When is the 2026 Beaujolais Marathon?

On Saturday 21 November 2026, with the half marathon and the 13 km du Rhône on the same day. The trail races are on Sunday 22 November.

Where and when does the marathon start?

In Fleurie, at 8:30 am, in three waves ten minutes apart (8:30, 8:40, 8:50). Shuttles, included in the price, leave the Parc Expo in Villefranche between 6:15 and 7:15 am. The finish is in Villefranche-sur-Saône.

Where and when do you collect your bib?

At the race village at the Parc Expo in Villefranche (221 Avenue de l’Europe), on Thursday 19 November, noon to 8 pm, and Friday 20 November, 10 am to 8 pm, with your registration QR code and ID. No bibs are handed out on race day; someone else can collect yours with your QR code and a copy of your ID.

What are the marathon cut-offs?

4 hours of racing at km 21.1, 5h30 at km 30.1 and 7h30 at the finish. Beyond that, the end-of-race vehicle declares the runner out of the race.

Has the 2026 course been published?

Not in detail yet: the website lists the 2026 course, profile and cut-off points as coming soon. The principle stays the same: start in Fleurie, small roads and vineyard tracks between châteaux, finish in Villefranche-sur-Saône.

Marathon du Beaujolais: 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 du Beaujolais 2026: date, course and training plan

42.2 kmVillefranche-sur-Saône2026 edition: 21 November 2026

The Marathon du Beaujolais AG2R La Mondiale runs from Fleurie to Villefranche-sur-Saône along small vineyard roads, past châteaux and wine cellars. Its 22nd edition is on Saturday 21 November 2026, the Beaujolais Nouveau weekend, alongside a half marathon, a 13 km race and, on Sunday, three trail races. It feels like a party: bands along the course, wine tastings, and more than half the runners in fancy dress according to the organisers.

Your plan for Marathon du Beaujolais

A plan set to your level and free days, which adapts to your feedback after each session.

Your goal time?

14-day trial, cancel anytime.

Marathon du Beaujolais at a glance

Date: 2026 edition: 21 November 2026
Formats: MarathonPlan below — 42.195 km from Fleurie to Villefranche-sur-Saône, 95% on small roads, the rest on vineyard tracks. Saturday start at 8:30 am in three waves (8:30, 8:40, 8:50). Time limit: 7h30, with cut-offs at 4 hours of racing at km 21.1 and 5h30 at km 30.1. Shuttle from Villefranche to Fleurie included, kit bag taken to the finish. Open to runners born in 2007 or earlier.
Semi-marathon — 21.1 km loop around Villefranche, 253 m of climbing. Saturday start at 10:00 am on Avenue Saint-Exupéry, then six waves every 10 minutes. Time limit: 4h30. Born in 2009 or earlier.
13 km du Rhône — 13 km on road, 129 m of climbing, Saturday start at 1:00 pm in waves, finish on Boulevard Jean-Jaurès in Villefranche. Time limit: 3 hours. Born in 2011 or earlier.
Trails — Sunday 22 November from Gleizé: 15 km (200 m of climbing, 8:30 am start), 24 km (500 m, 8:00 am) and 43 km (1,300 m, 7:00 am).
Family Marathon et Rando Solidaire — Untimed Sunday run and walk in Gleizé, from age 12 (or younger with an adult).
Registration: Registration only on Time To, open since March 2026 (the 2nd for pre-registered runners, the 4th for everyone) and still open in mid-October according to the website. The price rises in steps by date (First, Early, Sprint then Last Minute); €3 per entry goes to the marathon’s foundation against cancer. An FFA licence (Athlé Compétition, Entreprise, Running or Pass Event) or a PPS health pass less than a year old is required, including for foreign runners licensed in their own country, uploaded on Time To at least 15 days before, otherwise shown at bib pick-up. Entries are personal and final: no transfer and no refund, except with the Pass Event FFA cancellation insurance taken at registration. Charity places for the Centre Léon Bérard are available on the half and the 13 km. Bib pick-up at the Parc Expo in Villefranche (221 Avenue de l’Europe) on Thursday 19 November, noon to 8 pm, and Friday 20, 10 am to 8 pm; no bibs on race day.
Official website: marathondubeaujolais.org

The 2026 course

Start in Fleurie, in the heart of the northern Beaujolais crus, at 8:30 am in three waves. The marathon makes its way to Villefranche-sur-Saône along small vineyard roads (95% of the route), with a few sections on vineyard tracks around châteaux including Corcelles, Pizay and Les Ravatys, and passes through more than twelve villages. Timing at the start, at km 10, 21.1 and 30, and at the finish; cut-offs at km 21.1 (4 hours of racing) and km 30.1 (5h30). Aid stations about every 5 km. Finish in Villefranche-sur-Saône. The detailed 2026 route and profile have not been published yet.

What the race asks of your training

A hillside marathon, not one for a fast time

The course crosses the Beaujolais vineyards: the organisers warn of significant climbs and descents and stony sections. Regular hill work, long runs on rolling roads and a few relaxed downhill runs prepare you better than pace work on the flat. On race day, run by effort rather than by the clock.

A build-up from late summer

To race on 21 November, a 16-week build-up starts in early August: the longest runs fall in October, when it is cool again. The first ones, in high summer, are best run early in the morning.

An early start, in November

Shuttles leave the Parc Expo in Villefranche between 6:15 and 7:15 am, for an 8:30 am start in Fleurie. A sports hall lets you wait in the warm, and your kit bag follows you to the finish. One or two early-morning long runs in cool weather let you test your warm-up and clothing.

Fancy dress and a cup

If you run in fancy dress, try the outfit on a long run: chafing and heat are unforgiving over 42 km. The rules state that no cups are handed out and that runners are self-sufficient between aid stations, placed about every 5 km: bring a cup or a soft flask. The tastings are part of the party; if you are aiming for a time, skip them.

The plan below prepares the Marathon format, for an athlete at intermediate level with 4 days available per week, with race day on 21 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
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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
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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 du Beaujolais