When is the 2026 La Rochelle Marathon?

On Sunday 29 November 2026, for the 35th edition, starting at 9 am.

Where and when does the La Rochelle Marathon start?

At 9 am, with a double start at the Old Port: Quai Maubec for seniors, masters 0 and 1, the company relay and disabled athletes; Quai Louis-Durand for masters 2 to 10 and the Duo. The two groups merge after 610 m. The 10K starts at 8:45 am from Avenue du Général-Leclerc. Be in your pen 15 minutes before.

Where do I collect my La Rochelle Marathon bib?

At the Marathon village, Espace Encan, Quai Louis-Prunier: Friday 27 November, 3 pm to 8 pm, and Saturday 28 November, 9 am to 8 pm. Bring the collection voucher, downloadable from mid-November, and ID; someone else can collect it for you with these documents. No bib is handed out on Sunday or posted.

What is the La Rochelle Marathon time limit?

5h30, with a check at km 30 at 4 hours. Beyond that, runners are taken out of the race.

On the Esplanade Saint-Jean-d’Acre, next to the Old Port towers, for the marathon, the 10K and the last relay runners. Friends and family meet runners on Rue de la Monnaie, at the exit of the finish area.

Marathon de La Rochelle: how many weeks of preparation?

For an athlete at intermediate level, Endu builds a 17-week preparation. If your race is closer, the plan compresses phases while keeping the taper; if it's further away, it lengthens the preparation, and when the gap is large the preparation starts right away, gently and at your current volume, before building up.

How many sessions per week?

This example has 4 sessions per week. You choose 3 to 7 training days and the exact days (e.g. Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun): the plan sticks to them.

I'm a beginner, is this plan for me?

The plan adapts to your declared level (beginner to semi-pro): starting volume, progression and intensity change. Endu also offers a "Discovery" mode without a race to build a base first.

Can I follow sessions on my watch?

Yes, on Garmin and COROS. On Garmin, the Endu app (Connect IQ Store) shows today’s session and starts it as a guided workout. On COROS, link your account from your profile: your running, trail and cycling sessions land in the watch calendar. Other brands are not supported yet.

How much does it cost?

14-day free trial, then €7.99/month with no commitment or €59.88/year (€4.99/month). Unlimited objectives and sports.

Marathon de La Rochelle 2026: date, course and training plan

42.2 km · 120 m D+La Rochelle2026 edition: 29 November 2026

The La Rochelle Serge Vigot Marathon, first run in 1991, celebrates its 35th edition on Sunday 29 November 2026. Its course, measured and approved by the FFA and AIMS, runs two almost flat loops through La Rochelle, from Les Minimes to Mireuil via the Old Port, and the finish is at the foot of the towers. All 10,000 marathon bibs are gone: the race is sold out.

Your plan for Marathon de La Rochelle

4 weeks to go: your plan starts this week, set to your level and free days, then adapts to your feedback after each session.

Your goal time?

14-day trial, cancel anytime.

Marathon de La Rochelle at a glance

Date: 2026 edition: 29 November 2026
Formats: MarathonPlan below — 42.195 km over two loops, about 120 m of total climbing. Double start at 9 am, on Quai Maubec and Quai Louis-Durand, the two groups merging after 610 m. Time limit: 5h30, with a check at km 30 at 4 hours. Aid stations at km 4.5, 9.5, 14.5, 19, 25, 30.5, 35 and 40.5, then at the finish. Born in 2007 or earlier. €58, 5% off for FFA licence holders. At the finish: medal, windbreaker and a basket of oysters.
Duo — The marathon for two, one loop each (21.7 km then 20.5 km), changeover at the Espace Encan. 9 am start on Quai Louis-Durand. Born in 2009 or earlier. Sold out (1,000 teams).
10 km — 8:45 am start on Avenue du Général-Leclerc, finish at the foot of the towers. Born in 2011 or earlier. Sold out (3,500 runners).
Challenge Entreprises — The marathon as a relay for four (9, 11, 10 and 12.2 km), with the changeovers on Place de Verdun. Sold out (200 teams).
Handisport et Chauffe-Gambettes — A marathon for blind and visually impaired runners and a wheelchair half marathon; the Chauffe-Gambettes is a free 4 km jog, with no registration.
Registration: Sold out for 2026 on every race. There is a waiting list: until 29 October 2026, a registered runner who drops out can pass their bib to someone on that list and be refunded, or transfer it to a person of their choice, through the organisers. An FFA licence or a PPS health pass less than a year old is required. After that, only the cancellation cover (€7), taken at registration, allows a refund, with a medical certificate. Registration for 2027 is not announced yet; the marathon newsletter gives advance notice of the opening.
Official website: marathondelarochelle.com/marathon-sommaire

