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Élite 1
Élite 1 Féminine (since 2018, known as Axa Élite 1 for sponsorship reasons) is the top national league for women's rugby union clubs in France. It was founded from the 1971–1972 season under the aegis of the French Women's Rugby Association before being taken over by the French Women's Rugby Federation, it has been organized by the French Rugby Federation since 1989. The first season was won by the ASVEL Rugby women's team.
Ten teams play each other in a double round robin, with 4 teams qualifying for the final phase, and 1 team being relegated to Élite 2.
As with the men's competition, the most successful club in France was Toulouse Fémina Sports, they subsequently merged with Avenir Fonsorbais women's rugby union club in 2014 and became Stade Toulousain Women. They have won nine French championship titles, in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984 and 1985. Montpellier RC is the second most successful team with eight titles (2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019).
ASM Romagnat won the Élite 1 title in 2021. Stade Bordelais are the most recent champions, winning three consecutive titles (2023, 2024, 2025).
Having appeared occasionally in France between 1908 and 1924, women's rugby was permanently established in France in 1965 thanks to young high school and university students.
The first official French women's rugby club was Violettes Bressanes, founded in 1966 under the leadership of Andrée Forestier, followed by Coquelicots de Tournus the following year and Toulouse Fémina Sports the year after. Leaders of these pioneering clubs came together and created the French Women's Rugby Association. The first championship took place in 1972, and ASVEL Villeurbanne became the first champion, defeating RC Adour 10–8 in the final.
From 1984, the championship was organised with the approval of the Ministry of Sports. It subsequently came under the control of the French Rugby Federation from the 1989–1990 season.
In 2014, the French Rugby Federation (FRF) launched a major reform of women's rugby in France, causing anger among club officials and players who had not being consulted beforehand. The new championship saw a reduction in the number of elite clubs from 10 to 8. The championship was thus renamed the Top 8. A few days before the 2014–2015 championship final, the FRF unveiled the competition's first logo, which was created to strengthen its identity and visibility. Additionally, the final was broadcast live on television for the first time, with Montpellier Rugby Club defeating Lille Métropole RC Villeneuve 17–3. This allowed Montpellier to achieve a three-peat less than 10 years after Toulouges' victory, leaving the northern club disappointed, just as they had been two years earlier.
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Élite 1
Élite 1 Féminine (since 2018, known as Axa Élite 1 for sponsorship reasons) is the top national league for women's rugby union clubs in France. It was founded from the 1971–1972 season under the aegis of the French Women's Rugby Association before being taken over by the French Women's Rugby Federation, it has been organized by the French Rugby Federation since 1989. The first season was won by the ASVEL Rugby women's team.
Ten teams play each other in a double round robin, with 4 teams qualifying for the final phase, and 1 team being relegated to Élite 2.
As with the men's competition, the most successful club in France was Toulouse Fémina Sports, they subsequently merged with Avenir Fonsorbais women's rugby union club in 2014 and became Stade Toulousain Women. They have won nine French championship titles, in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984 and 1985. Montpellier RC is the second most successful team with eight titles (2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019).
ASM Romagnat won the Élite 1 title in 2021. Stade Bordelais are the most recent champions, winning three consecutive titles (2023, 2024, 2025).
Having appeared occasionally in France between 1908 and 1924, women's rugby was permanently established in France in 1965 thanks to young high school and university students.
The first official French women's rugby club was Violettes Bressanes, founded in 1966 under the leadership of Andrée Forestier, followed by Coquelicots de Tournus the following year and Toulouse Fémina Sports the year after. Leaders of these pioneering clubs came together and created the French Women's Rugby Association. The first championship took place in 1972, and ASVEL Villeurbanne became the first champion, defeating RC Adour 10–8 in the final.
From 1984, the championship was organised with the approval of the Ministry of Sports. It subsequently came under the control of the French Rugby Federation from the 1989–1990 season.
In 2014, the French Rugby Federation (FRF) launched a major reform of women's rugby in France, causing anger among club officials and players who had not being consulted beforehand. The new championship saw a reduction in the number of elite clubs from 10 to 8. The championship was thus renamed the Top 8. A few days before the 2014–2015 championship final, the FRF unveiled the competition's first logo, which was created to strengthen its identity and visibility. Additionally, the final was broadcast live on television for the first time, with Montpellier Rugby Club defeating Lille Métropole RC Villeneuve 17–3. This allowed Montpellier to achieve a three-peat less than 10 years after Toulouges' victory, leaving the northern club disappointed, just as they had been two years earlier.