Olympic Preparation on the Original Poligras Paris GT zero

The Racing Club de France (RCF) has been one of France’s most successful field hockey clubs for decades and has played a key role in shaping the sport in the country, making Stade de la Boulie one of France’s most important hockey venues. Located just a few kilometres from the centre of Paris, yet nestled within the extensive grounds of La Boulie near Versailles, the facility provides ideal conditions for preparing for major international competitions.

The club’s prominence and its location near Versailles were key factors in the decision to comprehensively modernise the hockey facility in the summer of 2024, shortly before the start of the Olympic Games in Paris.

The facility was equipped with Poligras Paris GT zero, the world’s first carbon-neutral hockey turf, developed specifically for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The surface is made from approximately 80 per cent bio-based raw materials derived from sugar cane and is manufactured using renewable energy. Compared with conventional hockey turf systems, this results in a saving of around 73 tonnes of CO₂.

Thanks to its innovative Turf Glide Technology, the surface also meets the requirements of modern dry-turf systems and significantly reduces water consumption. The technology minimises surface friction and delivers outstanding playing characteristics, even without irrigation. As a result, Poligras Paris GT zero sets new benchmarks in sustainability, resource efficiency and performance within international hockey. At the same time, the surface offers exceptional playing performance, optimum ball speed and maximum precision at the highest level of the game.

Another highlight of the facility is the high-quality logo integration directly within the artificial turf. Alongside the Racing Club de France Hockey logo, the FIH Approved Turf logo was also incorporated into the surface.

During the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Stade de la Boulie also served as a training and preparation venue. This gave athletes the unique opportunity to train on the very same playing surface that was later used during the Olympic competitions. As a result, they were able to prepare under identical conditions in terms of ball speed, playing characteristics and overall performance.