Southern France is rugby heaven.

The rugby union season in France runs from September to May.

There are hundreds of clubs divided into various divisions. 

There are two professional divisions; Top 14 and Pro D2 (effectively 1st and 2nd Divsion) then Federale 1, 2 and 3 and so on.

Most of the leading French clubs are concentrated in the southwest of France.

The Top 14 Club Final is held in Paris in late May each year.

The Heineken Cup involves some of the Top 14 teams.

Rugby Union is part of the fabric of the Southwest of France so take the opportunity to catch a local match.

Google Map below showing French rugby clubs: Top 14 red and Pro D2 yellow.  

The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One race held annually in Principality of Monaco (near Nice). It is one of the oldest and most prestigious motorsports events in the world.

The Le Mans 24 Hour Race is the world's oldest endurance race for motorsport, established in 1923. The race is held annually near the town of Le Mans, southwest of Paris. 2010 Race:12-13 June

Football (soccer) in France is predominantly urban with a slight bias towards the North. The standard of French Football is high.

France hosted and won the 1998 FIFA World Cup.  The French professional football league is called Ligue 1 and is played between September and May.

Tennis: The French Tennis Open is held over two weeks in Paris around May-June every year at Roland Garos Stadium.

Roland Garros is the second of the Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar and the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world.

Basketball: France has a professional basketball league that enjoys a strong following. The season runs from November to May with the final in Paris.

Le Tour de France: One of the world's greatest sporting events and travel marketing dream. For more than two weeks media from all over the world follow the tour through France's glorious countryside.