Chant Lens: The story of the song "La Lensoise"

At the Bollaert-Delelis stadium, a song resonates with particular force every time the players enter the pitch: "La Lensoise" . This adaptation of La Marseillaise in the Sang et Or (blood and gold) colors has become one of the most powerful symbols of the Racing Club de Lens identity.

Sung invariably before kick-off, the RC Lens chant "La Lensoise" electrifies the 38,000 spectators in a unique communion. But what is the fascinating story of this anthem born in the stands of Bollaert, and how did a historic European night give rise to this Lens tradition?

Origin of the song "La Lensoise": a legendary European evening

The story of La Lensoise begins on November 2, 1977, during a European evening that will forever be etched in the memory of Lens supporters. That night, RC Lens faced Lazio Rome in the second leg of the UEFA Cup round of 32, with a two-goal deficit from the first leg (0-2).

In a packed Bollaert stadium, a 19-year-old trumpeter named Bertrand Barré decided to play the anthem, La Marseillaise, to galvanize the troops. "It was the European Cup, and I thought playing the national anthem was a good idea," he recounts. Racing pulled off the feat: a 6-0 victory after extra time, including a masterful hat-trick from Didier Six.

This legendary performance, punctuated even by a power outage during the match, would become one of the club's greatest European achievements. And Bertrand Barré's trumpet would become its sonic symbol.

From La Marseillaise to La Lensoise: the creation of a unique anthem

After that memorable match, Bertrand Barré made a habit of playing La Marseillaise on the trumpet during major European matches. He resumed this tradition in 1983, when Lens returned to European competition under the management of Gérard Houllier.

But it was after Euro 1984 that the Lens supporters' chant took its definitive form. Jean-Yves Bray, a passionate Lens supporter, had the idea of ​​adapting the lyrics of La Marseillaise to the club's colors. He replaced "The bloody banner is raised" with "The Blood and Gold banner is raised," thus creating a specifically Lens version of the national anthem.

However, it wasn't until 1987-1988 that "La Lensoise" became a regular fixture at Bollaert. The release of the first CD by the Leaders, the club's official supporters' group, helped to further popularize this version and definitively establish the lyrics.

The ritual of the scarf-tightening: a tradition that is being built

In the years that followed, La Lensoise acquired an iconic ritual: the scarf display. During the performance of the song, the 38,000 supporters raise their Sang et Or scarves to the sky, creating a striking visual spectacle.

“The raised scarves came a little later. As an aside, it was during a trumpet rendition of Renaud’s Ballade nord-irlandaise that Bollaert first offered a scarf display,” Bertrand Barré points out. This practice would later become standard for La Lensoise.

Today, this moment of collective communion precedes every home game, transforming the stadium into a sea of ​​red and gold vibrating in unison.

Bertrand Barré: the legendary trumpeter of Bollaert

For decades, Bertrand Barré was much more than just a supporter. With his trumpet, he set the tone for the stands at Bollaert, launching into chants and setting the rhythm for the atmosphere. "An exceptional trumpeter who didn't see himself as the conductor of the stands but simply a participant," as those who witnessed it at the time described him.

Fans particularly remember his famous "Olé" chants accompanied by trumpet during the dribbles of Polish player Eugeniusz Faber in the 70s. This spontaneity and creativity in the atmosphere of the stands helped to forge the unique sound identity of Bollaert.

Even though the role of the solitary trumpeter has gradually given way to organized supporter groups and capos, Bertrand Barré's legacy endures through La Lensoise, which he helped to create.

La Lensoise and Les Corons: the two anthems of Bollaert

While La Lensoise is traditionally the anthem sung at the start of the match when the players enter, RC Lens has a second anthem that is just as emblematic: "Les Corons" by Pierre Bachelet.

Since the mid-2000s, and especially since the singer's death in 2005, "Les Corons" has been played at halftime of every match. Unlike "La Lensoise," which is sung only by the fans, the PA system plays Bachelet's original version, which the crowd sings along to, creating a moment of intense emotion.

These two complementary songs embody the identity of Lens: La Lensoise represents sporting pride and the fight on the field, while Les Corons evokes the mining history and working-class roots of the region.

A song rooted in the mining history of the Lens basin

Although RC Lens was founded in 1906 by the local bourgeoisie and not by miners, the club gradually adopted a working-class identity from 1934 onwards, after its acquisition by the Société des Mines de Lens.

Contrary to popular belief, the colors Blood and Gold do not refer to the blood shed by miners or the gold of coal, but rather constitute a historical reference to the Spanish domination of Artois. Nevertheless, the mining identity became inseparable from the club after 1940, when football established itself as the major working-class sport.

La Lensoise, by adapting the French national anthem, celebrates this local pride and this belonging to a territory marked by its industrial history and social struggles.

Full lyrics of "La Lensoise"

Here are the lyrics to the song "La Lensoise" as it is sung at every match at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium:

Listen to the song "La Lensoise"

Find below the song "La Lensoise" as it is integrated into the SoundKop music magnets , to relive the atmosphere of Bollaert-Delelis at any time.

The evolution of the atmosphere at Bollaert: from spontaneity to organized groups

In the 70s and 80s, the atmosphere at Bollaert was marked by its spontaneity. Chants could come from anyone, from any side of the stands, and spread like wildfire thanks to the proximity of the standing sections.

The introduction of seating in 1997 profoundly altered this dynamic. For the first match in a seated configuration (Lens-Auxerre), three-quarters of the stands remained seated, and there was one steward for every 100 people. It was a struggle to preserve the legendary atmosphere of Bollaert.

Today, with the presence of organized groups like the Red Tigers or the Devils Lens, and the coordination of the capos, the atmosphere is different but just as impressive. The chants are constant throughout the match, more varied and coordinated across the entire stadium.

Keeping the Bollaert atmosphere alive on a daily basis

Supporters' chants constitute a living cultural heritage that transcends the simple realm of sport. They embody the history of a territory, the pride of a community, and the transmission of a passion between generations.

SoundKop has created musical magnets dedicated to the iconic chants of Racing Club de Lens, allowing the Sang et Or supporters to extend the unique atmosphere of Bollaert into their daily lives and to experience the Lens fervor at any time.

FAQ – Chant La Lensoise RC Lens

When was the song "La Lensoise" created?

The Lensoise originated in 1977 during the legendary match against Lazio (6-0), when trumpeter Bertrand Barré played La Marseillaise. The adapted lyrics were created after Euro 1984 by Jean-Yves Bray, and the chant became a tradition at Bollaert Stadium in 1987-1988.

Who are the creators of La Lensoise?

Bertrand Barré, legendary trumpeter of Bollaert, and Jean-Yves Bray, Lens supporter who adapted the words of La Marseillaise to the Sang et Or colours of RC Lens.

What is the difference between La Lensoise and Les Corons?

The Lensoise is sung at the start of the match as the players enter the pitch, exclusively by the fans. Pierre Bachelet's "Les Corons" is played at halftime, broadcast over the public address system and sung by the entire stadium in tribute to the singer who passed away in 2005.

Why do supporters raise their scarves during La Lensoise?

The scarf display has become a tradition at Bollaert, creating an impressive visual spectacle where 38,000 Sang et Or scarves are raised towards the sky in a moment of collective communion between all supporters.