The Open Sud de France takes place in January every year at the Sud de France Arena, an indoor complex found in the Montpellier suburb of Pérols.
Formerly played at the Palais des Sports de Gerland in Lyon every October until 2009, the competition was founded in 1987 and is one of four French events on the ATP Tour 250 series along with the Open 13, Moselle Open and Lyon Open.
In 2011, there was no event as the tournament shifted to a January slot in 2012.
Whether you are flying into Europe specifically to go to the Open Sud de France or are simply a casual tennis fan looking to catch some tennis during your time in France, we have your complete guide to the 2024 Open Sud de France.
Image Credit: Open Sud de France/© Jean-Baptiste Autissier. Image Location: Sud de France Arena, Montpellier, France
ATP Montpellier Open Sud de France 2024
When is the Open Sud de France 2024?
The 14th edition of the Open Sud de France will take place from Sunday, January 28 until Sunday, February 4, 2024.
Qualification for the men’s singles will start on Sunday January 28th, while the 1st round proper for the singles and doubles will begin on Monday January 29th.
Where is the Open Sud de France 2024?
The Open Sud de France has been played at the Sud de France Arena—also known as the Arena Montpellier—since 2010. Located in the Montpellier suburb of Pérols in the south of France, the venue has a seating capacity of nearly 10,000 for sporting events.
It's only a 5-min taxi ride from Montpellier Sud de France station, which has high-speed trains arriving from Paris multiple times a day.
How to get tickets for the Open Sud de France 2024?
You can find ticketing information on the tournament’s official website, as well as an email and phone number to contact if you run into any problems.
Tickets for the competition are sold in ranked categories—category 3 tickets are the most affordable while category 1 seats have the best views.
Day tickets are available for fans across all three categories with multi-day tickets available in categories 1 and 2, while unlimited tennis passes encompass the whole event and finals passes include entry to the final three days of the tournament.
Image Credit: Open Sud de France/© Jean-Baptiste Autissier. Image Location: Sud de France Arena, Montpellier, France
What to do in Montpellier during Open Sud de France week
Montpellier is a fantastic city to visit, considered a fun shopping destination as well as an exciting place to taste fresh local produce and experience the relaxed lifestyle of the South of France.
With just 300,000 living in the city itself, tourists will find Montpellier quieter and more manageable than nearby Marseille to the east, while it is comparable in size to Nice. Montpellier is also home to some fantastic hotels where you can rest between sessions at the arena.
Here are some of the best things to do in Montpellier if you end up visiting during January and February when the tennis is on.
- Musee Fabre: An art museum founded by Francois-Xavier Fabre, a Montpellier painter, in 1825. The site reopened in January 2007 following a full renovation and is one of the main tourist destinations in the city and close to the main square, the Place de la Comédie.
- Montpellier food and drink: With so many options to choose from we will mention just three: the Marché du Lez food market, L’Atelier de la Canourgue wine bar and Le Bistrok Montpellier—to indulge your taste buds Mediterranean-style.
- Montpellier Hérault Rugby: The GGL stadium is home to French professional Top 14 club Montpellier, which was established in 1986. The current team includes South African 2019 Rugby World Cup winner Cobus Reinach, Italy fly-half Paolo Garbisi and England back-row Sam Simmonds.
- Montpellier beaches: Montpellier’s beaches are some of the best in the entire Mediterranean. Carnon is the closest strip of sand, easily accessible from the Sud de France arena on the tram, while Palaves-les-Flots and La Grande Motte are resorts slightly further afield.
- Montpellier HSC: Professional football club in Ligue 1 based at the Stade de la Mosson to the east of the city center, former French alumni of Montpellier include Laurent Blanc, Eric Cantona and Olivier Giroud.
Image Credit: Open Sud de France/© Jean-Baptiste Autissier. Image Location: Sud de France Arena, Montpellier, France
How to get to Montpellier
Thanks to France's fantastic high-speed train network, you can easily get between Paris and Montpellier by train in as little as 3hrs 30mins. Multiple direct trains a day run from Paris Gare de Lyon station. From Montpellier Saint-Roch and Montpellier Sud de France stations, you can hop a local tram to the Sud de France Arena. Other train hubs easily accessible from Montpellier include Lyon (2hrs) and Marseille (1hr 30mins).
You can also reach Montpellier by train from international destinations. If you're flying into Europe via London, combine a Eurostar trip to Paris with a high-speed train journey to the South of France. You could theoretically get from cold wintery London to warm Mediterranean Montpellier in under 7hrs, without even leaving the ground—or break up the trip with an overnight stay in Paris under the Eiffel Tower.
Tennis on the Mediterranean
The Open Sud de France is not the only big sporting event worth crossing the Atlantic for. Check out our guides to the Marathon du Médoc and other top European marathons. And don't forget the OG tennis championship, Wimbledon, in London in July. You can reach all these locations in style by train. Download the Trainline app now and book your European train tickets on your smartphone in US dollars before you even leave on vacation.
Header Image Credit: Open Sud de France/© Jean-Baptiste Autissier. Image Location: Sud de France Arena, Montpellier, France