France
Lyon Marathon 2027
Sunday 3 October 2027 · confirmed date
345 days to go
Key facts
- Race day
- Sunday 3 October 2027
- Confirmed by the organisers
- Start
- 08:15
- local time
- Course
- Rolling · Loop
- Quai Romain-Rolland, Vieux-Lyon (by the Palais de Justice) to Place Bellecour
- Total climb
- 293 m
- Time limit
- 5h30
- First held
- 1983
The race
About the Lyon Marathon
Run In Lyon is the city's big autumn running festival, with a marathon, half marathon, 10 km and a solidarity run on the first Sunday of October. Lyon's marathon dates back to 1983, and the Run In Lyon format was launched in 2010. Organisers expected more than 7,000 marathon runners in 2026, a record for the event.
The race suits runners who want a city marathon with real variety: riverside quays, old stone neighbourhoods, a large park and modern architecture, with the biggest crowds in the centre. It is not the flattest course in France, so it rewards runners who handle small climbs well more than those chasing a pure time.
Course
The Lyon Marathon course
The start is beside the Saône in Vieux-Lyon, near the Palais de Justice. The route heads north along the Saône quays through Vaise to Île Barbe and Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, crosses the Pont Paul-Bocuse and comes back through Caluire-et-Cuire, the hilliest part of the course. It then drops to Place des Terreaux, goes round the Parc de la Tête d'Or and the Cité Internationale, and follows the Rhône banks south to Gerland. After the Pont Raymond-Barre and the Musée des Confluences, the last kilometres take you along the quays to the finish on Place Bellecour. The 2026 course had about 293 m of climbing; the flatter riverside second half is where you can run fastest.
Race-day weather
Early-October mornings in Lyon are usually around 9-14°C at the start, rising into the high teens by late morning, with a chance of showers.
Train
Training for the Lyon Marathon 2027
49 weeks to go. A marathon plan runs 12 to 24 weeks and ends on race week. Here is when each one starts.
| Plan | Starts on |
|---|---|
| 24 weeks | Monday 19 April 2027 |
| 20 weeks | Monday 17 May 2027 |
| 16 weeks | Monday 14 June 2027 |
| 12 weeks | Monday 12 July 2027 |
For this course
Prepare Lyon as a rolling course. Add hills to your long runs from midsummer, and practise running climbs by effort rather than pace, so the Caluire section doesn't cost you your second half. Much of the build-up falls in July and August: do your key sessions early in the morning and keep the longest marathon-pace work for September, when it cools down. Pacers run from 3:15 to 4:30 if you would rather follow a group.
See the marathon pace chart or a sample sub-4 plan.
Print a pace band for the Lyon Marathon, with the race clock at every kilometre.
Entry
How to get a place
Registration is online through the organiser's website. Runners without an FFA licence must provide a PPS (Pass Prévention Santé), completed online with the FFA and valid for one year; FFA licence holders provide their licence instead. Pre-registration for the 2027 edition is already open.
Every marathon lottery date for 2027 → Which marathons have no lottery? →Organised by Amaury Sport Organisation
Official websiteQuestions
Frequently asked
When is the Lyon Marathon 2027?
The Lyon Marathon 2027 is on Sunday 3 October 2027. The organisers have confirmed the date.
When should I start training for the Lyon Marathon?
Count back from race day: a 16-week plan for the 2027 edition starts on 14 June 2027, a 20-week plan on 17 May 2027. Most runners need 16 to 20 weeks; 12 is the shortest block worth doing.
Is the Lyon Marathon course flat?
Not entirely. The 2026 course had about 293 m of climbing, with the hilliest stretch around Caluire-et-Cuire in the first half and a flatter second half along the Rhône.
What is the time limit?
The marathon has a 5h30 time limit. Runners passed by the end-of-race vehicle are taken out of the race and must then follow the highway code on open roads.
Do I need a medical certificate?
If you don't hold an FFA licence, you need a PPS (Pass Prévention Santé), completed online and valid for one year. Licence holders provide their FFA licence instead.
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