The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 4 April 2027 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Point to point: Wépion to Namur, 7.7 km apart |
| Registration | Open online entry; the price depends on places sold |
| Ballot opens | No ballot |
| Start | Wépion lock, 09:30, reached by the included shuttle |
| Finish | Rue Fond des Bas Prés, by Namur Expo |
| Total finishers | 1,234 (2026, results archive) |
| Avg race-day temp | Not confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours |
| Free race-day transport | Start shuttle included in the entry |
| Course certification | LBFA (national) |
History
The organiser’s results index begins in 2018, and the first edition was on 22 April that year. A digital edition replaced the physical race in 2021, and physical editions resumed from 2022. Older results appear under Marathon de Namur and Marathon International de Namur, and the current title carries the Baloise sponsor name. The organiser’s rules call 2027 the eighth edition, but other sources count differently, so the page gives the founding year and not an edition number.
A 2026 preview reported more than 11,500 registrations across all distances. A results archive lists 1,234 finishers of the full marathon in 2026, 966 men and 268 women, with Elie Perret of France winning in 2:24:06 and Sophie Rappe of Belgium in 2:50:07. These are winners and not course records, and the courses were certified again in 2025.
The course
The marathon is a point-to-point race. It starts at the Wépion lock, 7.7 km south of the finish, and runs north along the Meuse promenade to Namur at km 6 to 7. It crosses into Jambes at km 8 and runs south on Boulevard de la Meuse through Dave at km 13 to 16 and Lustin at km 17 to 20 to the turn at Profondeville at km 21.
It comes back north along the Meuse through Wépion at km 25 to 30, where it passes the start area, and reaches Namur at km 31 to 33. A last loop east through Jambes reaches the Pont des Grands Malades at km 37, and the course returns west along the Promenade de la Douceur Mosane and the Quai Ferdinand Courtoy to the finish by Namur Expo on Rue Fond des Bas Prés.
The ground is mostly river-flat. The profile spans 34 m, from 77 m at Namur to 110 m on the Lustin and Profondeville section, and the river kilometres sit at 80 to 84 m. The only shape is a run of short rises of 16 to 20 m between km 14 and 24, up to 2.4 per cent, with matching falls. A 2026 certification article describes asphalt, pavement and cobblestones, and a measured fall of about 1.2 m between the start and finish heights. The organiser-linked route map calculates 239 m of cumulative ascent and descent with a warning that the figure varies by application, so no ascent is published here.
Kilometre by kilometre
Start. The full marathon starts at 09:30 near the Wépion lock. Shuttles run at 07:40 and 08:30, chosen at registration. The pens are colour-coded by predicted time. The course follows the Promenade de Meuse north from the start at km 0 to 5.
Km 5 to 21: Namur, Jambes and the Meuse south. The course reaches the Écluse de La Plante at km 6 and the Quai des Chasseurs Ardennais at km 7, then crosses to Jambes and heads south on Boulevard de la Meuse at km 9 to 10. Rue de Dave at km 12, Rue du Rivage at km 14 and Rue de Lustin at km 15 to 16 lead to Lustin, where the road rises and falls 14 to 15 m a kilometre at km 18 to 21. The turn is at Profondeville on the Chaussée de Dinant at km 21.
Km 21 to 31: back along the Meuse. Rive de Meuse in Profondeville at km 22 to 24 has a 16 m rise and fall, then the course settles onto the flat Promenade de Meuse through Wépion at km 25 to 30. It passes the start area at km 26, where supporters can see the race a second time.
Km 31 to 42.195: Namur and the finish. The course passes Namur at km 31 to 33, with the Citadel above, and loops east through Jambes to the Pont des Grands Malades at km 37 before coming back along the Promenade de la Douceur Mosane at km 38 to 39, Rue des Brasseurs at km 40 and the Quai Ferdinand Courtoy at km 41. The finish line is on Rue Fond des Bas Prés by Namur Expo, where collection, bag return and showers at the Tabora sports centre are close. Cobblestones are named among the surfaces, but their positions are not published.
North along the Promenade de Meuse to the Écluse de La Plante and Namur. Flat at 81 to 89 m.
South through Dave and Lustin to the turn at Profondeville at km 21. The only rises, 16 to 20 m, come here.
Wépion again at km 26, then Namur and a loop east to the Pont des Grands Malades. Flat at 80 to 87 m.
West along the Meuse promenade to Namur Expo, with showers and bag return close.
Course Map
North along the Meuse to Namur, south through Dave and Lustin to Profondeville, back through Wépion and a last loop east to Jambes before the finish by Namur Expo. Tap a marker for the start, the finish, the shuttle stop, the turns and the station, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
Two pacers are recruited per full target: 3:00, 3:15, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 4:45, 5:00 and 5:30. These are recruitment targets, so check which groups are staffed.
Start pens are chosen at registration by predicted time: red for elite, green for 2:31 to 3:00, orange for 3:01 to 3:30, yellow for 3:31 to 4:00, purple for 4:01 to 4:30 and blue for 4:31 and slower, up to six hours.
The marathon starts in Wépion, 7.7 km from the finish. Shuttles leave at 07:40 and 08:30 and are chosen at registration, and parking near the start is not permitted for the full marathon. Sunday collection ends at 08:45, so collect on Saturday.
