Buvettes
[ France, 2015-... ]
> Version française ici
Buvettes is a multimedia project – combining photos, text and sound – exploring the world of stadium refreshment stands and snack bars in particular, and the fans who gather there.
A rite of passage for many people looking to ‘grab a bite to eat’ and ‘have a quick pint’, these stands play just as much a part as the stands themselves in forming a highly visible, temporary community. Whether at a sports event, a protest or a folk festival, snacks and drinks become an excuse to chat and exchange a few words with your neighbour, against a backdrop of electric noise and the smell of frying.
Buvettes documents – beyond the traditional chips, pizzas and other merguez sausages – the culinary specialities one might encounter in France, with galette-saucisse in Rennes and socca in Nice leading the way. The whole affair is most often accompanied by a pint of beer, sometimes a “petit blanc” or mulled wine in winter.
--
Exhibition:
Rencontres d'Arles 2019, Maison Hans Lucas x Fujifilm (Arles)
In the media:
- Reportage : Les Frites ! (France 3)
- Portfolio : Ça sent bon le retour du vrai foot ! (France Football)
- Guide des meilleures buvettes de Ligue 1 (So Foot)
- Les buvettes de manif (Libération)
- L’histoire de la galette-saucisse bretonne (Vice)
- Portrait : Christian, maître-grilladin du Red Star (Vice)
- Les buvettes de stade par Guillaume Blot (Mint)
- Einen Gignac-Burger, bitte! (Der Spiegel - All)
Stade de La Beaujoire, Nantes (44) - 2015
A staple of stadium snacks in France, the ‘Américain’ – usually consisting of a beef patty, chips, and ketchup or mayonnaise, all sandwiched between slices of baguette – costs around €5–6. A fork – ideal for keeping your fingers clean, as well as the paper towel – is provided free of charge.
Here is an ‘Américain’ sandwich decked out in the colours of FC Nantes and one of its supporters, outside the Stade de La Beaujoire.
Stade de l'Idonnière, Le Poiré-sur-Vie (85) - 2017
Amateur football clubs often rely on volunteers to run the snack stands at their grounds, particularly during major events such as French Cup matches.
Here at the Stade de l'Idonnière, home to Vendée Poiré-sur-Vie Football, in January 2017, during the local team’s round of 32 match against RC Strasbourg.
Amateur football clubs often rely on volunteers to run the snack stands at their grounds, particularly during major events such as French Cup matches.
Here at the Stade de l'Idonnière, home to Vendée Poiré-sur-Vie Football, in January 2017, during the local team’s round of 32 match against RC Strasbourg.
Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille (59) - 2015
A Lille OSC fan with a tub of chips, outside the stadium.
A Lille OSC fan with a tub of chips, outside the stadium.
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne (42) - 2015
An AS Saint-Étienne fan eating a sandwich outside the stadium.
An AS Saint-Étienne fan eating a sandwich outside the stadium.
Stade de La Beaujoire, Nantes (44) - 2015
Prince de Bretagne potatoes, ready to be turned into chips by Dominique and his team at the Chez Pépère stall on the forecourt of the Stade de La Beaujoire in Nantes. A true hallmark of the brand is displayed on the snack bar’s white van, topped with a Vendée flag – one of 18 such stalls that FC Nantes supporters can count on.
Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille (59) - 2015
A selection of sauces, including the famous “Ch’ti”, available at the Sensas chip shop stall
A selection of sauces, including the famous “Ch’ti”, available at the Sensas chip shop stall
Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens (62) - 2022
Founded in 1969, Friterie Sensas is an institution in northern France, particularly among RC Lens supporters.
Jean-Paul Dambrine – its iconic founder, made famous by the film Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis – is there himself on match nights at the Stade Bollaert Delelis, serving up beef-fat chips, fricadelles and kebabs to his customers.
Founded in 1969, Friterie Sensas is an institution in northern France, particularly among RC Lens supporters.
Jean-Paul Dambrine – its iconic founder, made famous by the film Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis – is there himself on match nights at the Stade Bollaert Delelis, serving up beef-fat chips, fricadelles and kebabs to his customers.
Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille (59) - 2015
Sensas Chipshops can also be found in other stadiums, such as here around the LOSC stadium.
Sensas Chipshops can also be found in other stadiums, such as here around the LOSC stadium.
Stade du Roudourou, Guingamp (22) - 2015
A mother and her son, both supporters of En Avant Guingamp, sharing a “Frère” Coca-Cola before their team’s match
A mother and her son, both supporters of En Avant Guingamp, sharing a “Frère” Coca-Cola before their team’s match
Roazhon Park, Rennes (35) - 2015
The signature dish of Breton snack bars and football fans in general, and Stade Rennais supporters in particular: the galette-saucisse. Plain for the traditionalists, with mustard or even onions and cheese for others, this “Armorican hot dog” sells for around €2.50 around Roazhon Park (Rennes).
A song called “Galette-Saucisse je t’aime”, a book of the same name, and an article (read here) explaining how it became the culinary emblem of an entire region are all worth noting.
The signature dish of Breton snack bars and football fans in general, and Stade Rennais supporters in particular: the galette-saucisse. Plain for the traditionalists, with mustard or even onions and cheese for others, this “Armorican hot dog” sells for around €2.50 around Roazhon Park (Rennes).
A song called “Galette-Saucisse je t’aime”, a book of the same name, and an article (read here) explaining how it became the culinary emblem of an entire region are all worth noting.
Roazhon Park, Rennes (35) - 2015
A young Stade Rennais fan with his galette-saucisse outside Roazhon Park, ahead of his team’s match against AS Saint-Étienne.
A young Stade Rennais fan with his galette-saucisse outside Roazhon Park, ahead of his team’s match against AS Saint-Étienne.
Stade de La Beaujoire, Nantes (44) - 2015
Stade du Moustoir, Lorient (56) - 2015
Stade de La Beaujoire, Nantes (44) - 2015
Stade Francis Le Basser, Laval (53) - 2019
According to a 2019 study conducted by Le Parisien, which looked at the prices charged by snack bars at Ligue 1 clubs’ stadiums (2018/2019 season), the most expensive sandwich is found at the Parc des Princes (€5.20) and the cheapest at the Girondins de Bordeaux’s Matmut Atlantique (€3.50). As for soft drinks, prices range from €4.50 at RC Strasbourg’s Meinau stadium to €2 at EA Guingamp’s Roudourou stadium.
According to a 2019 study conducted by Le Parisien, which looked at the prices charged by snack bars at Ligue 1 clubs’ stadiums (2018/2019 season), the most expensive sandwich is found at the Parc des Princes (€5.20) and the cheapest at the Girondins de Bordeaux’s Matmut Atlantique (€3.50). As for soft drinks, prices range from €4.50 at RC Strasbourg’s Meinau stadium to €2 at EA Guingamp’s Roudourou stadium.
Stade Orange Vélodrome, Marseille (13) - 2015
A white Ravanelli-style cheese dish, a three-cheese mix or a classic cheese: the large platters displayed in the pizza van’s window show off mountains of pre-baked slices. Paul takes the order and hurries to reheat the generous portions in the oven for a flat €2.
Next to him, under the small, smoke-filled marquee with its kebab grills, Daniel and his sixty-something friends treat themselves to a feast to cheer themselves on before the final whistle and the end of the match. They know that their spot, 30 metres from the Rond Point du Prado exit of Metro Line 2, will earn them the jeers of the ‘gluttonous’.
A white Ravanelli-style cheese dish, a three-cheese mix or a classic cheese: the large platters displayed in the pizza van’s window show off mountains of pre-baked slices. Paul takes the order and hurries to reheat the generous portions in the oven for a flat €2.
Next to him, under the small, smoke-filled marquee with its kebab grills, Daniel and his sixty-something friends treat themselves to a feast to cheer themselves on before the final whistle and the end of the match. They know that their spot, 30 metres from the Rond Point du Prado exit of Metro Line 2, will earn them the jeers of the ‘gluttonous’.