LFH Division 1 Féminine, known for sponsorship reasons as Ligue Butagaz Énergie, is the premier women's handball league in France. It is overseen by the Ligue Féminine de Handball (LFH), the governing body of French women's professional handball, under delegation from the French Handball Federation (FFHB). Founded in 1952, it is currently contested by twelve teams.
Metz Handball has dominated the championship in recent times with 27 titles between 1989 and 2025 including a 6-year winning streak, while US Ivry and Paris UC were the most successful teams in past decades with nine and five titles respectively.List of champions in handseven.fr
As of 2026: Metz Handball won the 2025–26 Women's EHF Champions League, as the first French team in history. The EHF European League has been won by only one french club: Neptunes de Nantes in 2021.
Participating teams
2025–26 teams
ClubCityRegion of FranceRank 2024-25ESBF BesançonBesançonBourgogne-Franche-Comté5thBrest Bretagne HandballBrestBrittanyChambray Touraine HandballChambray-lès-ToursCentre-Val de Loire4thJDA Dijon Bourgogne HandballDijonBourgogne-Franche-ComtéMetz HandballMetzGrand EstSambre Avesnois HandballMaubeugeNord14thLe HavreLe HavreSeine-Maritime 1st (Division 2)OGC NiceNiceProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur6thParis 92Issy-les-MoulineauxÎle-de-France19thHandball Plan-de-CuquesPlan-de-CuquesProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7thSaint-Amand HandballSaint-Amand-les-EauxHauts-de-France12thStella Saint-Maur HandballSaint-Maur-des-FossésÎle-de-France13thSATH (Strasbourg Achenheim Truchtersheim Handball)Achenheim, TruchtersheimGrand Est8thToulon Var Métropole HandballToulonProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur11th
Personnel and kits ClubManagerCaptainKit manufacturerESBF Besançon Jérôme Delarue Pauline Robert Le Coq SportifBrest Bretagne Raphaëlle Tervel Jenny Carlson CraftChambray Touraine Mathieu Lanfranchi KappaJDA Dijon Clément Alcacer Sarah Valero Jodar ErreàMetz HB Emmanuel Mayonnade Chloé Valentini KempaSambre Aveinois Julien Vasseur KempaLe Havre AC Tom Garnier ErreàOGC Nice Sébastien Mizoule Ehsan Abdelmalek HummelParis 92 Yacine Messaoudi Méline Nocandy Le Coq SportifPlan-de-Cuques Angélique Spincer Aurélie Goubel PumaSaint-Amand HB Edina Borsos Szabó Romane Frécon-Demouge KempaStella Saint-Maur Rémi Sanson Pauline Plotton PumaSATH Jan Bašný Dalila Abdesselam ErimaToulon Joël da Silva Manon Loquay Hummel Notes : Bourg-de-Péage Drôme Handball got dissolved in the middle of the 2022-23 season (financial insolvency). HBC Celles-sur-Belle ranked 10th at the end of 2022-23 and thus earned the sports right to keep playing in Division 1. However FFHandball's financial audit board relegated the club to Division 2 administratively. Mérignac Handball, which ranked last (13th) and was relegated to Division 2, applied to take HBC Celles-sur-Belle's place in Division 1. Despite also suffering from financial problems, their appeal to be saved from relegation was accepted late by the federation, on Day 3 of the season.
2022-23 Teams ClubCityRegion of FranceRank 2021-22ESBF BesançonBesançonBourgogne-Franche-Comté4thBrest Bretagne HandballBrestBrittanyHBC Celles-sur-BelleCelles-sur-BelleNouvelle-Aquitaine13thChambray Touraine HandballChambray-lès-ToursCentre-Val de Loire6thJDA Dijon Bourgogne HandballDijonBourgogne-Franche-Comté8thMetz HandballMetzGrand EstMérignac HandballMérignacNouvelle-Aquitaine10thNeptunes de NantesNantesPays de la Loire5thOGC NiceNiceProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7thParis 92Issy-les-MoulineauxÎle-de-FranceHandball Plan-de-CuquesPlan-de-CuquesProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur12thSaint-Amand HandballSaint-Amand-les-EauxHauts-de-France 1st (Division 2)Toulon Var Métropole HandballToulonProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur11thBourg-de-Péage DHB (dissolved)Bourg-de-PéageAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes9th
Competition format All 14 teams play each other twice during the season (home and away matches – 26 competition days). At the end of the season, the best ranked team is declared "Champion de France" and is granted a spot in the EHF Champions League's group stage.2011-12 results in EHF's website
The last ranked team (14th) is relegated to the lower echelon of women's handball Division 2 Féminine (D2F) and replaced by the top-ranked D2F team that possesses the status.
