Marathon Calais XXL

Marathon Calais XXL debuted on June 28, 2026 as a new road marathon on France's Opal Coast, organized jointly by the Calais XXL tourism board, local newspaper Nord Littoral, and the Stade Calaisis Athlétisme running club. The inaugural edition drew nearly 4,000 runners across the marathon, half marathon, and 10K, and the event is set up as an annual fixture on the last Sunday of June. The marathon starts at 8:00 a.m. at Cap Blanc-Nez in Escalles, one of the highest points on the Channel coast, then covers about 42.195 km with roughly 260 meters of elevation gain through Sangatte, Coquelles, and Blériot-Plage before finishing at the Calais seafront near the Digue Gaston-Berthe. The half marathon shares the Cap Blanc-Nez start and returns to Calais via the Sangatte seawall, while the 10K is an urban loop within Calais starting at the Quai de la Moselle. The course alternates cliff-top views of the Strait of Dover with village streets and Calais's port and beachfront, giving runners a close look at the same coastline visible from the White Cliffs of Dover on a clear day. Aid stations, chip timing, finisher medals, and post-race physiotherapy are provided along the route.