Marathon races near Saint-Denis

The Semi-marathon du Bois de Vincennes begins near the Château de Vincennes and covers 21.097 km within the Bois de Vincennes, east of Paris. This is a traditional half marathon organized by Sport Passion, starting at 9:30 AM with approximately 5,000 participants. The course follows the roads and paths of the wood, going by the Parc Floral, the arboretum, the Gravelle stream, the tropical garden, and the shores of the Minimes and Daumesnil lakes. It attracts club runners, local participants, and half-marathoners from across Île-de-France. Event activities are scheduled along the route, and online registration is available via Sport Passion’s website.

Six runners share one marathon at the MAIF Ekiden de Paris, a Paris road relay run in early November. The format originates from Japan: instead of one person covering 42.195 km alone, teammates split the distance and pass the race from runner to runner. The event also offers a half-marathon distance of 21.0975 km, suitable for groups that want the team format without committing to the full marathon distance. The course runs through Paris, using the city’s monuments as part of the setting, but the main focus is the team race rather than solo sightseeing. More than 1,600 teams participated in a recent edition, with club runners, mixed-ability groups, and very fast squads all on the same program. The competition at the front is serious: a Kenyan team ran under two hours on French soil, the men’s French senior ekiden record was broken, and the women’s winners finished in 2h22'30''.

La Course Royale is a local race day in Fontenay-le-Fleury, Yvelines, west of Paris, with a November program organized by the town hall. The main running options are a 10 km race and a half marathon, both starting at 10:00, allowing runners to choose either a shorter road effort or the full 21.1 km distance. The program also includes walking events: a 10 km hike and a 9-meter Nordic walking entry listed at 09:45, giving the day a broad range of formats. A previous edition recorded 1,172 participants, indicating it is more than a small club meet, but it still reads like a community race centered on Fontenay-le-Fleury rather than a large-scale event.

The Semi-Marathon de Boulogne-Billancourt Christian Granger is a November half marathon held in Boulogne-Billancourt, a commune in the Hauts-de-Seine department near Paris. This road race covers the standard 21.1 km distance, and it is the sole event offered, without a full marathon option. The race attracts several thousand participants annually and welcomes both novice and seasoned runners, giving it the feel of a significant local competition rather than a specialized elite gathering. The course is a loop starting and ending at the town hall. Participants run clockwise along the Seine, passing Sèvres - Cité de la céramique and the Pont de Saint-Cloud, before heading north towards Longchamp Racecourse. A brief stretch through the Bois de Boulogne leads to the halfway point, after which the route reverses, following the river south back to the town hall finish. The name reflects the affectionate local identity of Boulogne-Billancourt, sometimes called Boulbi, aligning with a race centered on the town itself rather than a tour of the broader Paris region.

La Sans Raison is a mid-November trail-running event held in Vélizy-Villacoublay, in the Yvelines department west of Paris. It features three main distances: 11 km, 23 km, and 42 km, along with races for children and juniors. The event supports the Laurette Fugain Association in its fight against leukemia. The three adult races are named the 11 km La LaiseTrail, the 23 km La ThérèseTrail, and the 42 km La BalèzeTrail. The routes are single-loop trail courses incorporating town and stadium settings, indicating it is a local trail event within the community of Vélizy-Villacoublay, not a remote mountain race. The combination of full-distance runners, shorter-distance participants, younger runners, and charity supporters creates a broad, family-friendly atmosphere while maintaining the challenge of the longer trail options.

The Choco Trail d'Hardricourt awards finishers a chocolate medal, offers hot chocolate at aid stations, and provides a small box of chocolates at the finish. This December event in Hardricourt, Yvelines, west of Paris, includes races and walks for children and adults. The schedule ranges from short children's races (ages 6-15) to 8 km and 13 km hikes, a 12 km night race, and trail routes from 8 km up to a 42 km marathon. The courses traverse the French Vexin region near Hardricourt, featuring local villages and green spaces rather than urban streets. Distances are available for beginners, casual runners, hikers, club members, and experienced trail athletes. The chocolate theme originates from Hardricourt's Barry chocolate factory, with the event established to link the town's natural surroundings to its local chocolate legacy.

