FRANCE

We have always been fascinated by the Coupe de France due to its involvement of overseas territories, which creates some truly unique ties and unrivalled away days. So when YouTuber ‘The Tim Traveller’ got in contact and invited us to a match between sixth-tier mainland club FC Saint Méziéry and Tahitians AS Pirae, we quickly booked our flights and spontaneously headed for Paris.

The weather was grim - a chat with the Tahitian players later revealed that they had never been so cold in their lives - but it was a fascinating match-up between a lower-league French outfit on the one hand and an OFC Champions League participant on the other. The hosts missed an early penalty, but went on to claim a 1-0 win.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for AS Pirae, who faced a 16,000 kilometre journey back to their home island after the final whistle, although they will have surely been happy to escape the cold and wet weather on the mainland.

Lee and Tim subsequently got stranded in the French countryside, taking cover in a bus shelter as torrential rain crashed down and the scheduled bus never showed up. Fortunately, though, they eventually got a taxi and then a train to get home. A memorable experience - and it has certainly wet the appetite for more live games in the magical competition that is the Coupe de France!