I am going to be in Nice and Paris during the Group Stage and I was wondering where an American rooting for the US can watch games in a friendly environment in those two cities. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Merci.
By friendly I mean a place where I can watch the US games against Italy and the Czechs with a few of my friends without being chased out of the bar or wherever I am if I have a USMNT scarf or jersey on. Rivalry/ trash talking etc. is great as long as I can watch and cheer without fear of violence or unwarranted harrassment. At least the US won't be playing France while I'm there.
I think you won't have any problems to find a place to watch these matchs, especially in Paris. Soccer matchs are often retransmitted in café, bars or pub. You can ask the tourist office, they should know. If you plan to come to Bordeaux, i could give you some pubs' adress with english speaking people but i don't know for Paris and Nice. But i'm sure you'll find.
Unless you decide to wear a NF scarf and go to Belleville to watch the game, the chances of you being chased out of the bar is highly unlikely. I've watched England games in Parisian bars before, with not one spot of bother. Any trouble will be down to some dickheads that have nothing to do with football.
well, there's an american bar near the palais garnier called harry's; they may not be a bigscreen kind of place but it'll be a good start. there's an english run brewpub in st.michel called the frog & rosbif.... can't help you for nice, the very word gives me hives. in lyon the albion and the st. james are going to show all matches concerning anything remotely speaking english. the down under will to, but you'd have to associate with antipodeans, make sure to wear vinyl clothes. anyway, for the italy match, the french will be rooting for the USA! there's something about italy losing that brings back fond memories... and trashtalking and harrassment is for losers, the french have class
Frog and Rosbif is a top bar... http://www.frogpubs.com/pub.php?lang=en&pub=frogrosbif_paris&topic=events The Long Hop is a nice jaunt too... http://www.long-hop.com/
For Nice try; http://www.paddyspub.fr/ http://www.thor-pub.com/int.htm http://master-home.orig-in.com/pub/ http://www.waynes.fr/start.htm