The 1er Challenge sur Route de France is a road running event held in early January in Cernay-la-Ville, located in the Yvelines department west of Paris. Participants can choose from three main distances: 10 km, a half marathon, or the full 42.195 km marathon. A two-person marathon relay is also available for teams wishing to share the distance. The 10 km course remains the same as in previous years. The half marathon and marathon courses are newer and feature more rolling terrain. The marathon begins first, with the 10 km race starting shortly after. Approximately 90 volunteers support the event. Participation numbers are substantial, with one record indicating over 300 runners in a past edition and another listing more than a thousand participants.

The Semi-marathon de Bullion is a 21.097 km half marathon held in the Yvelines department, beginning in the village of Bullion each February. Bullion is located within the Regional Natural Park of the Chevreuse Valley, positioning this as a small-town French half marathon rather than a major city road race. The available race details cover the course, elevation profile, GPX trace, registration, and bib information, aiding runners in planning their pacing and logistics. The event has a past as a solidarity race, adding a community dimension beyond the race distance.

The Semi-marathon de Saint-Witz is a road race held in Saint-Witz, a commune in Val-d'Oise, north of Paris. It takes place in late March, a time when mornings in this region of Île-de-France can still be cold, suggesting that a warm layer before the start is advisable. The event offers more than just its namesake distance; while the half marathon is the main event, participants can also opt for shorter races of 5 km, 10 km, and 11.5 km, alongside children’s and junior races. The event begins in Saint-Witz and is organized by COSMSW. Established in 1979, it ranks among the longer-standing half marathons in France. The race accommodates walkers, broadening participation beyond those focused on half-marathon times. Families, younger runners, walkers, local club members, and individuals seeking a shorter road race can all find a place in this event.

The Semi-marathon de Joinville is a road-running event in Joinville-le-Pont, France, with a 21.1 km half marathon as its main distance. The program also includes 5 km and 10 km races, so runners can choose a shorter effort or use the day for a full half-marathon test. The route is set in an urban part of Joinville-le-Pont and also passes through a public park, giving the race a mix of town streets and green space. Hundreds of runners join, including experienced racers chasing a reference time and people trying the half marathon distance for the first time.

The Semi-Marathon d'Antony takes place in March in Antony, a town in Hauts-de-Seine located a few kilometres from Paris-Orly airport. The main event is a flat half marathon covering 21.1 km, complemented by a 5.5 km race for those seeking shorter distances and free children’s and family races of approximately 1 to 2 km. Supported by the City of Antony and Antony Athlétisme 92, it functions as a local sports day alongside being a competition for dedicated runners. The course offers participants a close view of Antony, including a section near the Château Michel Sarran. The March weather can bring rain showers. The participants include children attempting their first race, amateurs, club runners, and more experienced athletes competing in the half marathon. The day features entertainment, a partner village, and supporters along the route, and the event also highlights an environmental commitment.

The Ekiden de Montgeron is a spring relay race held in Montgeron, Essonne, south of Paris. Teams of six run the marathon distance, with each runner completing a specific leg: 5 km, 10 km, 5 km, 10 km, 5 km, and finally 7.195 km to reach the full 42.195 km. A shorter 10 km duo relay is also offered, where each runner covers 5 km. This event caters to beginners, families, club runners, and company teams, as well as competitive squads aiming for fast times. The race begins along the Pelouse and proceeds through the flat paths of the Forêt de Sénart. This course is conducive to consistent pacing and efficient relay handoffs. The marathon relay course is FFA-labelled and qualifies for the French championships. ES Montgeron Athlétisme and the city co-organize the event, which includes a Corporate Challenge, a children's event combining running and throwing, refreshments for 10 km relay participants on the course, and food or drink for all finishers. Bibs have previously sold out quickly, indicating the race's local popularity among teams.