Boulogne-Billancourt Half Marathon 2026: Course, Elevation & Where to Cheer

The Boulogne-Billancourt Half Marathon 2026 takes place on Sunday, November 15, 2026, with a single start at 10:00 am at 117 avenue Victor-Hugo, just west of Paris. The 21.1 km course has 124 m of elevation gain: flat along the Seine, gently rolling in the Bois de Boulogne between km 9 and km 16. Here is the course kilometre by kilometre, race-morning logistics and the best places to cheer.

Boulogne Half Marathon 2026 at a glance

• Date: Sunday, November 15, 2026 (29th edition)
• Start: 10:00 am for all corrals, 117 avenue Victor-Hugo
• Finish: avenue André-Morizet, by the town hall
• Distance and elevation: 21.1 km, 124 m gain
• Time limit: 3 hours
• Field: 13,000 runners, sold out
• Aid stations: food and drink every 5 km and at the finish
• Minimum age: 18 during the calendar year

Bibs went fast. If you don't have one, the organisers run an official resale platform you can sign up to in case a place frees up.

The course, kilometre by kilometre

The course is certified by the French Athletics Federation and billed by the organisers as the fastest in France. Think of it in three parts: the town and the river, the Bois de Boulogne, then back into town.

Km 0–8: the town loop and the riverside. From avenue Victor-Hugo, the course heads east along boulevard de la République to Point-du-Jour. You reach the Seine around km 2 on quai du Point-du-Jour, then run along Île Seguin and La Seine Musicale on quai Georges-Gorse around km 3. The route crosses the Trapèze district (km 4), passes rue Gallieni (km 5), then follows quai Alphonse-Le-Gallo and quai du 4-Septembre between km 6 and km 8. Flat, wide and fast, so everyone goes out too quickly.

Km 9–16: the Bois de Boulogne. You enter the park around km 9, pass near Longchamp racecourse (km 10), the Pré-Catelan (km 12), along allée de la Reine-Marguerite (km 13) and near Auteuil racecourse (km 14). It is the greenest part of the race and the only one with some relief: small ups and downs that break your rhythm without ever being real hills.

Km 16–21.1: back into town. Back in Boulogne via boulevard Anatole-France (km 16–17), the riverside (km 18–19) and the Rhin-et-Danube roundabout (km 20), then the finish on avenue André-Morizet, next to the Art Deco town hall designed by Tony Garnier.

124 m of elevation: what it means

For a half marathon, 124 m of gain is modest. It is a fast course, nothing like the late climbs of the 20 km de Paris. The relief sits in the Bois de Boulogne, between km 9 and km 16. Two tips:

• Don't check your watch on every bump in the park. Hold a steady effort and you'll get the time back on the flat riverside on the way home.
• Watch the fast start. With 13,000 runners on flat, wide roads, it is easy to go 10 seconds per kilometre too fast. You pay for those seconds between km 15 and km 18.

Pacers run in the corrals from 1:30 to 2:05, with faster pacers from 1:06 to 1:18.

Logistics: bib, corrals, bag drop, aid stations

Bib pick-up at the Gymnase de la Biodiversité, 44 rue Marcel-Bontemps: Friday, November 13, 11:30 am to 7 pm, and Saturday, November 14, 10 am to 6 pm. No bibs are handed out on race day. Someone else can collect yours with your pick-up card and a copy of your ID.

Corrals are assigned from the target time you gave when registering, from Elite (under 1:08) to "2 hours and over". Everyone starts at 10:00 am.

Bag drop on boulevard Jean-Jaurès: from 8 am, collect before 2 pm, 20-litre bag maximum.

Aid stations every 5 km and at the finish use tap water from the city network, with no plastic bottles. Bring a soft flask or bottle to fill up.

Getting there: metro line 9, Marcel Sembat and Billancourt stations. Traffic and parking are banned on several streets from midnight to 4 pm on race day, including avenue Victor-Hugo, boulevard Jean-Jaurès, avenue André-Morizet, boulevard Anatole-France and quai Le Gallo. The Q-Park car park is free on race day.

Where to cheer at the Boulogne Half

Good news for supporters: the start and finish are close to each other, and metro line 9 runs alongside part of the course. With a bit of planning, they can see you three times.

1. The start, avenue Victor-Hugo (km 0). The buzz of 13,000 runners, a short walk from Marcel Sembat metro.

2. The riverside facing Île Seguin (km 2–3). Along quai Georges-Gorse, with La Seine Musicale across the water. From the start, line 9 takes you there in two stops (Marcel Sembat, Billancourt, Pont de Sèvres). The field is still bunched up here, so know what your runner is wearing.

3. The last kilometre and the finish (km 20–21). Around the Rhin-et-Danube roundabout and avenue André-Morizet. In 2025 there was a cheering zone at km 20. From Pont de Sèvres, take line 9 back to Marcel Sembat.

The Bois de Boulogne (km 9–16) is quieter and harder to reach by public transport. If you are on a bike, it's a good place to lift someone when the crowds thin out, but stay well clear of the course.

When will your runner pass?

At an even pace, here are approximate passing times, not counting the time it takes to cross the start line from the corral:

• 1:30 target: km 3 at 10:13, km 9 at 10:38, km 14 at 11:00, km 20 at 11:25, finish at 11:30
• 1:45 target: km 3 at 10:15, km 9 at 10:45, km 14 at 11:10, km 20 at 11:40, finish at 11:45
• 2:00 target: km 3 at 10:17, km 9 at 10:51, km 14 at 11:20, km 20 at 11:54, finish at 12:00
• 2:30 target: km 3 at 10:21, km 9 at 11:04, km 14 at 11:40, km 20 at 12:22, finish at 12:30

The easiest option is still to follow their position live. Our guide on how to track a runner during a race shows how.

Encouragement in your headphones, at the right kilometre

If some of your people can't make it to Boulogne, they can still be there. With Cobbr, they record voice messages in advance and choose the kilometre where you'll hear each one. With live messages, they can also react to your race in real time from the same link.

On this course, the moments that count:

• Km 3, along Île Seguin: a message to calm you down after the start.
• Km 9, entering the park: the quiet part begins.
• Km 14, near Auteuil: fatigue sets in, the right moment for a familiar voice.
• Km 17, back in Boulogne: 4 km to go.
• Km 20, Rhin-et-Danube: the last kilometre.

Need ideas? Browse our encouragement messages for runners and see how live messages while you run work.

Other races around Paris

Racing regularly around Paris? Have a look at our analysis of the 10K Paris and our guide to running at the Palace of Versailles.

FAQ

When is the 2026 Boulogne-Billancourt Half Marathon?

Sunday, November 15, 2026, for the 29th edition. All corrals start at 10:00 am at 117 avenue Victor-Hugo.

How much elevation does the Boulogne Half have?

124 m of elevation gain over 21.1 km, according to the organisers. The riverside is flat, and the Bois de Boulogne rolls a little between km 9 and km 16.

What is the time limit?

3 hours to complete the 21.1 km.

Can I pick up my bib on race day?

No. Bibs are collected at the Gymnase de la Biodiversité, 44 rue Marcel-Bontemps, on Friday, November 13 (11:30 am to 7 pm) and Saturday, November 14 (10 am to 6 pm).

Where should I watch the Boulogne Half?

At the start on avenue Victor-Hugo, on the riverside facing Île Seguin around km 3 (Pont de Sèvres metro), then around km 20 and at the finish on avenue André-Morizet, by the town hall (Marcel Sembat metro).

Cover photo: the Seine at Boulogne-Billancourt, Guilhem Vellut / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Body photo: La Seine Musicale, JackyM59 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.