LONG READ RC Vannes: The beating heart of Bretagne set on joining the French elite

If you happen to be strolling by the Rue du Port in Vannes on a matchday, you might hear a chant sung in unison from the La Rabine stadium that will make your soul tingle.

The lyrics, translated from Breton, of its first verse and chorus are as follows:

We, Bretons by heart, love our true country,
Armorica, famous worldwide.
Any fear in battle without, our such good fathers,
For thee shed their blood.

Brittany, my country, I love my country,
So long as the sea, like a wall surrounding thee,
My country shall be free!

For rugby fans, while the lyrics may be unfamiliar, the melody itself will carry resonance. This is the ‘Bro Gozh ma Zadoù’, the Breton version of ‘Land of My Fathers’, Vannes and Bretagne’s official anthem which shares a common link with Wales.

Vannes, one of the oldest towns in France, first established by the Veneti, a Gallic tribe from BC times, harbours some of the most passionate and humble people and rugby clubs you will ever come across.

While Brittany has its fair share of football teams, including Nantes, Lorient, Rennes and Guingamp, RC Vannes stands alone as the region’s sole professional rugby club, a team determined to become one of the new faces of French rugby.

After several decades playing in the Féderales (lower leagues), RC Vannes embraced professionalism in 2016, taking their first steps towards challenging the traditional French rugby scene. In 2024, they claimed the ProD2 title for the first time, defeating FC Grenoble 16-9 in the final and winning promotion to the Top 14. Though they were relegated the following season, the club have bounced straight back to the highest echelon and are determined to enjoy a longer stay at the top table. They performed credibly on their return to the premier division, going down narrowly 29-20 at Castres in the opening round.

It represents the whole region of Bretagne. That’s why people are so excited about it. We have supporters who drive for two hours to just come watch the game at La Rabine.

In the words of Eric Marks, the German international who has featured for the club for the past eight years, Vannes’ essence is much more than just a rugby team.

“Vannes is definitely like a lighthouse of rugby in the northwest of France,” said the 29-year-old utility forward.

“It doesn’t only represent one city; it basically represents the whole region of Bretagne. That’s why people are so excited about it. We have supporters who drive for two hours to just come watch the game at La Rabine.”

The club represents the core values of the region, showcasing a perennial humility, a profound respect for others and a hard-working nature that won’t ever stop.

For the German lock, the best comparison is with their Atlantic neighbours, La Rochelle, a club Marks played for in the Espoir (academy) ranks.

“La Rochelle and Vannes share some common traits, and the journey is very similar. They are teams based outside the classic area of French rugby. They are very family-based, positioned next to the Atlantic Ocean, with people who put their heads down and work to achieve their goals.”

Francisco Gorrissen arrived at Vannes in 2021, and the Argentine has fallen deeply in love with the land and its people – people who hold the rugby club close to their souls.

“While Vannes is an historical old town, it isn’t a big one, which means we are like a family, very tight and united. There’s a connection between everyone, from the board members to the players and the fans. Vannes, for all of us, means much more than the outcome of a game. Everyone is pushing in the same direction.”

Gorrissen, who has lived so many great moments as a member of the Bretons, will never forget the day he set foot in the region.

“When I arrived, a fan from the club went to get me at the Nantes airport. He volunteered to pick me up and drive me for almost two hours from the airport to Vannes. I remember him explaining he was doing this because he loved the club and wanted to help in any way he could.”

“In my opinion, it revolutionised the city quite a bit, as there was a spike in interest in the city with more tourists visiting.

Having come from a sporting scene where Argentinian fans aren’t shy about showing their passion, Gorrissen sheds light on how special the Vannes supporters are and have been for the growth of the club.

“In Argentina, the hinchas are very passionate and electric. Here in Vannes, they are the same, but a bit calmer. They are very polite and care a lot about the team and the players. While the home games are amazing, it is when we play far away from home that you get to understand how in love, they are with the club, as they follow Vannes everywhere.

“I have been lucky enough to have been experiencing that for the past five seasons, helping the club write a very beautiful story.

“I am speechless just remembering the ProD2 final in 2024. Almost 20,000 fans were in the stands, and our fans just didn’t stop for a single second, cheering and supporting us. This year, we had fans who booked their tickets to the final many months before. Their belief and love for the club knows no bounds.”

Promotion wasn’t just a reward for their efforts; it was a new synergy that stirred things up across Bretagne.

“It was something colossal for the club, city and region,” Gorrissen added. “It took everyone by storm. Everyone was celebrating it and revelling in the fact we were going to be joining the top flight of French rugby.

“In my opinion, it revolutionised the city quite a bit, as there was a spike in interest in the city with more tourists visiting. The day that we stepped into the Top 14, it made people from all over France keen to discover Vannes.”

Having taken their first steps into an entirely new reality, the Bretons put up a tremendous fight to avoid relegation in the 2024/25 season. They secured seven victories and 36 points, ultimately falling just nine points short of retaining their place in the Top 14.

The board is making a massive effort for the club to keep growing. It isn’t just about being amongst the elite of French rugby; it is making the whole project cohesive enough that we can do great things.

However, while most would’ve been disheartened and looking for answers, Marks and his teammates were already focused on mounting a comeback.

“When we went down from the Top 14, we simply said to ourselves, ‘We are going to work hard and get back here next year’. The way the team worked together was key to our celebrating another Pro D2 win and promotion. We are a very homogeneous side, so when one player rests, we have another to take their place.”

As one of the club’s captains, Gorrissen understood Vannes had the foundations to become a core Top 14 side, viewing relegation as merely another step in their journey.

“We felt we had done good things in our first Top 14 season. We felt we looked good in some bits of the year,” said the three-cap Puma.

“So, when we got relegated, we weren’t in a bad place, as the team felt it was moving in the right direction to mount a successful comeback in the space of a single season.

“The board is making a massive effort for the club to keep growing. It isn’t just about being amongst the elite of French rugby; it is making the whole project cohesive enough that we can do great things without making a misstep.”

Showcasing a profound love, respect and care for the club, both forwards understand the massive responsibility on their shoulders, as the people of Vannes only desire for their passion to be kept alive.

Having witnessed the club’s evolution over the past eight years, Marks takes great pride in representing RC Vannes in its iconic deep-sea blue colours and is eager to help write the next chapter of its story.

“This is the start of creating a tradition and history of Vannes being amongst the best. A few years from now, when we look back, we will feel proud of what has been achieved and how far we have come.”

Gorrissen shares the same sentiment as his teammate and fellow captain, happy to have accepted the invitation to sign with the club as a “medical joker” five years ago.

“Playing for Vannes has been one of the greatest honours and pleasures of my life. I have been here for the past five years, and it is hard to put into words how far the club has gone since then. Not only in size, but also in mindset and ambition.”

Vannes is far more than just a sporting institution; it is the face of a community which has dug its nails into the ground and worked to create a shared happiness.

Their pride, which can be felt when they sing the marvellous ‘Bro Gozh ma Zadoù’, resonates deeply within the players. With a culture rooted in enduring passion, Vannes aims to usher in a new era for sport in Brittany, with Marks outlining the goals for the near future.

“The first is to stay in the Top 14. We want to make sure we win all of our home games, as it is our biggest advantage. La Rabine has to be our fortress, and we have to gain momentum from it.”

With Vannes locked in the everlasting shores of Brittany, one thing is certain: form may fluctuate, but the rugby club is here to stay.

“I would like for everyone to come here and get to know Vannes,” said Gorrissen. “I’m not going to say it is a special place; I am going to say it is a different place, where people respect you and are welcoming; where you will feel at home from the very first kick-off.”