The great number of Italian immigrants who arrived in the Briey basin of Northeastern France prior to 1914 were subjected to arduous work conditions in the iron mines and ironwork factories of the region. Housed in poor lodgings, they were seen by the French as the carriers of all ills brought over from abroad. They were thus excluded from participation in the leisure activities reserved for the native French. While established patriotic societies were the sole realm of French citizens, the church's attitude toward those new immigrants resulted in their being excluded from sports activities. It was only through the sport of cycling, with its inner emphasis on meritocracy that Italian workers were able to find a space of integration into the French society of the day. © De Boeck Université.

Italian immigration Cycling Integration

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