The French season begins this week with the first round of Pro D2 fixtures taking place on Friday and Saturday evening followed by the Top 14 the following week.
The Scottish contingent playing across the Channel has grown, with Edinburgh trio Jamie Ritchie, Dave Cherry and Ali Price all making the move to France.
It’s easy to see the attraction given the quality of rugby and standard of living, not to mention the salaries on offer in what is the most lucrative league in the world.
The success of Blair Kinghorn at Toulouse has made the full-back the most eye-catching of the Scottish exports but Jonny Gray gave him a run for his money last season as Bordeaux won the Champions Cup and pushed Toulouse all the way in the Top 14 final.
There is intrigue in the second tier too where Cherry will be hoping to help Vannes return to the top flight at the first attempt.
Here’s a look at the Scots to watch out for in France:
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9. Ben White (RC Toulon)
The first-choice Scotland scrum-half returns to Toulon for his third season in the French top flight and will once again compete with Baptiste Serin for the No 9 jersey. White, 27, helped Toulon reach the play-off semi-finals last season where they lost to Bordeaux. He left Scotland’s summer tour to join the Lions as an injury replacement for Tomos Williams and played against the Waratahs, the Invitational AU & NZ team and the First Nations & Pasifika XV, scoring a try in the middle game. Acquitted himself well in Australia and unlucky to miss out on a place in the Test squad. | Getty Images
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10. Rudi Brown (Rennes Etudiants Club)
Released by Edinburgh in 2023, Brown signed for Vannes and played for their espoirs team. A talented back-row forward and former Scotland U20 international, Brown has begun this season with Rennes in the Nationale league, the third tier of French rugby. | SNS Group / SRU
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11. Dave Cherry (RC Vannes)
The hooker is returning to France after seven successful seasons with Edinburgh during which time he established himself as a full Scotland international. Cherry, 34, was Gregor Townsend’s first-choice No 2 throughout this year’s Six Nations but missed the summer tour through injury. He leaves his hometown club to join Vannes in the French second tier. The Breton club finished bottom of the Top 14 last season but are fancied to make an immediate return; nine of the 16 coaches in Pro D2 believe Vannes will win the title this season, according to a poll conducted by respected French rugby paper, Midi Olympique. For Cherry, it’s a chance to play again in a country where he has strong links. He spent part of his early career with Stade Nicois and met and married his wife in France. | SNS Group
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12. Finn Douglas (Valence Romans Drôme)
Another former Scotland U20 international, Douglas signed for French second tier club Valence Romans last summer, turning out for their espoirs side. The 21-year-old from St Boswells in the Borders can play across the back three and secured his move to France last summer after advertising himself on Facebook following his release from Edinburgh. | SNS Group / SRU