Arènes Francis San Juan

The arènes Francis San Juan is Lunel's bullring, built in 1861 and reworked in 1981. Its tiered seating holds between 3,000 and over 4,000 spectators. A 2018 restructuring by architect Jacques Ferrier added a roof with lace-like motifs, covering the semi-open arena.

Built in 1861, the arenas were remodeled in 1981 and renamed in 1986 after Francis San Juan, a raseteur from Lunel. In December 2014 the town launched a restricted design competition for restructuring, won by Jacques Ferrier Architectes with CoO Architectes, TPF ingénierie, Ligne Environnement et Bâtiment and dUCKS scéno. The rebuilt venue was inaugurated on Saturday 29 September 2018.

The arena is named after Francis San Juan, a raseteur (bull-runner) from Lunel, since 1986. Its programme is mostly courses camarguaises, the Camargue race in which men in white try to snatch ribbons and tassels from a bull's horns, alongside Spanish novilladas. Concerts, theatre and sports events have been added since the 2018 reopening.

The arena stands on the edge of Lunel's built-up area, and the 2018 restructuring added a roof that shelters spectators, so events can be held whatever the weather. Capacity shifts with the layout, from about 3,500 to 5,000 seats depending on whether the programme is bullfighting, a concert, theatre or sport. Check which configuration applies before booking.

The lace-patterned roof that crowns the arena was designed by Jacques Ferrier Architectes, winner of the December 2014 design competition; the practice worked with CoO Architectes, TPF Ingénierie, Ligne Environnement et Bâtiment and dUCKS scéno. The covered arena was inaugurated on Saturday 29 September 2018, a first for a semi-covered bullring.