Marathon pour tous: our analysis of the race route from Paris to the Château de Versailles

With a distance of 42.195 kilometers - like any properly sanctioned marathon course - the circuit of the Olympic Marathon and Marathon for All is unprecedented. FromParis City Hall to the Château de Versailles, via Meudon, Chaville and the Left Bank of Paris, nothing has been left to chance on this highly symbolic route.

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The Paris Marathon is already renowned for its positive altitude difference, equivalent to 270 meters in the last edition: for the Olympic Marathon, the difficulty is even greater, with no less than 436 meters of positive altitude difference and 438 meters of negative altitude difference. A course as challenging as it is demanding, not to mention the starting conditions: in the middle of August, at night, at 9pm.

Height difference

Although the course starts out fairly smoothly, with a small negative gradient over the first 15 km, it becomes much tougher with a steep climb up to KM 20, with 200 m of positive gradient gradually gained, all the way to the Pershing monument in Versailles. The course descends again between KM 20 and 27.5, where the Pavé des Gardes climb arrives at KM 28, known for its demanding nature and beautiful slope, which has to be climbed at a time when many runners are dreading the marathon wall. After KM 29, the course descends steeply to 32 and remains flat for the last ten kilometers of the race.

Mileage profile

As you set off on this beautiful loop of more than 42 kilometers, you'll cross Paris like you've never seen it before, and have the opportunity to observe numerous monuments. In all, runners will pass through nine towns in the Paris region: Paris, Boulogne-Billancourt, Sèvres, Ville d'Avray, Versailles, Viroflay, Chaville, Meudon and Issy-les-Moulineaux. Before starting the return journey, you'll have to cover 23 kilometers to reach the Château de Versailles. Refreshment points with food and water are provided every 5 km along the route (food at 5 km, water at 7.5 km and so on).

If you're one of the lucky ones to have your race number, be sure to study the course profile of this marathon for all to optimize your race and your physical preparation!