# Élite 1

Élite 1 Féminine (since 2018, and previously Top 8 from 2015 to 2018) 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 side.
The championship takes place in two phases: a so-called qualification phase, which is contested by all the teams, and a final phase which is played by direct elimination. From 2015 to 2018, the championship is referred to as the Top 8. In 2018, the championship went from a single pool of 8 clubs to two pools of 16. The 8 best clubs qualified for the final phase. Since the 2018–2019 season, two clubs have been relegated to Élite 2 at the end of the championship.
As with men, the most successful club in France is Toulouse: it is Toulouse Fémina Sports, with 9 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). In a recent reform in 2021, the league has seen the number of teams decrease from 16 to 14 and there will only be 12 teams next season.
ASM Romagnat won the Élite 1 2020–2021 season.

## 2023-24 teams

Pool 1
| Club | Coach | Stadium | Capacity |
| AC Bobigny 93 Rugby | Vincent Gabrelle | Stade Henri-Wallon | 1,000 |
| ASM Romagnat | Fabrice Ribeyrolles | Stade Michel-Brun | 500 |
| Montpellier | Armand Mardon | Stade Sabathé / Stade Éric-Béchu | 8,000 / 500 |
| Stade Bordelais | Francois Ratier | Stade Chaban-Delmas | 34,694 |
| Stade Français | Yohanne Penot | Stade Jean-Bouin | 20,000 |
| Lille MRC Villeneuvois | Alexandra Pertus and Cyril Fouda | Stade Emmanuel-Thery / Stadium Lille Métropole | NA / 18,500 |
Pool 2
| Club | Coach | Stadium | Capacity |
| Blagnac Rugby Féminin | Nicolas Tranier | Stade Ernest-Argelès | 4,000 |
| FC Grenoble | Leo Brissaud | Stade Lesdiguières | 12,650 |
| Lons Section Paloise | Paul Dolié | Stade du Bourg (complexe Georges Martin) | |
| LOU Rugby | Jean-Matthieu Alcalde | Plaine des Jeux de Gerland |
| Stade Rennais Rugby | Arnaud Le Berre | Stade du Commandant Bougouin | 4,000 |
| Stade Toulousain | Olivier Marin | Stade Ernest-Wallon | 19,500 |

