If you are looking for an adventure like nothing else, if you love running and love wine or if you just want an unforgettable weekend then the Marathon Du Medoc is for you.
Known as the wine marathon it is a 26 mile run through the beautiful vineyards of Pauillac, near Bordeaux, with at least 22 wine stops in Chateaux’s along the way. Yes that’s right at least 22 glasses of wine, plus cheese, meat, oysters, steak it’s the marathon with everything.
The best part however of this mad race across beautiful southern France is the people. Everyone dresses up and everyone is there to have the best weekend of their lives. The Chateaux’s all put on their own live music, and all are so unique. Some have rock bands some have jazz but no mile of this race is the same. It is because of this that I really believe ANYONE can complete it. We ran with people who had never run a marathon before, to people who hadn’t run more than 5km in the last year.
AND for 100 euro for a start number it is a complete bargain. Some of the Chateaux’s you pass through have £50 – £100 bottles of wine, that you are drinking. The booze is unlimited and you get a bottle of wine at the finish line. This is without all the delicious food on the way round.
I would recommend training for sure, and training with wine stops is always a bonus, but it is the most accessible, the wildest, some say the longest but without a doubt the most unforgettable marathon and weekend of your lives.
So below is an extensive plan for the lead up and the run. Everything you need should be here, and any questions please feel free to email us.
How to get a place
This is actually the hardest part. If you manage to get a place the actual marathon will seem easy. To put this in perspective they cannot go above 8,500 spots each year and tens of thousands apply. But some dedication and it is very much possible, I managed to get one my first year of trying. Places are released in March, but the exact date is not shared. It may seem tedious but the best thing to do is check each day from the first of March. They will then release in two waves, once the first wave has gone they give you five days before they release the second, and this is the best opportunity to get a spot as you have a heads up on timings.
This is the link – https://www.marathondumedoc.com/en/registration-global/
The spots sell out fast, in 16mins this year. So get your group ready before March then all you have to do is check the page each morning to see if its live. The spots with accommodation do not sell out as fast and can usually be brought a couple of days later, but to warn you these are quite an expensive option.
Once you have a place sorted the logistics of organising your group may seem like a big hurdle. But do not worry. There are a couple of options on where to stay and how to get there.
How to get there
The most obvious option on how to get there is flying directly to Bordeaux. One of the best places to get cheap flight tickets is through Trip.com – https://trip.tp.st/DV2CIFgn. However this is quite expensive as its incredibly popular this weekend.
Other options to get to Bordeaux are to fly to either Paris or Toulouse and get the train. I booked my train tickets on the Ouigo website and they were well priced, a very comfortable train ride and very easy to do. You can also book through trainline – https://trainline.tp.st/dIZIg6Op although i found Ouigo better value, trainline is easier to use. This will save you a lot of money when travelling there.
Another option for accommodation and travel is a motorhome or campervan. We saw plenty of these dotted about during the race and lots of people camping near the start line.
To get from Bordeaux to Pauillac the marathon put on shuttle buses. These are easy to use and go from two streets in Bordeaux. They dont wait to check you on though. Make sure you are there on time and dont expect a smooth process, its more of arrive show your email and get on.
There is also a train that goes from Bordeaux to Pauillac. These run once every 2 hours over the weekend and again are a comfortable and easy way to travel. The first train in the morning gets in at 9am which cuts it very tight to make the start of the race so might be best to get a taxi or the bus. However the buses are irregular after the event so i would recommend the train.
The other train stops on the route, and other places good to stay are;
- Merignac Arlac
- Cauderan-Merignac
- Le Bouscat Sainte-Germaine
- Bruges
- Blanquefort
- Parempuyre
- Ludon – Medoc
- Macau
- Margaux
- Moulis – Listrac
Where to stay
This again can initially seem overwhelming. There are multiple options and they depend on how much time you have. One, as mentioned before is to take a motorhome or campervan. There are lots of spots in Paulliac you can park up, and it means you are much more flexible. But you will need more time to drive it from where you have rented it so can mean more time is needed.
We stayed in Bordeaux. Location is important as you dont want anywhere too far post marathon. Please see below some suggestions;
Apartments
- Great location, nice apartment – https://booking.tp.st/iSfrMpFU
- Nice one bed apartment – https://booking.tp.st/Z2eoqncp
Hotels
- Affordable and central hotel – https://booking.tp.st/7BNahCaS
- Great value and good location – https://booking.tp.st/vYN6gEHi
- Great location, nice old hotel – https://booking.tp.st/1ao2Euqr
- Beautiful hotel in central Bordeaux – https://booking.tp.st/51FWmlN7
Locations outside of Bordeaux along the train route
- Budget B&B near Bruges – https://booking.tp.st/oPOAdPUX
- Hotel and Spa – https://booking.tp.st/f2Vi9W6e
- Beautiful Chateaux and location, would recommend – https://booking.tp.st/6LA7oSNo
Tips for the run
The main tip, and maybe the most obvious, is to just enjoy it. It may seem like an impossible feat ahead of time but if you just keep plodding on it flies by. You will be having so much fun the miles will slip by. This isn’t to say its not hard. Especially the last 5km.
The beginning and the end: The final stop is the oyster and white wine stop, along the side of the road and there is a good 6km following that stop. The end also is down a relatively empty windy road, this is where you need to dig deep. The first 8km there aren’t any wine stops, you are getting out into the vineyards. But don’t worry, there is so much wine to come.
There is plenty of food and water on the way round. I lumbered myself with a water bottle and some sweets for energy but didn’t end up using either, they provide so much.
You must dress up, everyone does, and I mean everyone. But do remember the heat and weather. It is often incredibly hot in early September in Southern France so try and not cover your whole body
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