Stars und Sternchen! » the case. Halfway through the summ

Chantilly, a city of culture, history and horse racing, will now act as the backdrop for an England team looking to make history this summer, as it provides the training base for Roy Hodgsons side. Sky Sports News HQ were granted exclusive access to the team hotel and training ground and, after spending a day wandering the quaint little streets of this northern French town, its easy to see why the FA were drawn to this location.Less than 25 miles from the French capital, Chantilly was chosen by the FA because of its proximity to Paris and its transport links, as well as the calm and relaxed atmosphere of the city (it is classed as a city, despite having a population of around 11,000). The players will be allowed to spend their downtime venturing out on to the high street for a look at the shops or to stop at one of the traditional French cafés for a coffee. And judging by Chantillys equestrian background, you wouldnt expect them to encounter too many football supporters wanting autographs. Unless youre a certain Leicester striker that is… The five-star Auberge de Jeu de Paume will be Englands home during Euro 2016 As part of our shoot in Chantilly, our chief football reporter Nick Collins recorded a series of pieces to give SSN HQ viewers a behind-the-scenes look at what life might be like for an England player this summer.One clip shows Nick walking down the high street and stopping for an espresso at a local café. When I thanked one of the customers in the cafe for helping to translate, he jokingly asked for an England shirt on my return to Chantilly in the summer with a leading English strikers name on the back.Jamie Vardy? Hes good isnt he? Asked the diner, to my amazement. It seems the Leicester story has made it all the way to the Picardy region of northern France.While Vardy and co may get recognised in the streets of Chantilly, they wont be stopped by tourists in their hotel, the five-star Auberge de Jeu de Paume. The hotel has granted exclusivity to the FA, which has meant turning down a group of regular sponsors who usually stay for the Prix de Diane Longines at the adjacent racecourse. Jamie Vardy and his England colleagues should have no problem relaxing in the bedrooms at the Auberge de Jeu de Paume Exclusivity, as well as facilities such as a swimming pool, a spa and a room to build a bespoke gym, were the reasons behind the FA selecting the hotel. The proximity to the training ground was also high on the agenda. Englands training base is just a five-minute bike ride or short drive from the hotel.The training base itself still has lots of work to be done, but the evidence is already there of the investment that is being made at the Stade de Bourgognes, home to local amateur side US Chantilly.French pitch specialist Sebastien Ranson and his team were hard at work preparing the pitch when we were there - just ahead of laying seeds that had been flown in especially from the FAs St Georges Park headquarters.We have had lots of meeting and discussions but we are happy that the weather is good now or it could have been tricky, Ranson told us. This is the only training pitch of the 24 [qualified] countries to have a hundred per cent new pitch as the quality was too poor. Im pretty sure that were going to be okay and Im confident about the quality of the pitch. The swimming pool at Englands hotel for Euro 2016, the Auberge de Jeu de Paume Once Ranson and his team have finished their work, the FAs specialists will come in to oversee the completion of the project before the team arrive at the start of June. As well as the pitch, there is work to be done on painting the stand, erecting a fence around the perimeter of the training ground, and implementing all the relevant branding.Englands training base pitch designPitch was assessed in 2015 and it was decided that a new pitch would be installedThe pitch is a synthetically reinforced pipe and slit drained pitch with the added benefit of fibresand reinforcementIt has an automatic irrigation systemIt will be similar to the one used in Poland by the English FAThe pitch will be grown in and managed over a nine-week period ahead of Englands arrivalIt will replicate stadium pitch conditions Also See: England call up Heaton for Hart Neville delays England arrival Hodgson must make Euro semis England fixtures Detroit Lions Jerseys . - The Cleveland Indians will place centerfielder Michael Bourn on the disabled list before their opener at Oakland on March 31. DaShawn Hand Lions Jersey . Next up, the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns in the AFC North. Baltimore Ravens In 2014, the 8-8 season that the Baltimore Ravens experienced was to be expected. http://www.shopdetroitlionsnfl.com/lions-frank-ragnow-black-jersey/ . Directly ahead was open field, the end zone and the Seattle Seahawks place in the NFC championship game. Kerryon Johnson Lions Jersey . -- Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer, Colby Rasmus drove in two runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 9-4 on Saturday. Luke Willson Lions Jersey . And though his comeback night didnt quite go to script, Bryant couldnt help reflecting on the work necessary to get back on that court -- and all the months of steady labour ahead to reclaim his game. Bryant had nine points and eight rebounds in his season debut, but Amir