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:
1. Jonny Gray (Union Bordeaux Bègles)
The experienced lock forward revived his career in France last season after sitting out the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign due to a serious knee injury sustained while playing for Exeter Chiefs in the Champions Cup semi-final. The 16-month lay-off caused him to miss the 2023 Rugby World Cup but a move to Bordeaux-Begles worked out well for both parties. Gray was part of a Bordeaux squad that enjoyed one of the best seasons in the club’s history, winning the Investec Champions Cup and reaching the Top 14 final, which they lost to Toulouse. Gray, 31, made 21 appearances for his new club in his debut season and also won an international recall, playing in four of Scotland’s five Six Nations games. | AFP via Getty Images
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2. Stuart Hogg (Montpellier Hérault
The troubled former Scotland captain came out of retirement to sign for Montpellier last summer and found some solace on the pitch. Hogg, 32, pleaded guilty to domestic abuse offences and was given a community payback order in January. In between court appearances he helped Montpellier move clear of the relegation danger zone to finish the season in mid-table. Hogg was used mostly at 10, returning to the position he played in his youth, and was a steady hand at the tiller until an Achilles tendon injury ended his season at the end of April. He has undergone surgery and will miss the start of the new campaign. | AFP via Getty Images
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3. Ewan Johnson (Aviron Bayonnais)
A big season looms for the towering Scotland lock who is returning to the Top 14 after securing a move from Oyonnax to high-flying Bayonne. Raised in France after his family moved to Brittany when he was four, Johnson was part of the Racing 92 academy and made one top-team appearance for the Paris giants before joining Vannes in the Pro D2 where he spent three seasons. He caught the eye of Oyonnax and spent a season in the Top 14 before relegation took him back to the second tier. Now he’s on the move again, signing for Bayonne who enjoyed a highly impressive season, finishing fourth and reaching the play-off semi-finals where they lost narrowly to Toulouse. It’s a great opportunity for Johnson, 26, who has been capped five times and came off the bench in the Six Nations loss to France in Paris in March. | AFP via Getty Images
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4. Blair Kinghorn (Stade Toulousain)
Arguably the most successful Scottish rugby export to France of all time. Kinghorn, 28, has already collected two Top 14 titles and a Champions Cup winner’s medal in under two seasons with Toulouse. The Scotland full-back has slotted in seamlessly alongside the superstars on the roster at Stade Ernest-Wallon and his form in France won him a call-up for the British and Irish Lions. Kinghorn missed the first Test against South Africa through injury but played in the second and third as the tourists clinched the series. Comfortable across the back three and also able to play at 10, Kinghorn’s versatility makes him a valuable asset at Toulouse. The former Edinburgh man played the full 100 minutes of the Top 14 final in June as the holders squeezed out Bordeaux in extra time to win the Bouclier de Brennus for a record-extending 24th time. | Getty Images