The 2026 course

Double start at the Old Port, on Quai Maubec and Quai Louis-Durand. Each loop of about 21 km heads south past the Espace Encan to the Les Minimes campus (km 5 on the first loop), comes back along the Les Minimes marina via Avenue Michel-Crépeau, crosses the centre to Place de Verdun (km 9), then heads west along Avenue du Général-Leclerc and Avenue Edmond-Grasset (km 10), through Saint-Maurice, Mireuil and Vaugouin. It comes back past the sports grounds (km 15), Port-Neuf, the seafront and the Allée du Mail, then along Avenue du Général-Leclerc (km 20) to the Old Port, at halfway. The second loop follows the same route (km 25 at Les Minimes, km 30 on Place de Verdun, km 35 at Vaugouin); after the Allée du Mail, the last three kilometres go through the Parc Charruyer (km 40) and finish on the Esplanade Saint-Jean-d’Acre, at the foot of the towers.

What the race asks of your training

A build-up from late summer into autumn

To race on 29 November, a 16-week build-up starts in early August. The most important long runs fall in October and early November, as the days shorten: putting them at the weekend, in full daylight, helps you get them done.

Two almost flat loops

About 120 m of total climbing and a high point around 20 m above sea level: no real hill. You pass the same places twice, and the second loop is mostly mental. Long runs that finish with several kilometres at marathon pace teach you to hold the rhythm when the scenery no longer changes.

Late November, on the Atlantic

The course follows the sea at Les Minimes, Port-Neuf and along the Allée du Mail. In late November it can be cool, damp or windy: running a few sessions in poor weather, in the kit you plan to race in, avoids surprises.

The km 30 cut-off

A check at km 30 at 4 hours, so 8 minutes per km, and 5h30 overall (about 7:50 per km). For a first marathon around 5 hours, your easy long runs should show that you can hold this pace to the end.

The plan below prepares the Marathon format, for an athlete at intermediate level with 4 days available per week, with race day on 29 November 2026. Aiming for another format? Enter its distance when you create your plan, which will be calibrated on your level, your available days and your feedback after every session.

weeks: 17
sessions: 67
sessions / week: 4
peak week: 5.7 h

Plan structure

Periodised in phases: build the base, move to race-specific work, then taper before the race.

General preparation
Weeks 1–2 · 2 wk
Base
Weeks 3–7 · 5 wk
Build
Weeks 8–11 · 4 wk
Specific
Weeks 12–14 · 3 wk
Taper
Weeks 15–16 · 2 wk
Race week
Weeks 17–17 · 1 wk

Volume progression

Week by week: lighter recovery weeks are built in to absorb the load.

Wk	Phase	Hours	km
1	General preparation	3.3 h	33
2	General preparation	3.5 h	35
3	Baserecovery	2.7 h	27
4	Base	3.7 h	37
5	Base	3.9 h	39
6	Base	4.1 h	41
7	Baserecovery	3.2 h	32
8	Build	4.4 h	44
9	Build	4.6 h	47
10	Build	4.9 h	50
11	Buildrecovery	3.8 h	39
12	Specific	5.1 h	51
13	Specific	5.4 h	54
14	Specific	5.7 h	57
15	Taper	4.1 h	41
16	Taper	3.2 h	31
17	Race week	2.2 h	22

Sample week — week 9 (Build)

Real sessions from the plan with their targets. Each session is detailed step by step, and can be sent to a Garmin or COROS watch.

MondayEasy
30 min easy
30 min · 4.8 km
TuesdayHard
3 × 10 min at threshold
2 min jog recovery
1 h 01 · 11.4 km
FridayVery hard
6 × 600 m at MAS
2 min jog recovery
52 min · 9.6 km
SundayEasy
Long run 2 h 13
2 h 13 · 21.5 km

Example generated for a intermediate-level profile (MAS 15 km/h, 4 days available per week). Your plan will depend on your level, availability and feedback.

