Which half marathon should you choose to start the distance?

You want to start running a half marathon and you're wondering which one to choose to make your debut over this great distance. The half marathon is a bit like the gateway to the world of endurance, it's often the first real "long distance" for many runners. It's also a bit of a necessary step for those who aspire to become marathoners. So for a first time over this 21.097 km distance, where should you run in France? Which half marathon should you choose to get off to a great start over the distance? We offer 5 very different half marathon themes to help you choose: the capital, the spectacular, the festive, the world, the toughest. You'll have a choice of seasons: the first takes place in March and the last in November. And if you get into the spirit of it, why not run them all (except maybe the last one) and in any order you like.  

The capital: semi-Parisian, one of the largest in Europe

Starting with the Paris Half Marathon means you're immediately in the big leagues, with nearly 50,000 participants. It's one of the largest half marathons in Europe. It's also a very fast course to immediately establish a good reference time, even if it's your first half marathon. At the last edition, 46% of participants were discovering the distance for the first time. You'll be in good company to take your first steps or strides as a half marathoner. The Paris Half Marathon takes place in early March.

https://www.hokasemideparis.fr/fr

The spectacular: Marseille-Cassis or semi-detached from the bay of Mont Saint-Michel

Another landmark in the running calendar in France: the 20 km from Marseille to Cassis. Yes, it's not exactly a half-marathon. But it offers a truly beautiful course, crossing the Calanques National Park for 12 km between Marseille and Cassis. More than 20,000 participants. A true popular festival. Marseille-Cassis takes place in October.

https://www.marseille-cassis.com/

Another equally spectacular location: Mont Saint-Michel Bay. To discover or rediscover a magical place, head to Mont Saint-Michel Bay to run a half-marathon in the bay of the famous Mont Saint-Michel. This will give you time to admire one of France's greatest landmarks. The Bay Semi-Fish takes place at the beginning of May.

The festive: semi-Beaujolais or semi-Beer

If you're more into the festive side and dressing up is one of your favorite pastimes, here are two half-marathons to run as a pirate, a superhero, or in a tutu: the Beaujolais Half Marathon or the Beer Half Marathon, depending on your preferences in terms of refreshments and tastings, even if Beaujolais or Beer are a little less popular than water with electrolytes. In any case, a festive atmosphere is guaranteed at these two sporting events. The Beer Half Marathon takes place in June (in Montbrison in the Loire) and the Beaujolais Half Marathon takes place in November (obviously!).

https://www.marathondubeaujolais.org/courses/semi-marathon-beaujolais/

https://lemarathondelabiere.com/semi-marathon/

The World Cup: Lion's Semi-Final

The Lion Half Marathon takes place between Montbéliard and Belfort, more precisely between the Château de Montbéliard and the famous Lion of Belfort. Two things to know about this half marathon: its course was that of the World Half Marathon Championships in 1995 and the record for the event was set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2019 in 59 min 53 sec. Kevin Keptum also ran the Chicago Marathon in October 2023 in 2 h 00 min 35 sec, setting the official world record for the distance that day. The Lion Half Marathon takes place in September.

https://www.lelion.org/

The hardest: Mont Ventoux half-marathon

It's hard to imagine running your first half marathon on Mont Ventoux. I don't recommend putting it at the top of your list, but there's something for everyone. A race made for those who absolutely want to push or discover their limits, masochists, or the very athletic (and very light). At 21.6 km, the distance to be run is actually a little longer than the official half-marathon distance, but it's the 1,600 meters of elevation gain that are particularly formidable. Mont Ventoux is a sporting monument and a majestic mountain peaking at over 1,900 meters. It's already difficult to climb by bike, with average gradients of 7.5% and up to 11.5%, so running is extremely tough. The Mont Ventoux Half-Marathon takes place in July.

https://www.semi-montventoux.com/

For your first half marathon, you're now spoiled for choice, depending on your desires and goals. It's up to you to choose and set out to tackle those famous 21 km.