anges ▁in ▁the ▁line up ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 6 – 1 7 ▁were : ▁ ▁O y onna x ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 – 1 7 ▁Pro ▁D 2 ▁title ▁and ▁were ▁thereby ▁automatically ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁Top ▁ 1 4 . ▁A gen ▁won ▁the ▁promotion ▁play offs ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁second ▁promotion ▁place . ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁bottom ▁finish ers ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 – 1 7 , ▁Bour go in ▁and ▁Al bi , ▁were ▁re leg ated ▁from ▁Pro ▁D 2 ▁to ▁F éd éra le ▁ 1 . ▁▁ ▁The ▁two ▁bottom ▁finish ers ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 – 1 7 ▁Top ▁ 1 4 ▁season , ▁Bay onne ▁and ▁Gren o ble , ▁were ▁re leg ated ▁to ▁Pro ▁D 2 . ▁ ▁Mass y ▁won ▁the ▁promotion ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 – 1 7 ▁F éd éra le ▁ 1 ▁season ; ▁Ne vers ▁won ▁the ▁play - offs ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁promotion ▁place . ▁Since ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 – 1 6 ▁season , ▁the ▁promotion ▁process ▁has ▁been ▁separate ▁from ▁the ▁play - offs ▁for ▁the ▁traditional ▁F éd éra le ▁ 1 ▁championship ▁prize , ▁Tro ph ée ▁Jean - P rat . ▁ ▁Number ▁of ▁teams ▁by ▁regions ▁ ▁Compet ition ▁format ▁The ▁regular ▁season ▁uses ▁a ▁double ▁round - ro bin ▁format , ▁in ▁which ▁each ▁team ▁plays ▁the ▁others ▁home ▁and ▁away . ▁