Élite 1

Élite 1 (since 2018, and previously Top 8 from 2015 to 2018) is the top national league for women's rugby union clubs in France. It was founded from the 1971–1972 season under the aegis of the French Women's Rugby Association before being taken over by the French Women's Rugby Federation, it has been organized by the French Rugby Federation since 1989. The first season was won by the ASVEL Rugby women's side.

Élite 1
SportRugby union
Founded1971 (1971)
Inaugural season1972
No. of teams14
CountryFrance
Most recent
champion(s)		ASM Romagnat
(2021)
Most titlesToulouse Femina Sports (9)

The championship takes place in two phases: a so-called qualification phase, which is contested by all the teams, and a final phase which is played by direct elimination. From 2015 to 2018, the championship is referred to as the Top 8. In 2018, the championship went from a single pool of 8 clubs to two pools of 16. The 8 best clubs qualified for the final phase. Since the 2018-2019 season, two clubs have been relegated to Elite 2 at the end of the championship.

As with men, the most successful club in France is Toulouse: it is Toulouse Fémina Sports , with 9 French championship titles, in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984 and 1985. Montpellier RC is the second most successful team with eight titles (2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015 , 2017 , 2018 and 2019). In a recent reform in 2021, the league has seen the number of teams decrease from 16 to 14 and there will only be 12 teams next season.[1][2]

ASM Romagnat won the Élite 1 2020-2021 season.[3]

Teams
ClubStadiumCapacity
Blagnac Rugby FémininStade Ernest-Argelès4,000
AC Bobigny 93 RugbyStade Henri-Wallon1,000
Stade BordelaisStade Chaban-Delmas34,694
RC Chilly-MazarinComplexe sportif Jesse-Owens
FC Grenoble Stade Lesdiguières 12,650
Lons Section Paloise Stade du Bourg (complexe Georges Martin)
LOU Rugby Plaine des Jeux de Gerland
Montpellier Stade Sabathé / Stade Éric-Béchu 8,000 / 500
Stade Rennais Rugby Stade du Commandant Bougouin 4,000
ASM Romagnat Stade Michel-Brun 500
Stade Toulousain Stade Ernest-Wallon 19,500
Lille MRC Villeneuvois Stade Emmanuel-Thery / Stadium Lille Métropole NA / 18,500

Champions
SeasonChampion ScoreRunner-up Venue Attendance
1972ASVEL 10–8RC Adour Lombez
1973 FC Auch 10–8 Tarbes Rugby Morlaàs
1974 Violettes bressanes 25–10 FC Auch La Voulte
1975 Toulouse Fémina Sports 18–3 OF Valence Les Dragons Blancs Romagnat
1976 Toulouse Fémina Sports 8–3 Violettes bressanes Castres
1977 Toulouse Fémina Sports 12–7 Violettes bressanes Montaigut-le-Blanc
1978 Toulouse Fémina Sports 7–0 FC Auch Montaigut-le-Blanc
1979 Toulouse Fémina Sports 19–0 Coquelicots de Tournus Montaigut-le-Blanc
1980 Toulouse Fémina Sports 7–0 Violettes bressanes Montaigut-le-Blanc
1981 Violettes bressanes 10–3 Coquelicots de Tournus Montaigut-le-Blanc
1982 Toulouse Fémina Sports 7–0 Violettes bressanes Montaigut-le-Blanc
1983 La Teste Rugby 10–0 Violettes bressanes Tulle
1984 Toulouse Fémina Sports 10–0 Coquelicots de Tournus Privas
1985 Toulouse Fémina Sports 6–0 Violettes bressanes Montaigut-le-Blanc
1986 La Teste Rugby 8–0 Toulouse Fémina Sports
1987 La Teste Rugby 16–4 Coquelicots de Tournus Bègles
1988 La Teste Rugby 8–0 Violettes bressanes Anglet
1989 Violettes bressanes 19–12 AS Romagnat Montaigut-le-Blanc
1990 Saint-Orens 7–6 Violettes bressanes Tours
1991 Rugby Club de Chilly-Mazarin 3–0 Saint-Orens Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche
1992 Pachys d'Herm 10–3 Saint-Orens Marciac
1993 Saint-Orens 13–3 Violettes bressanes L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
1994 AS Romagnat 21–12 Saint-Orens Maurs
1995 AS Romagnat 10–6 Pachys d'Herm
1996 Rugby Club de Chilly-Mazarin 3–0 AS Romagnat Romorantin
1997 Pachys d'Herm 30–17 Saint-Orens Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris
1998 Pachys d'Herm 20–11 AS Romagnat Mussidan
1999 Caen Rugby Club 25–12 Pachys d'Herm Leucate
2000 Caen Rugby Club 12–5 Pachys d'Herm Poitiers
2001 Pachys d'Herm 20–19 Caen Rugby Club Limoges
2002 Caen Rugby Club 10–3 Saint-Orens Tyrosse
2003 Pachys d'Herm 23–15 Caen Rugby Club Parthenay
2004 USAT XV Toulouges 8–6 Ovalie caennaise Isle
2005 USAT XV Toulouges 7–3 Ovalie caennaise Stade de France, Saint-Denis
2006 USAT XV Toulouges 8–3 Stade rennais rugby La Roche-sur-Yon
2007 Montpellier RC 10–3 Ovalie caennaise Grenoble
2008 USAT XV Toulouges 18–15 Montpellier RC Narbonne
2009 Montpellier RC 19–16 USAP XV Féminin Gruissan
2010 USAP XV Féminin 26–5 Montpellier RC Stade Jean Bouin, Paris
2011 USAP XV Féminin 15–11 Stade rennais rugby Saint-Médard-en-Jalles 1,200
2012 Rugby club lonsois 14–10 Montpellier RC Stade de Loudes, L'Union
2013 Montpellier RC 15–12 Lille MRC villeneuvois Stade Robert-Barran, Vierzon
2014 Montpellier RC 29–19 AC Bobigny 93 rugby Stade de l'Escale, Arnas
2015 Montpellier RC 17–3 Lille MRC villeneuvois Stade Marcel-Verchère, Bourg-en-Bresse
2016 Lille MRC villeneuvois 18–7 Montpellier RC Stade Jules-Ladoumègue, Massy
2017 Montpellier RC 17–11 Lille MRC villeneuvois Stade André-Moga, Bègles 1,500
2018 Montpellier RC 15–12 Stade toulousain Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne
2019 Montpellier RC 22–13 Stade toulousain Stade Maurice-Trélut, Tarbes
2020 Season interrupted by COVID-19
2021 ASM Romagnat 13–8 Blagnac rugby féminin Stade Ernest-Argelès, Blagnac 1,000
2022 Stade toulousain 16–10 Blagnac rugby féminin Stade Lesdiguières, Grenoble

References
  1. "Elite 1 - En quête d'homogénéité, l'Elite féminine entame sa mue". Rugbyrama (in French). 2021-09-17. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  2. "France reorganises its elite league – again". Scrum Queens. 2020-05-09. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  3. "Romagnat win French championship". Scrum Queens. 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
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