Last year Paris was a real marathon destination, with both Tamirat Tola and Sifan Hassan setting new Olympic Records at the summer Games in the city, and 20,024 members of the public being invited to run the same route one evening in the ‘Marathon Pour Tous’. But the original Marathon de Paris has been an annual favourite since it was launched in its current format in 1976, comparable in size to the races in London, Berlin, New York and Chicago with just over 50,000 participants.
This year the Paris Marathon takes place two weeks before London, on Sunday 13 April. It’s a hillier course than ours with a total elevation gain of 269m (882ft) on a central route that hugs the river Seine for a fair stretch and passes most of the city’s many iconic sights.
Here’s all the key info about the race for anyone lucky enough to take part as well as everyone spectating.
What time does the Marathon de Paris start?
The official start times for the 2025 event haven’t yet been announced, but it is typically a staggered start on the Champs-Élysées, with the fastest runners setting off towards Place de la Concorde some time after 8am, and those expecting slower finish times beginning in stages over the next hour or two.
Will there be a bag drop at the event?
Because the Paris Marathon finish line is fairly close to the start, on Avenue Foch on the other side of the Arc de Triomphe, you can drop your bag for free in lockers at the finish area and pick it up afterwards by showing your race bib. Be aware that the organisers may refuse to take bags that are larger than 45cm high / 36cm wide / 20cm deep.
What is the Marathon de Paris course?
The start is on the long straight boulevard of the Champs-Élysées, heads down to the Egyptian monument at Place de la Concorde, then turns left up to the Palais Garnier. At the 4km mark, runners will pass in front of the Louvre and then head east towards another grand place at Bastille. Then it’s out into the parkland of Bois de Vincennes, around Lake Daumesnil and the Parc Zoologique.
The halfway point arrives on the south side of the Bois de Vincennes, before a long straight stretch back to the Place de la Bastille. Runners then turn towards the river, which is beside them on their left for kilometres 25-34, passing numerous famous landmarks including the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Musée d’Orsay and of course, across the Seine, the Eiffel Tower. As the finish line draws closer there’s a 2km stretch through more parkland in the Bois de Boulogne, before runners reach long straight Avenue Foch and finally stop with the Arc de Triomphe just in front.
How many aid stations are there on the route?
There are eight aid stations approximately every 5k along the way, and a ninth at the finish just after you’ve collected your medal. They’ll have food such as bananas, dried fruit and pretzels as well as water. The locations of the aid stations during the race are:
· 4.5 km on the left, rue de l'Amiral de Coligny
· 10 km on the right, boulevard dAuteuil
· 15 What everyones reading
· 20 Best wireless headphones
· 25 km on the right, boulevard dAuteuil
· 30.3 When your race distance doesnt match your watch
· 35 km on the right, boulevard d'Auteuil
· 38 When your race distance doesnt match your watch
How do I get to the start line?
The best way to find the start of the marathon is to travel to the Arc de Triomphe, from where it is a short walk along the Champs-Élysées. The best Metro station is Charles de Gaulle-Étoile, which is on lines 1, 2 and 6. Remember that it will be very busy so be sure to arrive early.
How do I get my race number?
It’s important to remember that you can’t collect your race bib on the day of the marathon itself, and the organisers aren’t sending them out by post. You need to visit the Run Experience Fair at some point during the preceding days of April 10, 11 or 12. That’s at the Parc des Expositions in Porte de Versailles Hall 1, which is near the Metro station Porte de Versailles on the south side of the river along line 12. It’s also on bus routes 39, 42 and 49.
You can send someone else to pick up the number for you, as long as you or they bring along your photo ID, the QR code that you’ll receive by email a week before the event, and a downloaded certificate confirming you have completed the FFA's Health Prevention Course (Parcours de Prévention Santé).
What are the medical certificate requirements for the Paris Marathon?
In previous years, marathon entrants have had to show a doctor’s letter confirming that they are fit to participate in a competitive running event, dated within a year of the race. That’s changed for 2025. Now you need to go to this website and click through four stages of advice on health risks and precautions. It’s important to remember that it is only valid for three months, so don’t complete it too soon. When you have downloaded your completion document you need to get it validated by the race organisers. The place to upload it is here.
Can I wear headphones?
km on the left, boulevard Henri IV.
Is there a race cut-off time?
The cut-off time is set for six hours after the last runner crosses the start line, so assuming you start before them, you’d have a bit longer than six hours to finish the marathon. After that, roads will reopen, but you should still be able to carry on along the pavements if necessary.
Are there any toilets on the course?
There are toilet near the start and finish lines and beside each of the aid stations listed above. However, there are no showers at the Marathon de Paris.
What are the best locations for spectators to watch the Marathon de Paris?
As Paris is undisputedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world, there’s hardly a bad spot to hang out, watch the runners go by and take a few photos (apart from one of the few tunnels on route). As mentioned above, the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Place de la Concorde and Notre-Dame are all along the way. For practicality’s sake, the stretch between Jardin des Tuileries to Place de la Bastille and all the way down to Lake Daumesnil offers a pretty easy way to walk between parts of the course and spot runners at two different stages.
What if I can’t compete anymore?
When you registered for the Marathon, you had the option to sign up for a ‘Pass Event J’aime courir’ which gives cancellation insurance and refunds your race entry fee (but not travel costs) in the case of ‘death, accident, or illness of the insured participant’ and ‘death, accident, or serious illness of a close family member’. If you didn’t get this Pass, the organisers say: ‘Any registration is personal, firm and definitive and cannot be refunded for any reason’, and ‘no transfer of registration is authorised for any reason whatsoever’, so you can’t give your number to someone else either.
Can I run for charity?
Of course you can raise money for any charity of your choice if you already have a race entry. If you haven’t entered and want to secure a place in the race by committing to raising a certain amount of money for a charity partner that has its own places, the list of participating organisations is here. At the time of writing, charity partners including Dementia UK and NDSS for Down syndrome still had places available for runners able to raise around £1,000.
Can I still enter?
Unfortunately, the Marathon de Paris is full for 2025. The only way to run it now is pricey in one way or another, either through a charity place, by booking through a tour operator or joining the race’s hospitality programme. More details are here.
