2 min readIt has been nearly 100 years, but the Olympic Games are finally returning to the City of Light in 2024. Now, with the city gearing up for the event, the International Olympic Committee has shared the official marathon course via YouTube.
Not only that, but this year spectators will be able to run the same course on the same day as the Olympic athletes.
The Olympic marathon has been a part of the Games since 1896, when the first modern Olympics were held in Athens. The 2024 course that will showcase the vibrant history of France and its capital, Paris.
The video takes viewers on a sped-up tour of the entire course, starting at the Hôtel de Ville and flying through the race at a blistering pace with a finishing time of 1:25. You will see all of the highlights of the marathon route, including the Opera Garnier, Place Vendôme, and the Eiffel Tower.
Want to run it for yourself? You can, thanks to Paris 2024’s Mass Participation Marathon, which offers amateur athletes the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to run the same course as the Olympic marathoners in the evening, allowing participants the chance to emulate these exceptional athletes.
For the first time, the general public can participate in this night-time event with either a full marathon or a 10K race. Just like the Olympic Games, the Mass Participation Marathon is dedicated to gender parity, granting equal race entries for both men and women.
The marathon is open to anyone 20 and over who wishes to test their limits and experience the same route as Olympic athletes. Participants will have the unique opportunity to share the same path as those athletes competing for Olympic titles. The race begins at 9 p.m. from the Hôtel de Ville and concludes at the Esplanade des Invalides in Paris—an extraordinary sight by night. The route passes through nine districts, including Paris, Boulogne-Billancourt, Sèvres, Ville d’Avray, Versailles, Viroflay, Chaville, Meudon, and Issy-les-Moulineaux. The 10K will be open to anyone over 16, including those with disabilities, and will take place in the heart of Paris at 11:30 p.m.
For more info on scoring a spot in the marathon or 10K, check out our guide for all three ways to enter here.
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and Condé Nast Traveler and was most recently the senior editorial director at TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