Teams receive three points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a loss.
European qualification Currently the Champion of France is granted a spot in the EHF Champions League's group stage. Runner-up is qualified for the EHF European League but is able to apply for a wildcard (upgrade) to participate in the Champions League. The winner of the Coupe de France is qualified for the EHF European League. If a qualified team declines to participate in the European League, the next best-ranked team in the league can apply to take their place. A number of the league's other top teams are eligible to participate in European competitions.
The number of teams per national federation qualified for European competitions (EHF Champions League and EHF European League) is determined by a federation's EHF coefficient and EHF rank. Each year, the EHF publishes a ranking that announces the place attribution for the following season (number of teams for each Federation in the various competitions).
For the 2023/24 season, the system changed. The coefficients and ranks were not determined by the overall performance of a federation, as it used to be. The performances are separated by competitions (e.g.: good performance by french teams in the Champions League would not allocate more places for french teams in the European League). Thus, the new system includes separate rankings for the Champions League and the European League.
Place distribution for 2023/24 Women's EHF Club competitions - France's place attribution: EHF Champions League (EHF CL): 1 place EHF European League (EHF EL): 3 places
The Champions League has 7 other spots open for clubs that are not national champions but have qualified for the European League (1 spot for the best seeded Federation of the EHF EL and 6 spots open for upgrades). The EHF European League has 8 spots open in for upgrades.
A club needs to fulfill set technical and organizational or administrative requirements to be able to play in European competitions (finances, adequate playing hall, etc.).
List of champions
SeasonEditionWinnerSecond or finalistThird or semi-finalist1951-1952411École Simon-Siégel (1)Paris UCFémina Sport and CA Saint-Fons1952-19532École Simon-Siégel (2) US Metro CA Saint-Fons and CSL Dijon1953-19543École Simon-Siégel (3) Bordeaux EC -1954-19554Bordeaux EC (1) Stade français -1955-19565Stade français (1) Bordeaux EC -1956-19576CSA Molière - -1957-19587US Ivry (1)École Simon-Siégel -1958-19598US Ivry (2)Paris UC -1959-19609US Ivry (3)Bordeaux EC -1960-196110SNUC AtlantiqueÉcole Simon-Siégel -1961-196211Bordeaux EC (2)US Ivry -1962-196312US Ivry (4)École Simon-Siégel -1963-196413US Ivry (5)CA Saint-FonsÉcole Simon-Siégel et Stade français1964-196514ES Colombes (1)US Ivry -1965-196615ES Colombes (2)US Ivry -1966-19672016Stade Marseillais UCES ColombesUS Ivry et Stade Nantes UCA1967-196817ES Colombes (3)US Ivry -1968-196918US Ivry (6)Stade français -1969-197019US Ivry (7)Paris UC -1970-197120Stella Saint-MaurParis UCBordeaux EC & Stade français1971-197221Stade pessacais UCASUL Vaulx-en-Velin -1972-19731622ASUL Vaulx-en-VelinES ColombesBordeaux EC & SNUC1973-197423US Ivry (8)Paris UCPessac & Stade français1974-197524Paris UC (1)ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin -1975-197625Paris UC (2)US Ivry -1976-197726US Ivry (9)Bordeaux EC -1977-197827Paris UC (3)US Ivry -1978-197928Troyes OSParis UC -1979-19802029Paris UC (4)PLM ConflansASU Lyon & Troyes OS1980-19811830Paris UC (5)PLM ConflansRacing Club de France1981-19821831US DunkerqueParis UCPLM Conflans1982-19831832Bordeaux EC (3)Paris UCASU Lyon1983-19841833Stade français (2)US DunkerqueES Besançon1984-19851034USM Gagny (1)ASUL Vaulx-en-VelinBordeaux Étudiants Club1985-19861035Stade français Issy-les-Moulineaux (3)USM GagnyES Besançon1986-19871036USM Gagny 93 (2)Stade français Issy-les-MoulineauxES Besançon1987-19881037ES Besançon (1)Stade français Issy-les-MoulineauxUSM Gagny1988-19891238ASPTT Metz (1)USM Gagny 93ES Besançon1989-19901239ASPTT Metz (2)USM Gagny 93ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin1990-19911240USM Gagny 93 (3)ASPTT MetzCSL Dijon1991-19921241USM Gagny 93 (4)ASPTT Metz -1992-19931242ASPTT Metz (3)USM Gagny 93CSL Dijon1993-19941243ASPTT Metz (4)USM Gagny 93AL Bouillargues1994-19951044ASPTT Metz (5)Stade béthunois1995-19961045ASPTT Metz (6)ES Besançon1996-19971046ASPTT Metz (7)ES BesançonASUL Vaulx-en-Velin1997-19981047ES Besançon (2)ASPTT MetzASUL Vaulx-en-Velin1998-19991048ASPTT Metz (8)ES BesançonHBC Nîmes1999-20001049ASPTT Metz (9)ES BesançonSA Mérignacais2000-20011250ES Besançon (3)ASPTT MetzSun A.L. Bouillargues2001-20021251ASPTT Metz (10)ES BesançonCercle Dijon Bourgogne2002-20031252ES Besançon (4)ASPTT MetzCercle Dijon Bourgogne2003-20041253HB Metz métropole (11)ES BesançonCJF Fleury-les-Aubrais2004-20051254HB Metz métropole (12)ES BesançonCJF Fleury-les-Aubrais2005-20061255HB Metz métropole (13)Le Havre ACMérignac Handball2006-20071256HB Metz métropole (14)Le Havre ACCercle Dijon Bourgogne2007-20081257HB Metz métropole (15)Le Havre ACIssy-les-Moulineaux2008-20091158Metz Handball (16)Le Havre ACHBC Nîmes2009-20101059Toulon Saint-Cyr VHBLe Havre ACMetz Handball2010-20111160Metz Handball (17)Arvor 29Toulon Saint-Cyr VHB2011-20121061Arvor 29Issy Paris HandMetz Handball2012-20131063Metz Handball (18)CJF Fleury-les-AubraisIssy Paris Hand2013-20141063Metz Handball (19)Issy Paris HandLe Havre AC2014-20151064CJF Fleury Loiret HandballIssy Paris HandMetz Handball2015-20161065Metz Handball (20)CJF Fleury-les-AubraisIssy Paris Hand2016-20171166Metz Handball (21)Brest Bretagne HandballIssy Paris Hand2017-20181267Metz Handball (22)Brest Bretagne HandballES Besançon2018-20191268Metz Handball (23)OGC Nice HandballBrest Bretagne Handball2019-20201269Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Brest and Metz were 1st ex-aequo.2020-20211470Brest Bretagne Handball (2)Metz HandballES Besançon2021-20221471Metz Handball (24)Brest Bretagne HandballParis 922022-20231472Metz Handball (25) Brest Bretagne Handball Neptunes de Nantes2023-20241473Metz Handball (26) Brest Bretagne Handball Neptunes de Nantes2024-20251474Metz Handball (27) Brest Bretagne Handball Jeanne d'Arc Dijon Handball2025-20261474Brest Bretagne Handball (3) Metz Handball Chambray Touraine Handball
Performance by club RankClubTitlesWinning seasons 1 Metz Handball 27 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002,2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016,2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 2 US Ivry 9 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1974 & 1977 3 Paris UC 5 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980 & 1981 4 ES Colombes / CSA Molière 4 1957, 1965, 1966 & 1968 USM Gagny 1985, 1987, 1991 & 1992 ES Besançon 1988, 1998, 2001 & 2003 6 École Simon-Siégel 3 1952, 1953 & 1954 Bordeaux EC 1955, 1962 & 1983 Stade français Issy-les-Moulineaux 1956, 1984 & 1986 Brest Bretagne Handball 2012, 2021, 202611 Stade Nantais UC 1 1961 Stade Marseillais UC1967 Stella Saint-Maur1971 Stade Pessacais UC1972 ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin1973 Troyes OS1979 US Dunkerque 1982 Toulon Saint-Cyr Var HB 2010 CJF Fleury Loiret Handball2015 - not awarded 1 2020Total 73 1951-2023 Legend : 10 titles won Bold indicates clubs that are still playing in the top leagueMedal table