This plan’s check-up

Pass

A 17-week build (recommended minimum: 12); a longest run never more than 8% above the previous month’s; volume rising at most 7% from one week to the next; 89% of the time at easy effort; the longest session 3 weeks before the race; a taper cutting volume by 61% in race week.

2 worth knowing · 16 checks passed

Remarks

Strength training — No strength session.
Fueling — Long sessions (up to 160 min in this plan) are where race fueling is rehearsed.

The 16 checks passed, in detail

Length of the build — 17 weeks: enough for this race (recommended minimum: 12).
Sessions per week — 4 sessions a week: the minimum for this race is met.
Volume progression — Running volume rises at most 7% from one week to the next (a signal appears beyond 20%).
Long run increase — Each week, the longest run is at most 8% longer than the longest of the previous month (benchmark: 10%).
Lighter weeks — A lighter week comes back regularly (weeks 3, 7, 11, 15).
Weight of the long run — The long run keeps a reasonable share of the week.
Intensity distribution — About 89% of the time at easy effort: the most common distribution among trained endurance athletes.
Demanding sessions — No more than 2 demanding session(s) a week: suited to the level.
Hard days back to back — Demanding sessions are separated by easy days.
Rest days — At least one rest day a week.
Easy run pace — Easy runs are truly easy (slower than 5:43/km).
Race-specific work — 8 race-specific sessions in the last block.
Timing of the longest session — The longest session falls 3 weeks before the race: the right time.
Taper — Volume drops 61% in race week.
Intensity during the taper — Short race-pace efforts remain in the last two weeks.
Frequency during the taper — The number of sessions stays close to usual (100%).

Endu runs its own plans through the plan check open to everyone: same public rules, same thresholds, same sources. The rules and their sources, and a check of your own plan.

Why this plan works

Science-based periodisation

Base → build → specific → taper, with a recovery week every 3 to 4 weeks. Load goes up, but never two hard weeks in a row without a breather.

Paces, not vague feelings

Every session has target zones (pace, HR) computed from your MAS or a reference performance. A MAS test is built into the plan if you don't know yours.

A plan that listens

After each session you rate how it felt (RPE). Too hard? The plan eases what follows. Skipped a session? It reschedules or absorbs it.

On your watch

On Garmin with the Endu app, on COROS by direct sync: the guided workout shows up on your wrist, step by step.

Reviews

What our users say.

4.8/5

“I used to spend more time looking for a plan than following one. Now I have my sessions, I know what to do and I stick to it. Really glad I tried it.”
Thomas · Running
“Training for my first half marathon and honestly, I’m getting into it! I even look at my next sessions ahead of time, when before I was mostly looking for an excuse not to go out 😂”
Camille · Running
“Simple to follow and really handy with the watch. I start my session and off I go.”
Julien · Running
“I took Endu to prepare a trail race with friends. I really like having my week already organised: it motivates me and I enjoy my runs more.”
Émilie · Trail
“What I like is no longer asking myself a thousand questions before going for a run. I follow the plan and I enjoy training.”
Nicolas · Trail
“With work and the kids, I thought I’d struggle to follow a plan. In the end, having a structure helps me a lot. Running has found a real place in my week again, and it feels good!”
Julie · Trail
“A good find to prepare my swimrun! It’s nice to find a plan for this sport. I’ve recommended it to my teammate.”
Antoine · Swimrun
“I run more regularly and, above all, with more desire. For that alone, I’m delighted.”
Laura · Swimrun
“For triathlon, having all three sports in the same schedule really makes my life easier. I spend less time organising my training and I still enjoy following it just as much.”
Maxime · Triathlon
“At first I just wanted to try it. Now checking the next day’s session has become my little evening ritual 😊”
Sarah · Triathlon

Your plan, not a template athlete's

This plan is generated for an athlete at intermediate level with 4 days available per week. Yours will be calibrated on your MAS, your available days and your feedback after every session. 3 minutes. 14-day trial, cancel anytime.

Create my plan for Marathon de La Rochelle