Johnson scored a career-high 32 points in the trade-depleted Toronto Raptors 106-94 victory over Los Angeles on Sunday night.KELOWNA, B.C. - Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir prepared for last season as if it was their last, and when Moir knelt down and kissed the Olympic rings on the ice in Sochi, it might as well have been a kiss goodbye.But Canadas world and Olympic ice dance champions say theyre not so sure now.To be 100 per cent honest, after Sochi we thought we were done for sure, Moir said. But we knew that was a motivational decision, training for 17 years straight, and we needed to make sure that we took the proper time.And unfortunately now — or fortunately now — were able to say we dont know if thats the case. Halfway through the summer we had a glimmer of hope that maybe we would like to come back. But we dont know if thats strong enough and we dont know what that means.Virtue and Moir, who teamed up when she was seven and he was nine, won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and then were edged by American rivals Meryl Davis and Charlie White last winter in Sochi, to finish second.The two were at Skate Canada International that wrapped up Sunday, working for TSNs broadcast crew, and watched as Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje led Canada in a 1-2 finish in ice dance. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier won the silver.Its sort of a mix of emotions, Virtue said. In one sense, its fun to be a fan, and its exhilarating to be on the other side of things in a different capacity.But its also strange when you hear that opening music that were used to hearing before every competition and you get those butterflies. You see wonderful performances and you think: what would we have done this year? What programs would we have chosen? What choreography? What lifts?Moir said they always loved competing at Skate Canada.We were lucky to skate in front of 4,000, 5,000 people, Moir said. It is nice to sit in the stands and see the Canadians do so well, but we were lucky to love what we did every day, trained, competed, and we loved to compete.We do miss it.Three-time world champion Patrick Chan, who won silver in Sochi, is also taking the season off to contemplate his future.Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canadas high performance director, said he suggested both Chan and the ice dancers take their time before announcing any firm decisions.With both, its been a long six to eight years in the last two quad cycles. Sometimes its nice to get a break and kind of look at things from the outside, Slipchuk said. It gives them a chance to kind of see the competition and see whats out in the skating world, and just access what their next plan is.ddddddddddddSometimes you just need a break after that cycle. Often we dont realize how much of a toll that four years plays on the athletes.Virtue, from London, Ont., and Moir, from Ilderton, Ont., took the summer and most of the fall completely away from skating. Virtue is back at Western completing her psychology degree, while Moir is coaching.For 17 years, we knew what we were doing every minute of every day, Virtue said. Its unsettling to not know, but its also liberating.They do public speaking engagements. Virtue stays in shape in the gym, Moir plays hockey, and figure skates once in awhile.I get to a point where Im feeling super lazy, so Ill go (skating) one day and then take a week off. Its not really the training schedule for a champion, he said, laughing.Theyre cherishing the chance to live like normal people.Tessa and I laugh, like how great is it we can wake up on a Tuesday and go grocery shop and then go visit our parents, Moir said.Run errands in the middle of the week, Virtue adds.Its the oddest thing to have a normal life, Moir said. Thats the other side that makes me not want to come back to skating.They have a professional show coming up in December, so will hit the ice to train together again soon. They plan to choreograph one of their own programs for Stars on Ice, which is a first.We still are just 27 (Moir) and 25 (Virtue), Moir said. And we can still push ourselves and we can still be better, even if its at the professional level, so thats exciting.They both say if they do come back theyll approach training and competing completely different.Thats the enticing thing, because we know what we would do, Virtue said. And even just the approach to training, we would have a better formula for what works for our bodies. Its much more intellectual, the approach to training, and maybe thats because were older and dealt with injuries, but its also more science-based.Whether or not a comeback is in their future, they feel fortunate they went into last season as if it was their last.We were lucky because not every athlete has the opportunity to do that, Virtue said. But we were healthy and fully prepared and we really couldnt have skated better in Sochi, and thats the best, most satisfying feeling.So if that was it, were thrilled with that. Blackhawks Jerseys Store Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Penguins Jerseys Store Capitals Jerseys For Sale Blues Jerseys Store Cheap Kings Jerseys Adidas Lightning Jerseys Stars Jerseys For Sale Cheap Predators Jerseys Ducks Store Sharks Jerseys For Sale Cheap Sabres Jerseys Rangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '