Semi-Marathon de Lille
The Lowdown
The Semi-Marathon de Lille is an FFA Gold-labeled half marathon through the historic center of Lille, in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France, with its next edition on Sunday, October 25, 2026. The race traces back to 1986 as a full marathon, converting to the 21.0975 km half-marathon distance in 1996 after hosting the French national half-marathon championships alongside its final marathon edition in 1995. The organizers describe the course as ultra-flat and fast, running through Lille's city center past the Citadelle de Lille with a finish near Place de la République-Beaux-Arts, and the men's course record of 59:05 (set in 2012) is the fastest half-marathon time ever recorded on French soil. For 2026, the Semi-Marathon de Lille runs for the first time as part of a revived TREK Marathon International de Lille weekend, which brings a full marathon back to the city after a 31-year absence alongside the half marathon and a 10K. Registration for the half marathon opened July 1, 2026 at 35 euros (platform fees excluded, free for licensed Hauts-de-France FFA athletes), and bibs sold out within weeks, well ahead of the official October 4, 2026 registration deadline; a resale platform is available for runners still hoping to get a bib. Finishers must complete the course within 2 hours 30 minutes, with a mandatory 15 km checkpoint cutoff of 1 hour 47 minutes.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Excellent spectator turnout
Citadelle de Lille — course passes the historic star fort
Vieux-Lille (historic center) — course runs through the old town
Place de la République / Beaux-Arts — finish area
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Lille, Hauts-de-France, France
FR
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Must be born on or before December 31, 2009 (minimum age 17 in race year), per official regulations
- Medical certificate or valid FFA license required for non-licensed runners
Required Documents
- Valid photo ID for bib pickup
- FFA license or medical certificate, per standard French road-race rules
Entry Methods
- Online registration via the official Marathon de Lille platform (bibs sold out for 2026)
- Official bib resale platform for runners seeking a sold-out bib
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No general refund policy advertised; bib resale via the official resale platform is the stated option for runners who can no longer participate
2026 marks the marathon's return to Lille after a 31-year hiatus (last full marathon held in 1995); the half marathon has run continuously in most years since 1996 and previously operated under its own site, semimarathondelille.com, before folding into the shared marathon-lille.com platform for the 2026 weekend
Title sponsor for the 2026 weekend is Trek (branded 'TREK Marathon de Lille'), a newly signed sponsorship tied to the marathon's relaunch — not a long-standing name, so kept sponsor-neutral in this record
Organized by the Ligue Hauts-de-France d'Athlétisme with the City of Lille, Métropole Européenne de Lille (MEL), and Département du Nord; other partners include Nike and Caisse d'Épargne
2,621 half-marathon finishers recorded in the 2022 edition (most recent published finisher count); a materially larger field is expected for 2026 given the marathon relaunch and the fast bib sellout, but no official 2026 figure has been published
Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
Community Reviews
Learn from fellow runners and share insights that will help the next person toe the line.

