Lorient

The Stade Yves Allainmat - Le Moustoir is the home of FC Lorient, located at 11 rue Jean Le Coutaller in Lorient, a port city in the Morbihan department of Brittany. The stadium holds 18,110 spectators and has been Lorient's home since 1961 in various forms, with the current structure having been substantially developed and modernised over the decades. Named after Yves Allainmat, a former mayor of Lorient, and known locally as Le Moustoir after the neighbourhood in which it sits, the ground reflects the compact, maritime character of this Atlantic port city that was almost entirely destroyed during the Second World War and rebuilt in a distinctive architectural style.

FC Lorient won the Coupe de France in 2002, their most significant trophy, and have spent several periods in Ligue 1 as a consistent, well-run provincial club. The club's stadium generated passionate support from the close-knit Breton maritime community and their home fixtures have often been among the Ligue 1's most atmospheric relative to crowd size. Under the coaching of Christophe Pelissier, Lorient won promotion from Ligue 2 in 2020 and established themselves as a competitive top-flight club, qualifying for Europe and playing attractive attacking football that drew admirers across France.

The Stade Le Moustoir has undergone improvements in recent years to maintain its Ligue 1 standard, with covered stands improving the matchday experience in Brittany's often wet Atlantic climate. Lorient's unique identity - a fishing port with a strong Celtic Breton identity, deeply attached to the sea and its maritime heritage - gives the club a distinctive cultural character within French football. The Club des Supporters Lorientais generates a colourful and passionate atmosphere at the ground, and the yellow-and-black colours of Les Merlus are a familiar and well-regarded presence in the French top flight. The club's compact size and clear footballing philosophy have made them one of Ligue 1's most respected smaller clubs.