Roland Garros: How To Watch The French Open Live In Paris

If you know a little bit about me, you’d know I love two things a lot – Paris and Tennis. Which automatically means I’m a fan of Roland Garros and when I visited the City of Lights, I made it all the way to Roland Garros to watch my favourite player Rafael Nadal win the trophy. Here is that story with practical tips on how to get to Roland Garros and things to do at the stadium.

I landed in Paris on a cloudy Sunday morning after a breezy 20 hours in Doha. After sprinting across Qatar’s capital city, I caught my connecting flight to Paris all groggy and sleepy. The dark clouds hanging over Paris further dampened my spirits as my plane began its descend into the city. I hoped I wasn’t going to catch the dreaded Paris Syndrome.

My spirits instantly lifted when I looked at the ticket in my pocket – a walk-in to the Roland Garros stadium for the final match between Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer. I was at home cheering for Nadal when he beat Novak Djokovic during the semi-finals. Now, I was on a metro to watch Nadal win yet another Roland Garros championship.

Reaching There:

The Roland Garros stadium is a fest much before the final match begins. Make sure you reach after lunch time when the fun and games have already begun. There will be performers doing stunts, official shops selling wares, some of which are on discount because it’s the last day of the tournament and the general vibe of witnessing a spectacular sports event.

I made my way to Porte d’Auteuil metro station on Line 9 and didn’t have to ask anyone where the stadium was. An entire sea of people was heading to Roland Garros and all I had to do was follow them. It took a good 15-20 minutes to get to the stadium and wait in queue to enter.

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Things to Carry and Avoid:

The security is strict at the entrance and pat-downs are mandatory. There are many sponsor stalls and ticket stalls so navigating your way around the entrance will take some time to figure out. Once you know your way, keep your ticket ready for inspection. Keep in mind that you can’t buy tickets at the gates. Make sure you have some photo identity with you that matches the name on your ticket. Selfie sticks and strollers are not allowed inside the stadium. No bottles over 1.5 litres can be carried inside. No knives and sharp objects allowed as well.

On the other hand, make sure that you carry some food with you. Just a couple of simple sandwiches and baguettes will be enough to help you save enough to buy a souvenir tennis ball than splurging for exorbitant food inside the stadium.

Scam to Watch Out For:

While you’re at the entrance of the stadium, don’t be surprised if someone approaches you and tells you they have a ticket they want to sell as they can’t make it to the match. These guys look just like you and me and after showing you the ticket that looks official, they will convince you to walk a couple of blocks to complete the transaction. Don’t fall for it because I witnessed this first-hand when I was at the stadium. Tickets are usually sold out much in advance on official sites and the real ones come with a hologram and QR code that is unique to your ticket.

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What to do Inside Roland Garros:

Once you enter, take some time to orient yourself around the stadium. Have a look at the stalls and things available for sale. Wait until the match ends to pick up whatever catches your fancy else you’ll be lugging your shopping everywhere; not a pleasant thing in the midst of all the fun.

Step out of the shopping zone and make your way to the main square located just outside Philippe Chatrier Court, the venue for all the important matches including the finals. Here, a parade of happy people, enterprising food stalls and playful artistes will regale you with performances until it is match time.

Make sure you check the weather for the day and carry a jacket or umbrella if rain is forecast. The Roland Garros umbrellas are a definite keepsake but they cost the earth as well so pick your battles wisely. Also ensure you’re wearing comfortable shoes as there will be a fair bit of walking involved.

Watching the Finals:

Once the match began, I was lost in the exquisite sportsmanship of Nadal and cheered every point that he won along with a huge group of his supporters. I almost lost track of time as the game progressed and Nadal inched ever closer to victory. When he fell on the floor after scoring the final point, it was an emotional and joyous end to the entire tour de force that had accompanied my entire journey from watching Nadal win the semis at my home in Bombay to seeing him lift the cup a few inches from me at Roland Garros. It was a surreal and once-in-a-lifetime experience that I hope I can replicate once again. As I made my way to the Roland Garros shop to pick up a souvenir, I spotted a pole that told me the distance to the three other Open championships from. I’m hoping one day soon, I’ll be at one of these other Championship venues as well.

In recent years, Nadal’s injuries prevented him from replicating his success at Roland Garros. But after last year and looking at Nadal’s form these days, I am hoping one day soon I’ll be back at Roland Garros to relive my experience.

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Important Links:

Official site of Roland Garros to follow the match schedule. You can find tickets for some matches here. It is the best place to buy match tickets.

Another official link to try and score tickets is Viagogo.

Check this link to find information about shuttle services on days of the matches.

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