Abalone Marathon de Nantes

The Abalone Marathon de Nantes begins at the Machines de l'ile de Nantes, placing the city's mechanical elephant landmark at the center of race weekend from the start. This 42.195 km road marathon takes place annually in late April on Nantes' streets. A half marathon, a company relay, and a 10 km race, Les Foulees de l'Elephant, are also held the same weekend. The marathon, which started in 1981 with 104 participants, is one of France's oldest marathons. The event now attracts many thousands across its various distances. The route remains within Nantes, passing about twenty city monuments, including Parc de Proce, Ile de Versailles, the cathedral, and the Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne. It is not entirely flat, with runners encountering several false flats. The race was held outside the city center along the Loire for a few years under the Marathon du Val Nantais name before returning to central Nantes. The weekend also features local elements post-race, with Curé Nantais cheese and Muscadet wine. Organizers have also implemented environmental initiatives, such as water fountains to eliminate plastic bottles.