# LFH Division 2 Féminine

The Division 2 Féminine (D2F) is a handball league, and the second level of the French women's handball pyramid. It is organized by the Ligue Féminine de Handball (LFH), under delegation from the French Handball Federation (FFHB).
Founded in 1971, it is currently contested by 14 teams. The league has both professional and amateur players.

## History

Founded in 1971, it was directly administered by the FFHB until the end of the 2021/2022 season when the D2F was absorbed by the LFH – the LFH was already managing the elite women's league (Division 1).

## Participating teams
### 2022-23 season teams

| Club | City | Region of France | Rank 2021–22 | VAP |
| Achenheim Truchtersheim Handball | Achenheim & Truchtersheim | Grand Est | 8th | Yes |
| Sambre Avesnois Handball | Aulnoye-Aymeries | Hauts-de-France | 3rd | Yes |
| Club Athlétique Béglais Handball | Bègles | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | 9th | |
| Palente Besançon HB | Besançon | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | 1st in N1 Group 3 | |
| Bouillargues Handball Nîmes Métropole | Bouillargues | Occitania | 4th | Yes |
| HB Clermont Auvergne Métropole 63 | Clermont-Ferrand | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 7th | Yes |
| Fleury Loiret Handball | Fleury-les-Aubrais | Centre-Val de Loire | 14th (D1) | Yes |
| Le Havre AC Handball | Le Havre | Normandy | 5th | Yes |
| Lomme Lille Métropole Handball | Lomme | Hauts-de-France | 1st in N1 Group 2 | |
| Noisy-le-Grand Handball | Noisy-le-Grand | Île-de-France | 6th | Yes |
| Saint-Grégoire Rennes Métropole HB | Saint-Grégoire | Brittany | 11th | |
| Stella Saint-Maur Handball | Saint-Maur-des-Fossés | Île-de-France | 2nd | Yes |
| Toulouse Féminin Handball | Toulouse | Occitania | 1st in N1 Group 4 | |
| ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin | Vaulx-en-Velin | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 10th | |

#### Personnel and kits

| Club | Abbr | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer |
| Achenheim Truchtersheim HB | ATH | Jan Bašný | Dalila Abdesselam | Erima |
| Sambre Avesnois HB | SAHB | Clément Petit | Adeline Bournez | Diffusport / DSX |
| Club Athlétique Béglais HB | CAB | Julien Vasseur: | Lalie Séailles | Hummel |
| Palente Besançon HB | PBHB | Cheikh Seck | Laurane Scalabrino | Kempa |
| Bouillargues HB Nîmes Métropole | BHNM | Delphine Cendré | Chloé Roelandt / Axelle Bertrand | Majestee |
| HB Clermont Auvergne Métropole 63 | HBCAM63 | Florence Sauval | Jéssica Ferreira | Kempa |
| Fleury Loiret Handball | | Christophe Cassan | Suzanne Wajoka | Kappa |
| Le Havre AC Handball | HAC | Stéphane Pellan | Marina Pantić | Erima |
| Lomme Lille Métropole HB | LLMH | Laurent Worm | Célia Benlabed | Atorka |
| Noisy-le-Grand Handball | NLG HB93 | Farid Gherram | Isaure Mosabau | Nolt |
| Saint-Grégoire Rennes Métropole HB | SGRMHB | Olivier Mantes | Charlotte Satgé | Craft |
| Stella Saint-Maur Handball | Stella St-Maur | Rémi Samson | Djénéba Tandjan | Puma |
| Toulouse Féminin HB | TFH | Ludovic Seutchie | Julie Legatindji | Craft |
| ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin | ASUL VV | Sébastien Modenel | Lola Berrais | Mizuno |

## Competition format

All 14 teams play each other twice during the regular season (home and away matches). At the end of the regular season, the best placed team that possesses the VAP status is promoted to the top-tier level Division 1 Féminine (Ligue Butagaz Energie), and is replaced by the relegated bottom team from D1F.
The bottom three placed teams from each season of the D2F are relegated to the third tier level of handball, Nationale 1 Féminine (N1F). 3 qualified teams from N1F take their places.
Teams receive three points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a loss.

