[1][2][3] The term is derived from its location in the former province of Brittany, and in addition to the principal rivalry between the two major clubs, Stade Rennais and FC Nantes,[3][4][5] may also refer to matches involving FC Lorient,[6][7][8] En Avant Guingamp[9] or Stade Brestois.

Following their match in October 2023 the fixture has been played 104 times in official competitions, with Nantes ahead with 44 wins to Rennes's 35, and 25 draws.

[a] A historic rivalry also exists between the cities over which is the "real capital of Brittany" (Nantes was administratively separated from the rest of the territory in 1941 to anchor its own region, Pays de la Loire, while similarly sized Rennes has been the sole capital of the Brittany region since then)[15] and both clubs display their Breton heritage proudly; Rennes supporters regularly display Celtic symbols at Tribune Mordelles, where the notorious supporters' group Roazhon Celtic Kop are located, while Nantes often display the Bretagne flag in their primary colors, yellow and green.

This was in direct contrast to Nantes, eight-time French champions and members of the top tier since 1963, who finished 20th in that 2006–07 season and were relegated to the second division.

[18] The pair met again in the 2014 Coupe de France final, won by Guingamp again (by this time they had been promoted to Ligue 1, but were still the underdogs).