Cournon d'Auvergne

Cournon d'Auvergne enters its first ProLigue campaign, the second tier of French handball, after climbing there for the first time in the club's history in 2023 — a promotion earned via third place in the Voie d'Accès à la Professionnalisation standings of Nationale 1 Elite. The step came only three years after the club had reached Nationale 1 for the first time, in 2020-2021.

HCCA, as the club is known locally, plays out of the Maison des Sports in Clermont-Ferrand, 4,655 seats, with some fixtures still held at the Gymnase Raymond Boisset back in Cournon-d'Auvergne itself.

No Starligue, no Proligue title, no Coupe de France sits in the club's history — the story here is the climb itself, not silverware along the way.

Yvan Tavel keeps goal for them, having crossed the short distance from Saint-Flour in 2021 — a move that puts a former rival's goalkeeper between the posts for the very derby that once had him on the other side.