Women’s sports in Provence: testimony, evolution and reality on the ground
- virginieinprovence
- Mar 31
- 5 min read
Hello,.
My name is Axelle. I was born and raised in Provence, where I still live today. I work alongside Virginie to help prepare your immersion stays in Provence.
In our daily work, we are passionate about helping you discover the emblematic places of the region… but also topics that truly matter to us.
As both a student and a basketball player, I wanted, through this article, to share my perspective on women’s sports, as well as the different realities women face in sports today.
Women’s sports: a long-limited access
To understand the place of women in sports today, it is important to look back.
Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, once said:
“The Olympic Games must be reserved for men…”
Thank you, Pierre… 😅
For a long time, women were excluded from sports.
In France, it was not until May 1968 that mixed-gender physical education (PE) was truly allowed in schools.
At the Olympic Games, women were only admitted in 1928, and only in a few disciplines:
100 meters
800 meters
high jump
javelin throw
4 x 100 meter relay
Today, women’s sports have become a real issue of equality, but also a way for women to claim their place in all sports.
Media coverage of women’s sports
What if we now looked at the place of women in sports media?
Even today, women’s sports receive less media coverage than men’s sports. Whether on television, in the press, or on social media, men’s competitions are far more visible.
This gap is especially noticeable in team sports, where men’s teams benefit from significantly greater media exposure.
But this is not limited to team sports: overall, men’s sports still largely dominate media coverage.
To better understand this reality, I asked a simple question to several people around me:
👉 name well-known female athletes
👉 and name at least one major women’s sports competition
The names that came up most often were:
Wendie Renard, French football player and captain of the national team
Serena Williams, American tennis player and multiple Grand Slam champion
Venus Williams, American tennis player and former world number one
Laure Manaudou, French swimmer and Olympic champion
Isabelle Yacoubou, French basketball player
Gabby Williams, Franco-American basketball player
On the competition side, the answers were:
the Olympic Games
the Women’s Football World Cup
the Women’s Basketball Euro
What is interesting is that the same sports (football, tennis, swimming, basketball) and the same figures come up again and again.
This shows that, despite progress, the visibility of women’s sports is still concentrated around certain disciplines and a few major athletes.
Aside from the fact that the people interviewed were influenced by their own sports practice or preferences, the athletes mentioned are among the most widely covered female athletes worldwide.
We observe that the same sports dominate (football, basketball, swimming) and that the same athletes appear repeatedly.
According to Le Figaro, media coverage of women’s sports was very low in 2012, with only 7% of airtime. It improved by 2021, but remained limited at just 20% of sports broadcasts.
Between 2017 and 2022, the top 20 women’s competitions with the highest TV audiences were largely dominated by football (14 matches), followed by rugby (3) and handball (3), with audiences ranging from 2.2 to 10.7 million viewers.
To reduce gender inequalities in sports, 89 sports federations have implemented feminization plans.
A law promoting gender parity in sports governance was also passed in early 2022 and will apply from 2024. Its goal is to strengthen women’s presence in leadership positions in sports.
The most practiced sports by women
According to the newspaper L’Équipe, the most practiced sports by women are:
walking and hiking (57%)
swimming (37%)
fitness (28%)
running (23%)
racket sports (18%)
We can see that women tend to favor individual sports.
Why?
This may reflect a desire for personal development, autonomy, and individual progress.
Team sports also require more coordination and organization, which can be difficult to manage with busy schedules.
Testimonial: my experience in women’s basketball
As a basketball player who competed at a national level (Nationale 2), I would like to share my experience
.
I started playing basketball at the age of 13. At first, it was just a discovery. My mother thought I wouldn’t last more than three months because I couldn’t stand being “yelled at”… long story.
But over time, she realized it wasn’t just a hobby — this sport was meant for me.
With the right team and the right coaches, everything becomes possible. Two years later, I joined a sports-study program, and everything accelerated.
When you build strong connections within a team, everything becomes more intense: victories, defeats… a true family is formed. Basketball helped me grow personally: overcoming shyness, strengthening my mental resilience, and building myself as a person.
Sport means learning, building, and sharing. It reveals who we are.
It also involves lifestyle choices: nutrition, rhythm, relationships… but every commitment requires sacrifices.
Women’s sports in Provence
In Provence, women’s sports reflect the same realities as elsewhere: still underrepresented in the media, but evolving rapidly.
This weekend, an important match will take place in the South of France:👉 Martigues Sport Basket vs. SMUC (Stade Marseillais Université Club)
Two young and talented teams, with a shared goal: reaching the “Final Four.”
The Final Four refers to the four semi-finalist teams competing to reach the final. It is a key stage in sports like basketball, handball, or volleyball.
This match, which will take place at the Aldéric Chave gymnasium in Martigues, represents a turning point for these women’s teams. One will move closer to promotion, while the other will see that goal slip away.
If you are in Provence this weekend, I invite you to attend the match at 8 p.m… and discover Martigues, also known as the “Venice of Provence.”
Women’s sports today: between progress and challenges
It is clear that changing mentalities and the growing recognition of women’s place in society have allowed women’s sports to develop. Despite ongoing inequalities — in media coverage, salaries, and representation in leadership — women have managed to establish themselves in the world of sports.
Through their performances, both nationally and internationally, they have contributed to changing perceptions. Today, the economic and media potential of women’s sports is increasingly recognized.
Learn French through immersion in Provence
If you come to stay with me for a French immersion experience in Provence, I will help you discover every aspect of the region: landscapes, scents, culture, gastronomy… while improving your French naturally in daily life.
This article was written by Axelle, who worked with me a few years ago. I would like to thank her for this sincere and inspiring testimony.
Further reading
Would you like to go further in discovering Provence and learning French through immersion?
Here are a few articles you might enjoy:
A typical day in Provence: learning French differently
The first 48 hours to learn French through immersion
Discover Aix-en-Provence: culture, markets, and lifestyle
The Calanques of Cassis: an immersion between nature and French language
Provençal beef stew: discover my traditional recipe
See you soon in Provence!
Virginie in Provence
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