Fans flock for tours of the all-new Stade Vélodrome

Last weekend, 55,000 people headed down to open days at Marseille's Stade Vélodrome organised to show off the behind-the-scenes areas, the roof and the pitch after three years of work on the stadium.

From Saturday morning, cameras were flashing all around the renovated, covered arena, which will play host to six matches at UEFA EURO 2016 including a quarter-final and a semi-final.

"I knew Stade Vélodrome when it still had a cycling track. My dad used to bring me here to watch Olympique de Marseille matches," explained René, a bus driver from the city who signed up for one of the first visits, to his son. "I have so many memories of this stadium, especially the semi-final of the EURO in 1984, when France beat Portugal right at the end of extra time. That's a match I'll never forget!"

Visitors were allowed access to the changing rooms and the pitch in groups of 300, with tours leaving every quarter of an hour. "We are greeting people for these half-hour visits and showing them all the most important areas of this stadium," explained Vincent Montagnac, a physical education and sports science student in Marseille and one of the 170 guides volunteering to show people round over the weekend. "We are here to answer all the visitors' questions."

Just outside the stadium, a photo exhibition also covered the major stages of the three-year building project, with Marseille continuing to play at the venue throughout. "Although I worked here for a few years as a steward when I was younger, I no longer recognise anything," beamed Nicolas, a fireman who came with colleagues from the station. "Everything has changed. It's a magnificent stadium and the atmosphere has returned."

The Vélodrome was inaugurated on 16 October©UEFA.com

As the open days took place during the school holidays, tourists were also among those to come and see the venue. "We have always been Olympique de Marseille supporters," said Henri and Clémentine, who had made the trip from the Oise region – north of Paris – especially for the open weekend. 

"This stadium means a great deal to us. It's an emblematic place, a symbol of football. To be here, in the players' dressing rooms or alongside this pitch, it's very emotional. There is so much passion around the Vélodrome, which has finally come back to life."

"I am happy that my seven-year-old son has been able to see this stadium, from the underground sections to the stands," said Paul happily, sitting at a table at a playground set up just outside the stadium for children at the end of their Vélodrome visit. "I think he'll remember it when he comes back here as a fan. This will be one of the stadiums of his generation. I hope he'll enjoy being in these stands as much as I have and that he'll see some great players make their mark here."

On Sunday, the 15,000 participants in the Marseille-Cassis half-marathon set off from inside the stadium.

The new Stade Vélodrome will have to wait until 18 November to host its first international match, France taking on Sweden in a friendly during which the UEFA EURO 2016 mascot will also be unveiled and the first few memories made at the new Vélodrome.