## Champions

1970-79
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
| 1972 | ASVEL | 10–8 | RC Adour | Lombez |
| 1973 | FC Auch | 10–8 | Tarbes Rugby | Morlaàs |
| 1974 | Violettes bressanes | 25–10 | FC Auch | La Voulte |
| 1975 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 18–3 | OF Valence Les Dragons Blancs | Romagnat |
| 1976 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 8–3 | Violettes bressanes | Castres |
| 1977 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 12–7 | Violettes bressanes | Montaigut-le-Blanc |
| 1978 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 7–0 | FC Auch | Montaigut-le-Blanc |
| 1979 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 19–0 | Coquelicots de Tournus | Montaigut-le-Blanc |
1980-89
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
| 1980 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 7–0 | Violettes bressanes | Montaigut-le-Blanc |
| 1981 | Violettes bressanes | 10–3 | Coquelicots de Tournus | Montaigut-le-Blanc |
| 1982 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 7–0 | Violettes bressanes | Montaigut-le-Blanc |
| 1983 | La Teste Rugby | 10–0 | Violettes bressanes | Tulle |
| 1984 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 10–0 | Coquelicots de Tournus | Privas |
| 1985 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | 6–0 | Violettes bressanes | Montaigut-le-Blanc |
| 1986 | La Teste Rugby | 8–0 | Toulouse Fémina Sports | |
| 1987 | La Teste Rugby | 16–4 | Coquelicots de Tournus | Bègles |
| 1988 | La Teste Rugby | 8–0 | Violettes bressanes | Anglet |
| 1989 | Violettes bressanes | 19–12 | AS Romagnat | Montaigut-le-Blanc |
1990-99
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
| 1990 | Saint-Orens | 7–6 | Violettes bressanes | Tours |
| 1991 | Rugby Club de Chilly-Mazarin | 3–0 | Saint-Orens | Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche |
| 1992 | Pachys d'Herm | 10–3 | Saint-Orens | Marciac |
| 1993 | Saint-Orens | 13–3 | Violettes bressanes | L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue |
| 1994 | AS Romagnat | 21–12 | Saint-Orens | Maurs |
| 1995 | AS Romagnat | 10–6 | Pachys d'Herm | |
| 1996 | Rugby Club de Chilly-Mazarin | 3–0 | AS Romagnat | Romorantin |
| 1997 | Pachys d'Herm | 30–17 | Saint-Orens | Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris |
| 1998 | Pachys d'Herm | 20–11 | AS Romagnat | Mussidan |
| 1999 | Caen Rugby Club | 25–12 | Pachys d'Herm | Leucate |
2000-09
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
| 2000 | Caen Rugby Club | 12–5 | Pachys d'Herm | Poitiers |
| 2001 | Pachys d'Herm | 20–19 | Caen Rugby Club | Limoges |
| 2002 | Caen Rugby Club | 10–3 | Saint-Orens | Tyrosse |
| 2003 | Pachys d'Herm | 23–15 | Caen Rugby Club | Parthenay |
| 2004 | USAT XV Toulouges | 8–6 | Ovalie caennaise | Isle |
| 2005 | USAT XV Toulouges | 7–3 | Ovalie caennaise | Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
| 2006 | USAT XV Toulouges | 8–3 | Stade Rennais rugby | La Roche-sur-Yon |
| 2007 | Montpellier RC | 10–3 | Ovalie caennaise | Grenoble |
| 2008 | USAT XV Toulouges | 18–15 | Montpellier RC | Narbonne |
| 2009 | Montpellier RC | 19–16 | USAP XV Féminin | Gruissan |
2010-19
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Attendance |
| 2010 | USAP XV Féminin | 26–5 | Montpellier RC | Stade Jean Bouin, Paris | |
| 2011 | USAP XV Féminin | 15–11 | Stade rennais rugby | Saint-Médard-en-Jalles | 1,200 |
| 2012 | Rugby club lonsois | 14–10 | Montpellier RC | Stade de Loudes, L'Union | |
| 2013 | Montpellier RC | 15–12 | Lille MRC villeneuvois | Stade Robert-Barran, Vierzon | |
| 2014 | Montpellier RC | 29–19 | AC Bobigny 93 rugby | Stade de l'Escale, Arnas | |
| Top 8 | Top 8 | Top 8 | Top 8 | Top 8 | Top 8 |
| 2015 | Montpellier RC | 17–3 | Lille MRC villeneuvois | Stade Marcel-Verchère, Bourg-en-Bresse | |
| 2016 | Lille MRC villeneuvois | 18–7 | Montpellier RC | Stade Jules-Ladoumègue, Massy | |
| 2017 | Montpellier RC | 17–11 | Lille MRC villeneuvois | Stade André-Moga, Bègles | 1,500 |
| 2018 | Montpellier RC | 15–12 | Stade toulousain | Stade Albert-Domec, Carcassonne | |
| Élite 1 | Élite 1 | Élite 1 | Élite 1 | Élite 1 | Élite 1 |
| 2019 | Montpellier RC | 22–13 | Stade toulousain | Stade Maurice-Trélut, Tarbes | |
2020-29
| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Attendance | Ref | Highlights |
| 2020 | Season interrupted by COVID-19 | Season interrupted by COVID-19 | Season interrupted by COVID-19 | Season interrupted by COVID-19 | Season interrupted by COVID-19 | Season interrupted by COVID-19 | Season interrupted by COVID-19 |
| 2021 | ASM Romagnat | 13–8 | Blagnac Rugby Féminin | Stade Ernest-Argelès, Blagnac | 1,000 | | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKMxvfxoiME&ab_channel=FranceRugby |
| 2022 | Stade Toulousain | 16–10 | Blagnac Rugby Féminin | Stade Lesdiguières, Grenoble | | | https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=994955391193610 |
| 2023 | Stade Bordelais | 27–23 | Blagnac Rugby Féminin | Stade Sainte-Germaine | | | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArDSLXht1_A&t=24s&ab_channel=FranceRugby |
| 2024 | Stade Bordelais | 32–17 | ASM Romagnat | Stade Pierre Rajon Bourgoin-Jallieu | | [5] [6] | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB0TewXzoPI&ab_channel=FranceRugby |

## Winners and runners up

* Current Élite 1 Féminine participating clubs indicated in bold
| Club | Wins | Runners-up | Winning Seasons | Last Win |
| Toulouse Fémina Sports | 9 | 1 | 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1982 1984 1985 | 1985 |
| Montpellier RC | 8 | 4 | 2007 2009 2013 2014 2015 2017 2018 2019 | 2019 |
| Pachys d'Herm | 5 | 3 | 1992 1997 1998 2001 2003 | 2003 |
| USAT XV Toulouges | 4 | 0 | 2004 2005 2006 2008 | 2008 |
| La Teste Rugby | 4 | 0 | 1983 1986 1987 1988 | 1988 |
| Violettes Bressanes | 3 | 9 | 1974 1981 1989 | 1989 |
| AS Romagnat | 2 | 3 | 1994 1995 | 1995 |
| ASM Romagnat | 1 | 1 | 2021 | 2021 |
| Caen Rugby Club | 3 | 2 | 1999 2000 2002 | 2002 |
| Saint-Orens | 2 | 5 | 1990 1993 | 1993 |
| Rugby Club de Chilly-Mazarin | 2 | 0 | 1991 1996 | 1996 |
| Stade Bordelais | 2 | 0 | 2023 2024 | 2024 |
| USAP XV Féminin | 2 | 1 | 2010 2011 | 2011 |
| FC Auch | 1 | 2 | 1973 | 1973 |
| Lille MRC Villeneuvois | 1 | 3 | 2016 | 2016 |
| Rugby Club Lonsois | 1 | 0 | 2012 | 2012 |
| Stade Toulousain | 1 | 2 | 2022 | 2022 |
| ASVEL | 1 | 0 | 1972 | 1972 |
| Coquelicots de Tournus | 0 | 4 | | |
| Blagnac Rugby Féminin | 0 | 3 | | |
| Ovalie Caennaise | 0 | 3 | | |
| OF Valence Les Dragons Blancs | 0 | 1 | | |
| Stade Rennais Rugby | 0 | 2 | | |
| AC Bobigny 93 Rugby | 0 | 1 | | |
| RC Adour | 0 | 1 | | |
| Tarbes Rugby | 0 | 1 | | |