Financed entirely by the Pinault family, who have been committed and passionate shareholders since 1998, this private investment is a testament to the club’s undiminished ambition. By modernising its facilities, the club reaffirms its commitment to improving performance at all levels, consolidating the excellence of its academy and remaining a powerful source of pride for all Bretons.
A local initiative supporting sporting performance
Designed by the architectural firm NeM, this refurbishment was carried out to a tightly controlled schedule: work began in November 2023, enabling the professional training centre to be handed over in February 2025, ahead of the final handover this summer. The optimisation of the spaces at the Piverdière site now provides first-class working conditions for the professional team, the Academy and the administrative staff. The exceptional quality of these pitches ensures that players can train regularly on consistent surfaces. Furthermore, the opening of the Academy’s new building has enabled the women’s first team to move into the Piv’Nord facilities, providing them with a dedicated space for both training and matches on a single site.
An exemplary bioclimatic design, with water as a key issue
Designed as a veritable oasis of greenery, following a year-long study of seasonal biodiversity and integrated into the wooded surroundings of La Piverdière, the project emphasises a low land-use footprint: the buildings have been erected exclusively on areas that were already developed, on the sites of former car parks and buildings. Designed in accordance with the principles of bioclimatic architecture, the structure – which maximises solar gain – is covered with green roofs and bordered by 460 newly planted trees to preserve and promote biodiversity. Another key feature is the circular water management system: this comprises a 4,000 m³ storage tank, the reuse of greywater from showers to flush toilets, and a unique innovative system developed with BWT (the European leader in water treatment) to recycle drainage water. As a result, Stade Rennais F.C. has drastically reduced its consumption of drinking water for watering its pitches.
Reactions
François-Henri Pinault, owner of Stade Rennais F.C. :
« Stade Rennais is not just a football team; it is a symbol, a point of reference, a source of pride shared not only by the people of Rennes, but also by all those in Brittany who identify with its colours. This pride compels us to look further ahead and build for the long term, giving the club the means to grow whilst remaining true to its values and its roots. This major investment matches our ambitions for the professional team, our youth academy and the future generations who will wear the Red and Black shirt tomorrow. We now have a state-of-the-art facility, built to the highest environmental standards. We have the foundations, we have a history and we have a wonderful region – it is up to us to live up to them. »
Philippe Diallo, President of the French Football Federation :
« This is a special day, yet in a way it represents a continuum that symbolises the very essence of French football – from youth development right through to the elite, from those who inspire us to those who are learning their craft. Today, our French national team has a very strong Rennes influence. If we have such outstanding players, it is because it all begins here, in these community centres, these training centres. Here we have a centre of excellence: France’s leading training centre and the fourth-ranked in Europe. Let us pay tribute to all those who have contributed to this achievement – the Pinault family, the architects, the local authorities and the businesses – because it is here that the future of Stade Rennais and the greatness of our national teams are forged. I am particularly fond of the term ‘community centre’ because you also contribute to the education of our young people. The club has also invested in energy efficiency and environmental sustainability – aspects that must be taken into account in the football of tomorrow. This contributes to the modernisation of French football. »
Nathalie Appéré, Mayor of Rennes and Chair of Rennes Métropole :
« We have top-class facilities here. I would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who has contributed to this achievement. Mr Pinault and I realise just how fortunate we are to have loyal, committed owners who are also supporters. This loyalty and deep-rooted connection are something quite unique in modern football, and we know just how valuable it is. This infrastructure is remarkable, both for its architecture and its understated elegance. It is thoroughly modern whilst respecting resources and biodiversity, situated close to the city centre within an extraordinary green space. It represents both a culmination and a new stage in Stade Rennais’ ambitions, which are also those of the entire region. »
Three bronze giants at the heart of the forecourt
To mark the official opening of the club’s new community centre – which brings together the performance centre, the administrative headquarters and the Academy – Stade Rennais F.C. is hosting the monumental work *Drei Ganz Große Geister* [Three Very Great Spirits], created between 1998 and 2004 by the German artist Thomas Schütte, comprising three bronze figures from the Pinault Collection.
The installation of these sculptures reflects François Pinault’s commitment to fostering a dialogue between contemporary art and places of living, creation and knowledge-sharing. Just like La Piverdière, where commitment, knowledge-sharing and the pursuit of excellence are nurtured on a daily basis.
