Parc des sports et de l'amitié

The Parc des sports et de l'amitié does not look like a cathedral of sport. It is a stark contrast to the terracing, as if the stadium is split in half by time.

The track is the real feature here. It is a deep red athletics surface that wraps the pitch, separating the rugby field from the stands on three sides. You watch the game through the white lines of the track.

It is a functional place, built for the Mediterranean Games, but it has settled into its life as a rugby ground. The atmosphere is built on proximity rather than height. When the ball is in hand, the players are close to the people watching. The track ensures that even when the crowd is full, the movement around the field remains clear. It is not a modern arena. It is a place where the game is played at ground level, with the running track acting as a permanent boundary between the action and the audience.