THANKS TO ROBBIE Brady’s 85th minute header on a historic Wednesday night in Lille, the Euro 2016 dream is still alive for Ireland.
The party continues in France, as the Boys in Green head towards Lyon with a fire in their belly, hoping to knock the tournament hosts out of the competition on their own home soil.
If you’ve made the spontaneous decision to head in that direction for Sunday’s big game, we’re insanely jealous. Whether you’ve got a ticket or not, we’ve got the perfect guide to help you get around and decide what to do.
Stade de Lyon: How do I get there?
Home of Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais, Stade de Lyon opened this January. The 60,000 capacity grounds played host to the clash between the two other sides who qualified for the last 16 from Group E, Italy and Belgium.
Located in Decinnes-Charpieu 10km from the city centre, the stadium is served well by public transport and is also easily reached by car. From the city you can get there by tram – take line 3 and get off at Decines Grand Large station, the stadium is a ten minute walk from there.
That line departs from Gare-Part-Dieu on the eastern edge of Lyon’s city centre.
Stade de Lyon is also located next to the N346 / E15 motorway. If you’re coming from the north of the country, get on the N346 from the A42 and take exit 6 for Lyon. Likewise from the south’s A43.
Didn’t manage to snap up tickets to the match?
Don’t worry, the massive fanzone will be showing all the action on the big screen. The zone fits 20,000 and will be located at Place Bellacore, which is directly accessible from metro lines A and D.
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Where to eat and drink
There is little around the stadium in terms of eating and drinking except for the odd chipper or fast food restaurant which will be ridiculously busy before the match, so you may be best grabbing a bite to eat before you leave the city centre.
Kelly’s Irish Pub (12 quai Romain Rolland, 69005 Lyon)
Tasty Irish pub-grub and a three-hour-long happy “hour”- ideal.
Paddy’s Corner (4 rue de la Terrasse, 69004 Lyon)
A small pub with a great atmosphere that shows sport and has plenty of beer on offer, what more do you want?
Wallace Bar (2 Rue Octavio Mey, 69005 Lyon)
A Scottish bar with a huge variety of food – from burgers to salads, steaks to a full breakfast – you won’t leave The Wallace hungry.
Johnny’s Kitchen (48 rue Saint-Georges, 69005 Lyon)
Pretty much the hub of the GAA team in Lyon, you’ll find most of the Irish people of the city here on a Saturday night. It’ll be especially busy this weekend though!
How to get around?
In the city centre, most places are walk-able but you can also take the metro, tram or bus – tickets valid for all forms of public transport cost €1.80 or €16.20 for a book of ten. You can also buy an all-day ticket for €5.50. There is a city-wide bike rental scheme. You can buy a Lyon City Card for €22 a day (2 days €32, 3 days €42) which provides unlimited access to the city’s transport network for the given time.
Things to do during the day
Well of course, “the best fans in the world” are renowned for their chanting, drinking and bringing an incredible buzz wherever they travel. As a result, most Irish fans won’t have time for sight-seeing and the likes in Lyon, but the options are still there.
See some sights, visit the old town, chill in Le Parc de la Tête d’Or – there’s plenty to do to make the most of your time in this picturesque city.
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