Avignon Marathon: the City of Popes welcomes the ultimate distance in 2026!

✓ An interview with Christophe De Cecco and Bertrand Delhomme, the organisers of the future Avignon Marathon.

How did the idea for the Avignon Marathon come about? What sparked the decision to launch a race over the ultimate distance in the City of Popes?

“We’re both passionate runners, trail runners and road racers, with a few marathons under our belts. We know the running scene and the local events fairly well. Looking at the Vaucluse area and the wider south-east of France, we realised that there were relatively few marathons. In our view, the region was missing a major race in Vaucluse, with the potential to reach an even wider audience. With a little experience behind us, we thought: why not? We were motivated, we’re passionate about running, the distance was missing and there’s huge enthusiasm around the marathon. We’ve been thinking about this project for two years. Avignon initially seemed a little out of reach as a host city, but the municipality quickly embraced the idea. We’ve really felt the support of the city and the Vaucluse department, and the first discussions were extremely positive, with just as much enthusiasm on their side. There’s a genuine desire to welcome the ultimate distance to the City of Popes.”

You conducted a trend study on marathons in France with Hugo from Finishers. Can you tell us more about this collaboration and what you learned from it?

“The detailed trend study carried out in collaboration with Finishers confirmed our initial assessment. It helped us understand how marathons are distributed across France, but also showed us how many people take part in the ultimate distance. Where are these runners based across the country? There’s real demand, participation is growing steadily, particularly in road running. All the major marathons sell out and fill up quickly. When we saw the map showing the distribution of marathons in France, we immediately spotted the opportunity in the south-east. (Editor’s note: the Nice-Cannes and Salon-de-Provence marathons are the closest.) Our primary goal is to showcase our region through this race. The study confirmed that the time was right to take the plunge. Avignon is an ideal fit for the project, with excellent transport links, notably the TGV connection to and from Paris, as well as Marseille Provence Airport nearby.”

When we saw the map showing the distribution of marathons in France, we immediately spotted the opportunity in the south-east. 

More and more marathons offer additional race formats over the same weekend. Will runners be able to enter a half marathon or a 10K in Avignon?

“We’re going to take things one step at a time. Our focus is on the marathon. That said, we’re considering organising a half marathon alongside it, perhaps even from the very first edition. Depending on the response and how the event develops, we’ll look at adding other formats. We’ll also need to see what the courses allow us to do.”

France’s running calendar is filling up at breakneck speed. Have you already settled on a date?

“The initial idea was to schedule it at the end of February. That period is largely free of marathons in France. In the south, we have the advantage of the weather, with a fairly mild climate even at that time of year. Unfortunately, the 2026 municipal elections made that timing impossible. We were highly motivated to launch the race in 2026, so we opted for a first edition in September. We took into account the other sporting and cultural events already established locally, so that the marathon would be welcomed in the best possible way by people in Avignon and the surrounding area. We could potentially have a first edition in September 2026, followed by a second in February or March 2027. The aim is to attract runners who travel to Seville or other Spanish races in early winter, while offering comparable conditions, both in terms of the course and the weather. For us, there’s a major opportunity in positioning the race at the start of winter. We also want to create momentum for the city of Avignon. It’s a relatively quiet period in the area, and the race could bring some energy to the region at that time.”

What are your initial ideas for the course? Do you want to prioritise performance, the city’s tourist appeal, or combine the two?

“It’s clear that we don’t want to put on a roller-coaster marathon with 500 m of elevation gain, nor a purely sightseeing course. We’re working on a route that will allow runners to fulfil their potential, whether they’re experienced marathoners or first-timers. At the same time, we’re determined to showcase the city and the region by passing iconic landmarks such as the Pont d’Avignon, the Palais des Papes and the main streets of the city. We’ll combine both sides of the experience: performance and tourism. That will be one of the event’s strengths.”

In the long term, do you aim to make the Avignon Marathon a fixture on the national calendar, or even give it an international dimension?

“For the first few editions, we’d rather stay modest and keep our feet on the ground. We’re not claiming that we’ll attract 2:05 Kenyan runners or other international elites from the very first year. That said, we’re ambitious and want to establish ourselves as a top French marathon, in the same vein as the Rennes Marathon or Nice-Cannes. Competing with those races will take time, but we want to become a benchmark marathon on the national calendar, particularly at the start of the season. For the first editions, our number-one priority is to deliver an excellent experience for runners, partners and the city. If we can achieve that level of quality, our reputation and reach will naturally grow. We’re in a city with a strong cultural identity. Avignon is, quite simply, the European capital of culture. The aim is to build a bridge between sport, social life and culture by involving local organisations. Giving Avignon an inclusive, community-focused marathon is our way of celebrating both sport and the region.”

You’re already known for organising the Kookabarra Mont-Ventoux Half Marathon. How has that experience prepared you for the challenge of staging an urban marathon?

“As runners and organisers, we have a solid base of experience that will help us deliver the highest-quality first edition possible. In a way, it’s almost the most important edition, because the people who take part in the first marathon will talk about it, positively or, if we get it wrong, rather less positively. The idea is obviously to give them the best possible experience so that they can become great ambassadors for the event. We’re starting from scratch, but this first edition will allow us to create everything from images and videos to the content we’ll use to promote future editions. For the first partners who place their trust in us, this launch will be hugely important. Our experience is therefore fundamental to building a high-quality event and making adjustments in the years that follow. As long as criticism is constructive, it can only help us move forward. We’ll listen to anything that can improve the race.”

Can you tell us when entries will open and whether there will be a cap on the number of runners?

“We already have some ideas about when entries will open, because we’re aware of the enthusiasm surrounding running events. Runners want to sign up early, as shown by the number of pre-registrations for the Paris Marathon. It’s still a little too early to announce the entry window publicly. As for the number of runners, we’ll set a cap, although the figure has yet to be decided, because the quality of the event remains our priority. We still need to refine that aspect. These are discussions taking place closely between the municipality of Avignon and us, the organisers. Our ambition is to rank among France’s top 10 marathons by number of participants, so that gives you an idea of our target.”

Where do you plan to position the entry fee?

“We certainly won’t be pricing it alongside France’s most expensive marathons. We’re aiming for a mid-range fee. That subject is still being discussed as well.”

Staging a mass-participation event such as a marathon raises environmental questions. Have you already planned any concrete measures to reduce its carbon footprint or waste?

“The event’s environmental responsibility is obviously a subject we take very seriously. In Avignon, we’re fortunate to have high-speed rail and a strong train network. Avignon Centre station has been completely renovated, and we want to showcase the building. Runners will be able to see the new station from the course. That’s a real asset for the event. From Avignon, you can travel throughout France, as well as across the region, thanks to an extensive TER network. We also want to optimise our carbon footprint as much as possible through solutions such as car-sharing platforms and reducing plastic waste. We know we won’t be able to claim a completely carbon-neutral event, but at every level we can control, we need to reduce our impact as much as possible. Our choice of partners will also contribute to this sustainability effort. We’re choosing to work with local partners.”

The scene is set, the ambitions are clear and the desire to give runners a unique experience is palpable. With Avignon’s rich heritage as its backdrop, this new marathon already looks set to become one of the highlights of the 2026 autumn racing season. All that remains is to lace up… and let the magic of Avignon carry you through cobbled streets, culture and a shared passion for running.

✓ To keep up with all the latest news about the first edition of the Avignon Marathon, visit the race’s Instagram page.