Race day is on 4 April, early in the spring. The shuttle leaves before 08:30, so expect a cold start by the river, and bring a removable layer for the pen. The river valley can be windy, and showers are realistic. No clothing-donation scheme has been confirmed, so use something you can afford to lose. Gloves are worth packing.
Entry
Entry is online through the organiser’s registration form. The marathon fee depends on places sold: €69 for places 1 to 800, €79 for 801 to 1,600 and €89 for 1,601 to 2,000. An English page ends the ladder at 1,800, which conflicts with the French rules. Online entry closes on 2 April 2027 at 23:59, and registration opened on 13 September 2026. Engraving costs €10, postal delivery of the bib €11 and cancellation cover €15, and a transaction fee and a refundable €2 cup deposit are extra. The cover is not an automatic refund right, and no deferral is published.
A paid official transfer runs from 1 January to 25 March 2027 and costs €20. From 26 March a platform request produces an attestation, and the change is completed on Saturday 3 April in the replacement runner’s presence. Early shop collection needs registration by 23 February. The minimum age is 16 on race day.
An elite invitation route exists through a contact form, with published ranges of 2:01 to 2:28 for men and 2:01 to 2:55 for women, and previous winners are invited automatically. These are invitation ranges and not guaranteed entry. There is no ballot, charity place guarantee or authorised tour package published. A KickCancer donation can be added at checkout.
Fast runner standards
Elite invitations are requested through a contact form, with published ranges of 2:01 to 2:28 for men and 2:01 to 2:55 for women. It is an invitation route and not guaranteed entry, and no age-group standard is published.
Official Namur Marathon site →Race Weekend
Expo
Numbers are collected at Namur Expo, Avenue Sergent Vrithoff 2, on Saturday 3 April from 13:00 to 20:00 and on Sunday 4 April from 05:45 to 08:45, with on-site registration at the same times. Selected Trakks shops hold early collection from 10 March for entries validated by 23 February: Gosselies, Etterbeek, Rocourt, Uccle and Waterloo close on 1 April and Jambes on 2 April. Take your email confirmation or a valid identity document. A friend can collect with a copy of your identity card and your bib allocation email.
Collect on Saturday. Sunday collection ending at 08:45 does not allow an 08:30 shuttle.
Getting to the start
The marathon starts in Wépion, far from the finish. Shuttles leave at 07:40 and 08:30, from a temporary stop on Avenue du Cardinal Mercier in Salzinnes according to the FAQ, though the full page says Namur Expo, so check the final access map. The ride takes 25 to 30 minutes. Parking near the start is not permitted for the full marathon, so do not drive there.
Bags are accepted at each start, marked with the bib bracelet, carried by lorry and reclaimed at Namur Expo. Showers and changing are at the Tabora sports centre, with about 100 showers. Toilets are at the start and at the refreshment points.
Nutrition on course
Refreshments are about every 5 km. The organiser lists water, High5 citrus isotonic drink, energy bars, bananas, oranges, fruit paste and Croky salted crisps, and the finish has water, soft drinks, solids and a physiotherapy area. Exact kilometres and which items sit at which station are not published, and no gel brand is named, so carry tested gels. Personal refreshments were handled at the expo information desk in 2026, and the 2027 arrangement is unconfirmed.
Spectating
Start and finish are in different places, so supporters should choose between the Wépion start and the Namur finish. The course passes Wépion again at km 26 and Namur at km 7 and km 33. The plans below are proposals only.
- Stay in Namur and wait at the finish by Namur Expo
- Watch the start in Wépion, then return to Namur by public transport
- Check the Sunday timetable first
- Pick one point on the Meuse once the map is published
- Meet at the finish
Post-race food
Brasserie François and Le Grill des Tanneurs are the places to try. Hours and menus are not confirmed, so reserve ahead and order something simple.
Where to Stay
The start is in Wépion and the finish is in Namur, so stay in Namur and take the shuttle. Distances below are from the finish.
Near Namur Expo
The shortest walk after the finish, with the B&B Hôtel 0.9 km away. Check access past the closures.
Station and centre
Easy for trains and evening meals, about 1 km from the finish.
Les Tanneurs
A hotel and grill in the old town, 1.7 km from the finish.
Jambes and the river
Quieter, with a longer walk. Villa Balat is on the Quai de Meuse, 1.8 km from the finish.
Check cancellation terms, breakfast times and luggage storage. The 07:40 shuttle means an early breakfast.
Recommended hotels
A budget option close to the finish and the station.
A hotel and restaurant in the old town.
A smaller hotel on the river. Check the rate and access.
A hotel east of the city. Confirm the location, the shuttle access and the breakfast time.
Booking timeline
The race is on 4 April 2027, so secure your entry first and book a cancellable room. An early shuttle needs an early breakfast, so confirm it when booking. No sell-out window is published.
See & Do
The finish is on the north-west edge of the centre, and the three places below are within 1.3 km of Namur Expo.
Citadel of Namur
A large fortress above the meeting of the Meuse and Sambre. Check whether the cable car runs in early April.
Musée Félicien Rops
A museum devoted to a Namur-born artist, in the old town. Check opening days.
The riverside promenade
A flat walk along the Meuse for the day after.
After the Race
Early April is cool and changeable. Dinant is the closest trip, and Liège, Brussels, Ghent and Bruges are each one to two hours by rail.
A cliff-backed town where the saxophone was invented.
A hillside city with a sculpted station and a famous stair.
A capital of museums, lifts and short level walks.
Two canal cities of West Flanders.