The Race
Recent announcements
15 July 2026. The Établissement public national du Mont Saint-Michel awarded Playground, a Paris-based sports events company, the right to organise a marathon in 2027, 2028 and 2029. Each edition must be held between 1 November and 31 March, to bring visitors to the Mont outside the summer season.
4 September 2026. The choice was made public. About fifteen bids had answered the call for expressions of interest launched in the spring. The first edition is planned for late 2027, with races spread over two days and a smaller field than France’s largest mass-participation events. Playground said the details would be presented in the coming weeks.
Still to come. The date, the route and its start and finish, the entry system, prices and capacity. The old Cancale start is not confirmed for 2027. This page will be updated when Playground publishes.
| Next Race Date | To be Confirmed (planned for late 2027, between 1 November and 31 March) |
|---|---|
| Course Type | Not yet published |
| Registration | Not yet open |
| Ballot Opens | Not yet published |
| Total Finishers | None yet under the new organiser. About 2,700 marathon finishers at the last edition, in 2019 |
| Average Race Day Temperature | Not yet applicable: date to be confirmed |
| Cutoff Time | Not yet published |
| Free Race Day Transport | Not yet published |
| Course Certification | Not yet published |
History
The Marathon de la Baie du Mont Saint-Michel began in 1998 as a point-to-point road race from Cancale to Mont Saint-Michel, set up locally by runners from the Saint-Malo and Cancale area. For much of the route the abbey stood on the horizon ahead. Patrick Helleux won the first edition in 2:21:12.
It grew into one of France’s largest destination marathons. In 2004 the Congolese runner Olivier N’Simba Longo, later known as Patrick Tambwe, ran 2:08:55, and Céline Cormerais won the women’s race in 2:37:46, the event records for the Cancale course. At its peak the race drew around 5,000 runners and an estimated 100,000 spectators, figures the Établissement public later cited when it set out to revive the event.
Amaury Sport Organisation took over in 2015 and expanded the weekend as Run In Mont Saint-Michel, adding a 10 km, a half marathon, a marathon duo and the Trail de l’Archange. The 22nd and last edition ran on 26 May 2019: Moses Mwarur won in 2:17:17 and Faith Kipsum in 2:42:31, with around 2,700 marathon finishers.
The pandemic stopped the 2020 edition. A return planned for 21 and 22 May 2022 was cancelled by A.S.O. and the Département de la Manche, who judged that expected entries no longer supported an event of that size, and the original organising association was later dissolved. In 2026 the Établissement public put the marathon out to tender, looking for an operator who would bring runners to the Mont in the quiet months.
Entry
Registration has not opened. Playground has not announced when entries open, how they will be sold, the price or the field size. Reports on the relaunch describe a smaller field than France’s biggest marathons, spread across two days of races.
Until the date and route are published, hold off on non-refundable travel. The race will fall between November and March, so any booking made around the old late-May date will be wrong.
Frequently asked questions
Is the marathon coming back?
Yes. Playground will organise editions in 2027, 2028 and 2029, with the first planned for late 2027.
When is the 2027 race?
Not yet published. Every edition must fall between 1 November and 31 March, not in the old late-May slot.
Does it still start in Cancale?
Not confirmed. The route, start and finish for 2027 have not been announced.
How do I enter?
Registration has not opened, and no price or capacity has been announced.
Where should I stay?
Wait for the route. The best base depends on where the finish is, which has not been published.
Is this Run In Mont Saint-Michel?
No. That was the A.S.O. format from 2015 to 2019. The new race has a new organiser and a winter date window.