Chablis Marathon: Running to the Rhythm of the Harvest

On Saturday, October 25, the Chablis Marathon, organized by Idée Alpe, drew a huge crowd for its sixth edition. Burgundy still has plenty to offer, and this is one corner of France well worth exploring.

The town of Chablis, in the Yonne department, is best known for its world-renowned wine and Chardonnay grapes, but its appeal extends well beyond the vineyards. For the sixth time, the town welcomed 4,000 runners, who could enjoy a well-earned glass of wine at the finish. The event’s viticultural roots are impossible to miss: the marathon takes place alongside the Chablis Wine Festival.

The race is above all a sporting challenge, but even more so a celebration, despite the effort required to finish it in good shape. Runners looking for shorter distances could choose from a half marathon, a 14 km race and a hike. Children were also catered for, with races held on Saturday afternoon. In total, 490 volunteers turned out to bring the event to life.

A celebration of running

Few races in Burgundy-Franche-Comté are simply races. In Chablis, the community spirit takes centre stage every year, and the participants know it. Most of the events had sold out by September 4, with the exception of the marathon, whose daunting distance proved a tougher sell.

The atmosphere was electric all day long. From 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., successive starts followed one another, punctuated by seemingly endless waves of Mexican waves led by the runners themselves. The event opened with the marathon and closed with the 14 km race starting in Fleys, a new format replacing the 13 km trail race.

Other new additions brought extra spice to the event. Hikers now set off from Courgis, around 6.5 km from Chablis, while the half-marathon runners passed by Pontigny Abbey, offering a great opportunity to discover or rediscover the area’s architectural heritage.

Finally, a new aid station gave the toughest runners a chance to cool off 1 km from the finish, with a food-and-wine pairing showcasing Soumaintrain cheese at the William Fèvre estate. Those still thirsty at the finish could keep the celebration going at the Wine Festival, where producers gathered in Chablis to showcase the local appellations.

On Saturday, October 25, the Chablis Marathon, organized by Idée Alpe, drew a huge crowd for its sixth edition. Burgundy still has plenty to offer, and this is one corner of France well worth exploring.

A participation record

The event comfortably broke its participation record this year, welcoming more than 4,000 runners across all events. The figure reflects the race’s growing profile and reputation, with just 20% of entrants from the Yonne department. The rest came from elsewhere, either travelling from other parts of France to combine sport and wine, or arriving from abroad.

In total, runners from 85 departments and 27 nationalities were represented, including 300 international participants. It was an undeniable success for a sporting event built around shared experiences and plenty of smiles.

The Wine Festival played a part in that success, as did everything surrounding the event: the cheerful atmosphere, increasingly inventive costumes, a broader range of races and the chance to discover a region by running through its towns and landscapes, especially the vineyards blazing with autumn colour.

An event with a cause

The Chablis Marathon was delighted to welcome two organizations to the half marathon. For the third time, adapted all-terrain wheelchairs took part in the event, thanks to Spirit of Joëlette and Tous Ensemble pour Benjamin. These organizations, which work to promote inclusion for people with disabilities, enabled their participants to experience the race to the fullest. The initiative highlights the Chablis Marathon’s commitment to solidarity and accessibility, giving everyone the opportunity to share in the emotion of the race and the festivities.

Plenty of wine... but not only wine!

Between wine glasses and fast times, the Chablis Marathon proves you can take your running seriously without taking yourself too seriously. The Bourgeois brothers of Team MB Thermique dominated the men's race. Alexandre ultimately took first place, to the delight of his young son, who leapt into his arms at the finish, in 2:29:23. His twin, Matthieu followed 5:28 later to take second in 2:34:51. Far behind the pair, Olivier Hémard completed the podium in 2:59:07, one glass of wine in each hand.

The women's field was just as competitive, with Anne Maire of ASPTT Auxerre taking the top step in 3:18:39, closely followed by Klasina Brunott, who clocked 3:19:02. Jil Cloix Gueguen completed the women's podium in 3:24:58.

The marathon's notorious wall slowed the pace considerably. Alexandre Bourgeois, the 2021 French marathon champion in Rennes, was even clocked at 8.01 km/h on this steep section.

The 2025 Chablis Marathon drew 4,000 runners for its sixth edition, combining racing, wine and a festive Burgundy atmosphere.

The half marathon also delivered strong performances, with Alex Auloy taking the win in 1:17:19, just ahead of Charley Couton in 1:17:35. Olivier Antoine finished just one minute behind the leader in 1:18:15. In the women's race, masters runner Lélia Le Coquet completed the distance in 1:27:04, a result to make her AJA Section Marathon club proud. Carole Stephan of Athlétic Club de Draveil finished in 1:28:57, followed by triathlete Claire Guyot in 1:35:53.

Travelling from Houilles especially for the occasion, Alexandre Hellio won the 14 km race in 51:03. His challengers, Yann Michelet (55:35) and Gaël Métras (55:50), battled it out over the final metres. Fourth overall was also the first woman, Margot Ravinel, a ski mountaineering champion at the Turin World University Games, who ran a strong 56:03. Almost ten minutes later, Chloé Coudray took second in 1:06:00, while Charlotte Nicolet claimed the final podium spot in 1:07:18.

The Chablis Marathon is, without a doubt, a sporting celebration in the heart of the vineyards: a hymn to life, carried this year by generous sunshine that broke through late in the day and brought the sixth edition to a beautiful close.

✔ Find all the results from the 2025 Chablis Marathon