If you are looking for the madness of the great European squares, day or night, skip your turn.
Munich is not Paris, Madrid, Rome, Barcelona or London.
In Germany's third-largest city, home to Bayern Munich and half a dozen French people, life seems ideal to focus primarily on football.
"This is perhaps one of the explanations of the greatness of Bayern", smiles the relative of a former player of the club.
Without exaggeration, the nightlife also exists, Munich and Bavaria approach a land of fulfillment for any footballer.
This season, there were six French people to wear the red of FC Bayern Munich, six-time winner of the Champions League: Kingsley Coman, Corentin Tolisso, Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernandez, Bouna Sarr and Tanguy Kouassi. The first four return since Monday in "their" city with the France team, where Germany awaits them Tuesday at the opening of Euro 2021. The evening decor is one of the best known in Munich: Allianz-Arena, a sublime enclosure with 75,000 seats (reduced to 14,000 on Tuesday due to the health crisis), covered with some 3,000 air cushions illuminated in white or red depending on the poster.
It is here that Franck Ribéry, arguably the most popular French player among Bavarian fans, built his legend.
Coman, who arrived in 2015, and Tolisso, who arrived in 2017, shared part of the career of what is still called “Kayser Franck”.
Pavard and Hernandez joined Bayern in 2019, succeeding two other French legends as full-backs, Bixente Lizarazu or Willy Sagnol.
"They can stroll rather quietly in the city"
“We are really proud of your players,” says Maximilian, at the reception of “FC Bayern World”, the largest store dedicated to the biggest club in the country. Ribéry remains a darling for everyone. Today I sold a Lucas Hernandez flocked jersey. With Coman, I would say he is the most popular of French players. Pavard also a little. What is cool for them is that they can walk around the city quite quietly. For Lewandowski, it's more complicated (
smiles
). They can be seen from time to time in nearby department stores like Louis Vuitton. With the mask, it was even easier. "
Right in the city center, a stone's throw from the town hall's Marienplatz, where the club's trophies are celebrated, we find the place most frequented by French players: the H'Ugo's.
Alternately restaurant, bar or nightclub once the doors are closed, the place is managed by the Italian Ugo Crocamo, the friend of Munich personalities.
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"Here, we know how to remain discreet and it is very good like that", we slip after the presentations made.
In the 90s, the German press was able to be invasive, like the British tabloids, by publishing photos of players at night.
Since then, everyone has learned to live more soberly.
Lucas Hernandez, Benjamin Pavard, Corentin Tolisso and Kingsley Coman reunited after Bayern's Champions League victory in August 2020. AFP / Matthew Childs
The symbol of this calm can be found about ten kilometers south of Munich, opposite the Allianz-Arena, built equidistant to the north of the city.
Welcome to Grünwald (Green Forest in French), a village of 10,000 inhabitants where only the noise of large German engines disturbs the birdsong.
Here, it's almost one Porsche per inhabitant.
Rather normal when you know that the postal code is among the richest in the country.
Here live Benjamin Pavard and Corentin Tolisso.
Lucas Hernandez recently left there while Franck Ribéry still owns a magnificent home there.
The best facilities in the world of football
At the beginning of June, many elderly people are seated at tables. “Everything is very calm in Grünwald, confirms Emma, surrounded by her friends, glass of white in hand despite the early hour. Yes, there are stars but I won't tell you who (
laughs
). The small town center hosts a branch of H'Ugo's but also the Osteria Eboli or the Asian restaurant Chang, one of the favorite places for French footballers. “They have nothing against German gastronomy. It's just more… balanced! », Laughs the owner of the premises.
But once again, discretion remains. “The Germans make the difference between the player at the stadium and the man or father of a family in civilian life. There is real respect ”, we say in the entourage of one of our“ Französen ”. For Kingsley Coman, who lives closer to the city center, the Bayern years were still marked by debates about his driving (he was involved in two car crashes in 2017 and 2018). More recently, in March, the PSG-trained winger traveled to the training center in… Mercedes while the team has a contract with Audi. Nothing serious but in this club described by all as family, any deviation is noted and sanctioned: 50,000 euros fine, donated to charities.
"This club impresses with its human side", continues a privileged witness. Between this town and the heart of the city, meet this time at Säbener Strasse, address of the head office and the training center. Here, the French and all the other employees pass through the same entrance, without distinction of rank. Players enjoy the best facilities on the planet of football. From their office, all seated on the same level, from the president to the assistants, enjoy the breathtaking view of the lawns. The big question now concerns the future of the French in Munich. Coman, at the end of the contract in June 2023, could well discover another city in the coming months.