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Money, and a lot of it, has driven the growth of the top European leagues (UK, Spain, Germany, Italy). This has not occurred in France until this year.
Let's see what happens at PSG now that it has deep pocketed owners. If their spending results in PSG dominance, then you might see similar efforts w/ other French teams.
Additionally, while football has been and is the top sport in France, most of the top French players left to play in the other European leagues. As noted at the start, money drove this exodus.
I went to see Valenciennes vs Strasbourg in Ligue 1 a few years back - good enough atmosphere but felt like watching a second or third-tier game in England with the standard of play and the crowd numbers/size of stadium. One good thing about it though was the ticket price, just €8.50 (about $11 or $12 maybe?) - MUCH more affordable than any Premiership team, but of course the flip-side is you're watching an inferior product.
Yeah going to see Valenciennes vs Strasbourg isn't actually gonna showcase the French leagues talents going to a Marseille vs PSG or a Lille vs Lyon match would though, it's like a Frenchman going to see a Wigan vs Swansea match or something, you would be better going to see a Man City vs Man United or a Chelsea vs Tottenham match.
You and I paull are both supporters of "minnows" and understand true foorball by support these clubs and going to them. Id rather go see Wigan vs Swansea than City vs Utd.
Why to Valenciennes? Why you are not to go to Marseille, Saint-Etienne, Lille, Lyon, Paris etc.
Actually I spent a few months studying in Mons, just over the border in Belgium and lived with somebody from Strasbourg so went along to the Valenciennes game with him and a few of his mates. Actually I prefer the smaller, less fashionable teams from towns that aren't all that nice because as has already been said you tend to get more of the 'true' diehard fans who'll happily go and watch a team knowing they'll probably lose more than they win, and again with them being from smaller towns they're probably more likely to know each other personally than watching a team like Arsenal/Man U/Liverpool where supporters travel from all over for home games - don't know if that's the case with the top French teams though.
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