France
La Rochelle Marathon 2026
Sunday 29 November 2026 · confirmed date
37 days to go
Key facts
- Race day
- Sunday 29 November 2026
- Confirmed by the organisers
- Start
- 09:00
- local time
- Course
- Flat · Laps
- Quai Maubec and Quai Louis-Durand, around the Vieux-Port (double start) to Esplanade Saint-Jean-d'Acre, by the towers of the Vieux-Port
- Total climb
- 120 m
- Time limit
- 5h30
- First held
- 1991
The race
About the La Rochelle Marathon
The La Rochelle Marathon, officially the Marathon de La Rochelle Serge Vigot, has been run since 1991 by a volunteer association, with around 1,300 volunteers over the race weekend. It carries the name of its founding president, Serge Vigot, who died in 2005. The 2026 race is the 35th edition, and the marathon is full at 10,000 runners.
It is known for a fast, almost flat two-lap course around the old harbour, music every 2 km and a loyal local crowd. Finishers receive a basket of Marennes-Oléron oysters. It suits runners looking for a late-season personal best and those who like a friendly, festive race.
Course
The La Rochelle Marathon course
There are two starts at 9:00, on Quai Maubec and Quai Louis-Durand around the Vieux-Port, and the two groups merge after 610 m. The course then runs two loops of the city, taking in the old harbour, the ramparts, the Porte Dauphine and the Port des Minimes, with relay changeovers on Place de Verdun. The finish is on the Esplanade Saint-Jean-d'Acre, at the foot of the towers that guard the harbour. With about 120 m of total climb the course is almost flat, and the organisers describe it as built for records. Two laps also mean you know exactly what is coming in the second half.
Race-day weather
Late-November mornings in La Rochelle are usually around 6-10°C at the 9:00 start, often windy, with a fair chance of rain.
Train
Training for the La Rochelle Marathon 2027
Under twelve weeks to go is short for a marathon block, so these dates count down to the edition after, on Sunday 28 November 2027.
| Plan | Starts on |
|---|---|
| 24 weeks | Monday 14 June 2027 |
| 20 weeks | Monday 12 July 2027 |
| 16 weeks | Monday 9 August 2027 |
| 12 weeks | Monday 6 September 2027 |
For this course
A late-November date means your key weeks fall in October and early November, when days shorten and the weather turns: do some long runs in wind and rain so race day holds no surprises. The course is almost flat, so prioritise marathon-pace blocks and steady long runs over hill work. La Rochelle is often windy by the sea, so practise running in a group and sharing the work. Pacers cover 2:45 to 4:30, which helps on breezy sections.
See the marathon pace chart or a sample sub-4 plan.
Print a pace band for the La Rochelle Marathon, with the race clock at every kilometre.
Entry
How to get a place
Entries are online (or by paper form) and the marathon is capped at 10,000 runners; the 2026 race is full. It is open to runners born in 2007 or earlier. Runners without an FFA licence must provide a PPS (Pass Prévention Santé) dated less than a year before the race; licence holders send their licence. A bib can be transferred through the organiser up to one month before the race, and bibs are collected at the race village on Friday and Saturday, not on race morning.
Every marathon lottery date for 2027 → Which marathons have no lottery? →Organised by Association du Marathon de La Rochelle
Official websiteQuestions
Frequently asked
When is the La Rochelle Marathon 2026?
The La Rochelle Marathon 2026 is on Sunday 29 November 2026. The organisers have confirmed the date.
When should I start training for the La Rochelle Marathon?
Count back from race day: a 16-week plan for the 2027 edition starts on 9 August 2027, a 20-week plan on 12 July 2027. Most runners need 16 to 20 weeks; 12 is the shortest block worth doing.
Is the La Rochelle Marathon course flat?
Almost: about 120 m of total climb over two loops, and the organisers describe it as a course for records.
What is the time limit?
5h30, with a checkpoint at the 30th km where you must pass within 4 hours.
Can I still enter the 2026 race?
The 2026 marathon is full at 10,000 runners. Registered runners can pass their bib to someone on the waiting list, or transfer it via the organiser up to one month before the race.
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