Palais des sports de Tremblay-en-France

The wooden floorboards of the Palais des Sports Esplanade Maurice Thorez are polished to a high sheen, reflecting the rows of overhead lights that hang in a grid above the court. It is not a grand cathedral of sport but a functional hall in the suburbs of Paris where the game is played close to the spectators.

The venue sits at 1, esplanade Maurice Thorez, a location that has not changed since it opened in 2005. The capacity is modest, holding just over a thousand people for a match, a number that allows the crowd to feel the movement of the players on the court. It is not the Arena Grand Paris, which opened later and hosts larger events; this is a quieter place, dedicated to the regular rhythm of the season.

Tremblay-en-France Handball plays its home games here, but the ground remains the same. Sometimes the floor is covered for a judo tournament or a boxing match, but the wooden planks are always there.

The atmosphere is defined by proximity. When the away end shouts, the sound does not travel far before it hits the walls. The players can hear the instructions from the coach and the responses from the stands. It is a normal ground for a normal club, where the focus is on the ball and the result, not on the architecture.