Marathon d’Albi

The Race

History

The first Marathon d’Albi ran on 9 June 1979 and was won by Serge Cottereau, the French ultrarunner and author of training books. A half marathon and a 10 km came later, and the marathon has stayed the smallest of the three, capped at 1,000 against 1,600 for the half and 1,400 for the 10 km.

The race has twice been the French Marathon Championships, in 1998 and 2018. In 2018 Alaa Hrioued won overall in 2:19:25, and Mathieu Brûlet and Karine Pasquier took the national titles in 2:21:05 and 2:39:36. Those times were run before the current measurement certificate, issued in 2023, so no official course record table exists for the present route.

The 2020 edition was lost to the pandemic. The 46th, on 26 April 2026, set a participation record with more than 4,200 registrations across the three races. Cyril Morillo won the marathon in 2:37:53 and Khadija Boudjellouli in 2:57:16, times from a regional field well behind the championship years.

The course

The marathon starts on avenue Colonel Teyssier beside the Stadium Municipal d’Albi and finishes on the stadium’s athletics track. The first 5 km loop through central Albi, past the Grand Théâtre and Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile. The route then heads east through Saint-Juéry and up the Tarn valley, through two tunnels, to a turn near Ambialet at 22 km, the furthest point, about 15 km from the start. It comes back the same way. The half marathon shares the early kilometres before turning for home, so the marathon field thins out once the two separate.

The organiser gives 100 m of climbing and 100 m of descent for the whole course. The elevation chart shows the valley road between about 165 and 200 m and rarely level for long, with a drop to the river before the tunnels at 14 km and a rise of about 25 m through them to 17 km, repeated in reverse on the way back.

Km 0 to 5: central Albi. The race starts at 08:45 alongside the half marathon, with wheelchair athletes off at 08:40. It heads west along avenue Colonel Teyssier and Boulevard Carnot to the Grand Théâtre at 2.3 km and Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile at 2.8 km, the most spectator-friendly stretch of the course, then turns back east along avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny. The road is flat, around 175 to 180 m, and busy with both fields.

Km 5 to 13: Saint-Juéry and Les Avalats. Route de Millau and avenue de Saint-Juéry take the course out of the city to Saint-Juéry at 8.5 km. Beyond it the road follows the Tarn through Les Avalats, rising gently to about 186 m by 11 km. By now the half-marathon runners have turned back and the road is much quieter.

Km 13 to 22: the tunnels and the gorge. The valley narrows. The road drops close to the river at about 14 km, then goes through the Tunnel de Pech Mergou at 15.7 km and a second, shorter tunnel just after, climbing about 25 m to around 198 m at 17 km. From Marsal to the turn near Ambialet at 22 km the road runs along the gorge between about 190 and 200 m, with short rises and dips as it follows the river bends. There is little shelter and few spectators.

Km 22 to 35: back down the valley. The return is the same road in reverse, so runners see the rest of the field coming towards them for several kilometres after the turn. Both tunnels come round again at about 26.5 and 28.6 km, followed by a drop of about 30 m to the river at 30 km and a short climb back up past Les Avalats. The 35 km cutoff is 4h30, a little tighter than the 5h30 overall limit spread evenly would suggest, so back-of-field runners need a margin here.

Km 35 to 42.195: Saint-Juéry to the stadium track. The last 7 km are flat and gently downhill, back through Saint-Juéry, past the Rond-Point de l’Europe and along Boulevard Maréchal Soult to avenue Colonel Teyssier. The race ends inside the Stadium Municipal on its athletics track, with bag collection and refreshments beside the line.

Course Map

From the Stadium Municipal through central Albi past Sainte-Cécile, then out through Saint-Juéry and up the Tarn valley through the tunnels to the turn near Ambialet, and back. Tap a marker for details, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.

Pacers

At the last edition pacers ran at 3:00, 3:15, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, 4:15 and 4:30. There is no group faster than 3:00. The team changes every year; check the organiser’s announcement for the next edition.

What to wear

Late April in Albi usually starts cool and can end warm. The 1991 to 2020 normals give a minimum of 6.7°C, a mean of 12.4°C and a maximum of 18.1°C, but the April record is 30.1°C and the month averages nearly two days above 25°C. April is also wet, with about 80 mm of rain over roughly ten days.

With an 08:45 start, a four- or five-hour runner is out on the open valley road through the warmest part of the day, so plan for heat as well as the cold start. Take a discardable layer to the start and drop it before Saint-Juéry. The tunnels are cooler than the road outside, but only for a few minutes: leave the jacket behind.

Entry

Entry is direct and online through Klikego, with no ballot. The last published marathon fee, on the FFA calendar, was €54 plus Klikego’s fees. The marathon is capped at 1,000 runners, with separate caps of 1,600 for the half marathon and 1,400 for the 10 km.

When a race sells out, the organiser opens an official bib exchange, the Bourse aux dossards, on Klikego, keeping €2 per resold bib. Refunds are available for set reasons, including illness, injury, a travel accident or a death in the close family, with proof by the Saturday before the race; the organiser deducts €6 plus Klikego’s commission.

Adults need an FFA licence or a PPS. The organiser’s last published rules refer to a PPS valid for three months, but the FFA changed the PPS on 15 January 2026 to a paid attestation valid for a year: follow the FFA rules in force when you enter. Triathlon (FFTRI) licences are not accepted.

Fast Runner / GFA Standards

Preferential bibs exist, but no qualifying standards have been published, and there is no guaranteed good-for-age entry.