## VAP status

Clubs who want to access to the D1F in the relatively short term have to apply for and earn the VAP status (statut VAP).
The VAP status (Voie d'accession au professionnalisme, accession path to professionalism) is given annually to Division 2 clubs which have made the necessary steps (financial and administrative) to facilitate their professionalization and promotion to the top league.
They have to fulfil set specifications, including:
* 4 full-time professional players within the team, 3 full-time equivalent players
* 1 full-time professional coach with the required diplomas
* 1 or several administrative personnel (1 full-time equivalent (FTE) minimum)
* 1 reserve team (who are able to play at a Nationale 1 Féminine level maximum, not in D2F) or a U17 team playing in a French league
* provisional budget of €600,000 (excluding the valuation of voluntary work, and handball court-related arrangements/equipment that were placed gracefully at the disposal of the club)
* positive capital stock (except in the case of a debt clearance plan approved by the LFH finance control body)
* a court that fulfills set minimal standards
* presence of a doctor and a kinesitherapist at home games, a kinesitherapist (or a doctor) at away games
* access to high-speed Internet in the arena / gymnasium / sport facility
Clubs aren't obligated to have the VAP status to play in the D2F but they can't be promoted to the upper echelon without it. Those VAP status measures are in place since the 2012/2013 season and aim to prepare the clubs and support their viability in the professional sport world.

