2015) Crédit Agricole North Stand (2017) Teréga East Stand (2017) |
| Construction cost | €15.6m |
| Architect | Julien Camborde |
| Tenants | |
| Section Paloise (1991–) Pau FC (1991–2018, 2020–2021) | |
Stade du Hameau (French pronunciation: [stad dy a.mo]) is a versatile stadium and sports convention center located in Pau, France.[1] The construction started in 1948 and the stadium has been owned by the city of Pau since 1983, when it was transferred from the French army. The primary use of this stadium is for rugby union matches, serving as the home ground for the French club Section Paloise.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 14,588, though this number has been reduced after the removal of the Ossau stand.[2] It has been hosting Section Paloise's rugby matches since 1991, before which they played at the Stade de la Croix du Prince since 1910.
Significant renovations were carried out in 1988, and Pau FC, the local football club, also used the stadium for a time starting in 1991. In 2017, the Stade du Hameau underwent a major transformation, enhancing its aesthetics with distinctive roofing on the North and East stands. This renovation gave the stadium a more modern and elegant appearance.[3]
Pau FC eventually moved to their own stadium at Nouste Camp in 2018 but had to return to the Hameau during the first half of the 2020-2021 season while their new stadium met Ligue 2 standards.[4] Additionally, the Hameau hosts various sporting and cultural events, including the 2018–19 Pro D2 final.
In terms of capacity, the Stade du Hameau is the largest stadium in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, surpassing the Stade Jean-Dauger in Bayonne and the Parc des sports d'Aguiléra in Biarritz. It also ranks as the third-largest stadium in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, just below the Matmut Atlantique and Chaban-Delmas stadiums in Bordeaux.
- ^ "Conventions and offices, business tourism - Invest in Pau Pyrénées". Invest in Pau. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ "Stade du Hameau". Section Paloise. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ Studio, M. V. "Welcome". ArcelorMittal Construction (in French). Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ "The 45 Best Stadiums From Europe's Lower Divisions". The18. Retrieved 25 January 2021.