Race Weekend

Expo

Bib collection is at the Village Marathon in the Pavillon d’Honneur of the Stadium Municipal, the same site as the start and finish. At the last edition it opened on Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00 and on race morning from 07:00 to 08:30, so you can collect on the day up to 15 minutes before the start. Bring photo ID and your licence or PPS.

Getting to the Start

At the last edition runners gathered on the start line on avenue Colonel Teyssier at 08:30. Wheelchair athletes started at 08:40, the marathon and half marathon together at 08:45, and the 10 km at 09:00. The stadium is on the east side of the city, about 1.5 km from the Grand Théâtre and 2.3 km from Albi Ville station, so runners staying centrally walk. Arriving from Toulouse on race morning itself is possible but leaves little slack: the station is on the far side of the centre.

Bag storage is at the stadium; the organiser takes no responsibility for valuables. There are no confirmed showers or changing rooms beyond the standard finish area.

The nearest airport with regular international flights is Toulouse. SNCF liO trains from Toulouse Matabiau reach Albi Ville in about an hour on average, with around 22 return journeys a day, and some also stop at Albi Madeleine north of the river.

Nutrition on Course

Full aid stations every 5 km, with water-only points between them and refreshments at the finish. Food and drink brands have not been published. You can also leave your own gels, bottles or food at the marathon organisation area before 08:00 to be placed on the course, which is worth doing if you depend on particular products.

Spectating

Central Albi is the place to watch. The course passes the Grand Théâtre and the cathedral in the first 3 km, a short walk from the start, and the stadium finish is about 2 km back. The valley road is hard to reach and the tunnels are closed to spectators.

Plan A: start, cathedral and finish on foot. Watch the 08:45 start on avenue Colonel Teyssier, walk to Place Sainte-Cécile for the pass at 2.8 km, spend the morning in the old town, then walk back to the stadium for the finish on the track.

Plan B: Saint-Juéry, twice. With a car or taxi, Saint-Juéry is on the course at about 8.5 km on the way out and 35.5 km on the way back, when a supporter is most welcome. Leave enough time to get back to the stadium around race-day road closures, which are published in race week.

Post-Race Food

The finish is east of the old town, so choose between a hotel restaurant near where you are staying or a short walk or taxi into the centre for more choice. Ibis Styles Albi Centre Le Theatro, by the Grand Théâtre, has a ground-floor restaurant and rooftop dining open every day. Hôtel Alchimy’s restaurant on Place du Palais is listed by Albi Tourisme as open year-round; confirm Sunday service. The Mercure on the Tarn has a sit-down restaurant with river views. Book for a group: race weekend brings more than 4,000 participants and their families into a small centre.

Where to Stay

The finish decides where to stay, and at Albi the finish and start are both at the Stadium Municipal, on the east side of town. Very few hotels are near it, so the practical choice is the centre, about 1.5 to 2 km away: a short walk before the race and a manageable one after it.

Centre: the Grand Théâtre and the Vigan

The centre around the Grand Théâtre and Place du Vigan is the best base, with the most hotels and restaurants, the course passing at 2 km and the stadium about 1.5 km away.

East Albi, by the stadium

East Albi puts the start, finish and bib collection a few minutes away, but it has little accommodation and is further from the restaurants and old streets. Choose it only if a short race morning matters more than anything else.

The cathedral quarter

The cathedral quarter, around Sainte-Cécile and the Palais de la Berbie, is the best area for sightseeing and about 2 km from the stadium.

Albi Ville station

The area around Albi Ville station, south-west of the centre, suits arrivals from Toulouse. The walk to the stadium on race morning is about 2.5 km across the centre.

The Tarn and the Madeleine

The riverside and the Madeleine quarter across the Tarn offer views of the old town. Albi Madeleine station also has Toulouse trains; check which station is closer to your hotel.

Recommended hotels

No official marathon hotel block has been announced. Distances are walking estimates to the stadium.

Booking timeline

Book as soon as the organiser announces the date. Albi has far fewer rooms than Toulouse, and the weekend passed 4,200 registrations at the last edition, so central hotels fill even though the marathon itself is capped at 1,000. Toulouse is the gateway: liO trains take about an hour and run around 22 return journeys a day, so a late flight does not rule out reaching Albi the same evening.

See & Do

All four are together in the old town, about 2 km from the stadium finish. The Toulouse-Lautrec museum closes on Mondays.

Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile

About 2 km (1.2 miles) from the finish, and on the course at 2.8 km. The largest brick cathedral in the world and the centre of the UNESCO-listed episcopal city, fortress-like outside and painted from floor to vault inside. Check visiting hours around Sunday services.

Musée Toulouse-Lautrec

About 2 km (1.2 miles) from the finish, in the Palais de la Berbie beside the cathedral. The largest public collection of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s work, in the city where he was born. Recent hours were Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:00, with adult entry around €10. It is closed on Mondays, so go on the Friday or Saturday before the race.

Jardins du Palais de la Berbie

About 2 km (1.2 miles) from the finish. The formal gardens and terrace of the bishops’ palace above the Tarn, open daily, recently 09:00 to 18:00 from October to May. The easy option on the Monday, when the museum is shut.

The episcopal city

About 2 km (1.2 miles) from the finish, and on the course. The brick streets around the cathedral, the Pont Vieux over the Tarn and the Madeleine quarter on the far bank. It is mostly flat, which makes a slow walk here a sensible recovery-day plan.

After the Race

Late April in the Tarn is spring: vines in early leaf around Gaillac, hilltop villages not yet busy with summer visitors, and weather that can swing from showers to warm sun. Albi’s trains reach Gaillac and Toulouse quickly, and Carcassonne by changing in Toulouse; Cordes-sur-Ciel is the one trip that needs a bus timetable or a car.