Autumn marathons in France 2026: which one to pick for a first marathon?

Colmar, France

1Colmar Marathon — Alsace vineyards, registration closes September 16

On September 20, the course starts on the edge of Colmar’s old town and passes through the vineyard villages along the Alsace Wine Route. Founded in 2015, the race raises money for charity and has donated more than 280,000 euros. Registration closes on September 16, with entry from 13 euros.

Colmar is about 30 minutes from Strasbourg by train. The town center, with the half-timbered houses of Little Venice, is largely flat; once the route reaches the vineyards, a series of gentle rises begins.

Colmar MarathonSeptember 2027 · expected · Colmar, FranceSee race details

Rennes, France

2Marathon Vert de Rennes: 2 urban loops, 5h30 cut-off

Start on October 18 at 9 a.m. from Mail François Mitterrand, finish at Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle: two 100% urban loops, 110 meters of elevation gain, on an internationally FFA Gold-certified course.

The time limit is 5:30, with cutoffs at 2:40 for the half marathon and 4 hours at the 30th kilometer. The aid station are positioned at kilometers 5, 10, 17, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 39, then at the finish. One tree is planted every 2 kilometers, or 21 trees for a marathon.

Registration closes on October 10 or when 5,500 runners are reached, whichever comes first; bib collection takes place at the marathon village on October 16 and 17.

Rennes Green MarathonSun, October 18, 2026 · D-3 · Rennes, FranceSee race details

Auray, France

3Semi-Marathon Auray-Vannes: starts in Kerfontaine, 3-hour cut-off

The race starts on September 13 at 10 a.m. from the Kerfontaine business park on the RD 17 between Auray and Pluneret, and finishes at Kercado Stadium in Vannes, with a time limit of 3 hours.

The program also includes the Arradon-Vannes 10K, the Vannes 5K—which serves as the French championship semifinal—the Nordic walk and a hike. Registration is handled through SportInnovation. As of June 13, the half marathon already had 6,000 entrants, with entry from 12 euros.

The race began on August 23, 1973, when 12 friends met in a parking lot to run 18 kilometers to Larmor-Baden. Michel Kerzan was first to reach the church square.

Auray-Vannes Half MarathonSun, September 12, 2027 · D-332 · Auray, FranceSee race details

Tours, France

4Tours Marathon 10–20K — 276 meters of elevation gain, starting at 7:30 a.m.

The marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. on September 27 and finishes at Place Anatole France, with 276 meters of cumulative elevation gain.

The course passes Marmoutier Abbey, the Basilica of Saint Martin and historic Tours, facing the château, and follows parts of the Loire à Vélo cycling route; it changes in 2026. From the marathon to the 2.3 km race, five events take place over the same weekend. Bib pickup is available only at the Loire Valley Running Show at the Palais des Congrès: nothing is handed out on Sunday.

Entry starts at 75 euros.

Marathon de ToursSun, September 26, 2027 · D-346 · Tours, FranceSee race details

Doussard, France

5Semi des Sources du Lac d’Annecy: greenway course, capped at 1,200 runners

The start and finish are at the Doussard Multipurpose Hall, south of Lake Annecy, on September 27 at 10 a.m., with entry from 29 euros.

The course follows the greenway through Bredannaz and Duingt, loops around Saint-Jorioz and returns to Doussard: 115 meters of total elevation gain, with no significant difficulty. The 10K, meanwhile, runs almost in a straight line from Saint-Jorioz to Doussard. Mornings in Haute-Savoie are cool in late September.

Fields are capped at 1,200 runners for the half marathon and 1,000 for the 10K, keeping the race clear of the crowds.

Semi-Marathon des Sources du Lac d'AnnecySeptember 2027 · expected · Doussard, FranceSee race details

Lille, France

6Marathon de Lille: returning after 31 years, with a flat course announced

On October 25, Lille gets its marathon back after thirty-one years. The course starts and finishes in the city center, passing Place du Général-de-Gaulle, the Vieille Bourse, the Citadel and Vieux-Lille; organizers promise a flat, record-friendly course. The detailed map is not expected until early September 2026, after approval from local authorities and state services: building an pace strategy will require waiting.

In late October, Lille ranges from 8 to 14 degrees with frequent rain, so a waterproof jacket is useful. Entry starts at 35 euros.

Marathon International de Lille Sun, October 25, 2026 · D-10 · Lille, FranceSee race details

Nice, France

7Nice-Cannes: 173 m of elevation gain, almost all of it in the second half

The race starts November 8 at 8 a.m. on the Promenade des Anglais and finishes on the Croisette, at the foot of the Palais des Festivals, after passing through seven towns.

The time limit is 6 hours, and November temperatures in Nice average around 17 degrees during the day and 9.7 at night. The bib provides unlimited train travel between Nice and Cannes on race day, but it can be collected only at the Nicea convention center on Quai Amiral Infernet, on November 5, 6 and 7—not by mail or on race day. The field is capped at 22,000, including 15,000 marathon places, with entry from 66 euros for the first 1,000 runners.

Total elevation gain is just 173 meters, but almost all of it comes in the second half.

French Riviera Marathon Nice-CannesSun, November 8, 2026 · D-24 · Nice, FranceSee race details

Breuil-Bois-Robert, France

8Diagonale des Yvelines: 103 km ultra, capped at 1,500 entries

On April 3, 2027, five race distances will cross the Yvelines from north to south. The longest, starting in Breuil-Bois-Robert, covers around 103 km with 1,700 meters of elevation gain; the shortest is 23 km. All five finish in Rochefort-en-Yvelines.

The courses move through farmland, valleys, forests and the sandy terrain of the Chevreuse Valley, passing châteaux, historic stables, washhouses and fountains. The race awards a UTMB Index. Last year, registration for all distances opened on the same day—at noon in early September—with 1,500 bibs available in total.

That is the date to watch, not race day.

La Diagonale des YvelinesSat, April 3, 2027 · D-170 · Breuil-Bois-Robert, FranceSee race details