## List of winners

List of winners of the Division 2 :
| Season | Champion | Second | Third | Promoted team(s) to Division 1 |
| Championnat de France excellence / Nationale 2 |||||
| 1971-1972 | ASPTT Strasbourg | Stade Marseillais UC | | ? : Strasbourg, SMUC, ... |
| 1972-1973 | Troyes OS | HBC Seclin | | ? : Troyes, ... |
| 1973-1974 | ASEA Toulouse | Stade de Vanves | | ? : Toulouse, Vanves, Vendôme, SMUC |
| 1974-1975 | CN Mourenx | CO Arles | | ? : Mourenx, Arles |
| 1975-1976 | Stade de Vanves | Racing Club de France | | ? : |
| 1976-1977 | Stade français | AS Mantes | | ? |
| 1977-1978 | Dreux AC | SC Angoulême | | ? : |
| 1978-1979 | SLUC Nancy | US Dunkerque | AS Brest, ASPTT Nice | 4 : Nancy, Dunkerque, AS Brest & Nice |
| 1979-1980 | CEP Saint-Nicolas-d'Aliermont | US Cagnes | UJLRS Le Mans | 4 : St-Nicolas, Cagnes, Le Mans, Bar-le-Duc |
| 1980-1981 | ASPTT Nice | ASPTT Paris | ? | 5 : Nice, Paris, Mantes, Chemaudin, Villersexel |
| 1981-1982 | SLUC Nancy (2) | SA Mérignac | USM Gagny, Stella Saint-Maur | 4 : Nancy, Mérignac, Gagny & Saint-Maur |
| 1982-1983 | Stade français (2) | ASPTT Paris | Montpellier UC & UJLRS Le Mans | 5 : Stade fr., Paris, Montpel., Aix-en-S., Poitiers |
| 1983-1984 | US Ivry | La Gauloise | Saint-Louis | none, N1 league went from 18 to 10 clubs |
| Nationale 1B |||||
| 1984-1985 | Racing Club de France | ES Colombes | ASPTT Metz | 2 : Racing CF & Colombes |
| 1985-1986 | Metz-Marly | CMS Marignane | ASPTT Paris | 3 : Metz, Marignane, Paris |
| 1986-1987 | Cercle Sportif Laïc Dijonnais | US Créteil | | ? : Dijon, Créteil |
| 1987-1988 | AC Boulogne-Billancourt | HBC Aix-en-Savoie | ASPTT Strasbourg | 3 : ACBB, Aix, Strasbourg |
| 1988-1989 | Dreux AC (2) | CMS Marignane | Vallauris HBC | 3 : Dreux, Marignane, Vallauris |
| 1989-1990 | ASPTT Strasbourg (2) | Joint final group with 6 clubs of N1A | Joint final group with 6 clubs of N1A | 2 : Bouillargues, Pontault-Combault |
| 1990-1991 | Marignane Handball | Joint final group with 6 clubs of N1A | Joint final group with 6 clubs of N1A | 2 : Bègles/ASPOM, Béthune |
| 1991-1992 | Décines HBC | SA Mérignac (2) | | 2 : Décines HBC, Mérignac |
| Nationale 1 |||||
| 1992-1993 | ES Colombes | FSE Achenheim | US Mios | 2 : Colombes, Achenheim |
| 1993-1994 | US Mios | UODL Tassin-la-Demi-Lune | | none (defeats in playdowns) |
| Division 2 (organized by the FFHB) |||||
| 1994-1995 | US Mios (2) | HBC Nîmes | ? | 2 : Mios-Biganos & Nîmes |
| 1995-1996 | SA Mérignac | AS Bondy | ? | 2 : Mérignac & Bondy |
| 1996-1997 | HBC Nîmes | HBC Kingersheim | Handball club conchois | 2 : Nîmes, Kingersheim |
| 1997-1998 | AS Bondy | Cercle Dijon Bourgogne | Toulon Var Handball | 2 : Bondy, Dijon |
| 1998-1999 | SA Mérignac (2) | Toulon Var Handball | Toulouse Féminin Handball | 3 : Mérignac, Toulon, Toulouse |
| 1999-2000 | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin | A.L. Bouillargues | CJF Fleury-les-Aubray | 3 : Vaulx-en-Velin, Bouillargues & Fleury |
| 2000-2001 | Issy-les-Moulineaux HBF | US Alfortville | Le Havre AC Handball | 2 : Issy & Alfortville |
| 2001-2002 | Le Havre AC Handball | SC Angoulême | ESC Yutz | 2 : Le Havre & Angoulême |
| 2002-2003 | CJF Fleury-les-Aubrais | US Mios-Biganos | US Alfortville | 2 : Fleury & Mios-Biganos |
| 2003-2004 | Aunis La Rochelle-Périgny | ESC Yutz | US Alfortville | 2 : La Rochelle & Yutz |
| 2004-2005 | HOC Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer | CA Béglais | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin | 2 : Saint-Cyr & Bègles |
| 2005-2006 | Handball Plan-de-Cuques | Issy-les-Moulineaux | Aunis La Rochelle-Périgny | 2 : Plan-de-Cuques & Issy |
| 2006-2007 | SC Angoulême | CS Vesoul Haute-Saône | Aunis La Rochelle-Périgny | 2 : Angoulême & Vesoul |
| 2007-2008 | Arvor 29 | Toulon Saint-Cyr Var Handball | ESC Yutz | 2 : Arvor & Toulon |
| 2008-2009 | Mérignac Handball (3) | Toulouse Féminin Handball | ESC Yutz | 1 : Toulouse |
| 2009-2010 | Issy Paris Hand (2) | Cergy-Pontoise HB | ES Besançon | 3 : Issy, Cergy & Besançon |
| 2010-2011 | Noisy-le-Grand handball | CA Béglais | HB Octeville-sur-Mer | None |
| 2011-2012 | OGC Nice Côte d'Azur (2) | Cergy-Pontoise HB | Chambray Touraine Handball | 1 : Nice |
| 2012-2013 | Nantes Loire Atlantique HB | Mérignac Handball | Cergy-Pontoise HB | 1 : Nantes |
| 2013-2014 | Cercle Dijon Bourgogne (2) | Noisy-le-Grand handball | Yutz handball féminin | 1 : Dijon |
| 2014-2015 | ES Besançon | Brest Bretagne Handball | AS Cannes HB | 1 : Besançon |
| 2015-2016 | Brest Bretagne Handball (2) | Chambray Touraine Handball | Drôme Handball Bourg-de-Péage | 3 : Brest, Chambray & HBC Celles/Belle |
| 2016-2017 | Bourg-de-Péage Drôme Handball | Entente Noisy/Gagny | Le Havre AC Handball | 2 : Bourg-de-Péage & Le Havre |
| 2017-2018 | Mérignac Handball (4) | Handball Plan-de-Cuques | HBC St-Amand Porte du Hainaut | 1 : HBC St-Amand Porte du Hainaut |
| 2018-2019 | Mérignac Handball (5) | HBC Celles-sur-Belle | Handball Plan-de-Cuques | 1 : Mérignac Handball |
| 2019-2020 | League was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | League was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | League was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | 2 : Plan-de-Cuques & St-Amand |
| 2020-2021 | HBC Celles-sur-Belle | Le Havre AC Handball | - | 1 : HBC Celles-sur-Belle |
| 2021-2022 | Saint-Amand Handball | Stella Saint-Maur Handball | Sambre Avesnois Handball | 1 : Saint-Amand Handball |
| Division 2 / D2F (organized by the Ligue Féminine de Handball) |||||
| 2022-2023 | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 : ? |