This weekend, the pitches at the Tropezien club host the tournoi Marcel Aubour. 28 teams of under-nines, from all over the region. Kids running after a ball without thinking about anything except the goal at the other end. No paparazzi, no VIP stands. Just parents on the sidelines, a coffee going cold, and that smell of freshly cut grass.
Marcel Aubour is a name the club's old-timers know well. The tournament has carried his name for years, in tribute to a man who gave time (a lot of time) to local football. The kind of figure you forget when people only talk about Ligue 1, but who matters far more here.
Under-nines: the age when the game stays a game. When a goal triggers an explosion of collective joy, no calculation involved. When coaches still have to remind players which direction to shoot. It's also the age when some kids discover they really love this thing, this round thing that rolls.
The tournament runs this weekend, down by the pitches. If you're passing through, stay ten minutes. You'll see: this kind of football does you good.
