Paris Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
One of the world's three largest marathons, starting down the Champs-Élysées and looping east through the Bois de Vincennes before returning along the Seine to finish on Avenue Foch near the Arc de Triomphe. The summary profile reads gentle, but the riverside underpasses near km 25 and the late rise toward the Bois de Boulogne add grade changes the totals never show. Crowds are enormous and the field skews first-timer friendly.
The Paris Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change — rated 2/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 520 ft (160 m) and loses 480 ft (150 m), with roughly level start to finish. Grade-adjusted pace says the toughest stretch arrives at kilometre 8 (near mile 5), demanding about 8% more effort than the same distance on flat ground. The steepest pitch on course reaches 3.8%.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Paris, FR |
| Total ascent | 520 ft (160 m) |
| Total descent | 480 ft (150 m) |
| Net elevation | +36 ft (+11 m) |
| Steepest grade | 3.8% |
| Difficulty | 2/5 |
| Field size | ≈55,000 runners |
| Race day | Early April |
| Elevation from | IGN RGE ALTI (France) |
Bare-earth terrain model, smoothed over 500 m — it measures the ground, not the rooftops.
Kilometre-by-kilometre splits (grade-adjusted)
Grade-adjusted (GAP) splits for a 4:00:00 finish, computed from the course's elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model: uphill kilometres get more time, downhills less, at even effort. Splits scale proportionally for any other goal time — the interactive pace calculator on this page computes them exactly.
| Kilometre | GAP pace /km | GAP pace /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5:39 | 9:05 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 5:39 |
| 2 | 5:44 | 9:14 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 11:23 |
| 3 | 5:39 | 9:06 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 17:02 |
| 4 | 5:40 | 9:06 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 22:42 |
| 5 | 5:46 | 9:17 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 28:28 |
| 6 | 5:38 | 9:04 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 34:06 |
| 7 | 5:44 | 9:14 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 39:50 |
| 8 | 5:37 | 9:02 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 45:27 |
| 9 | 6:08 | 9:52 | +47 ft (+14 m) | 51:35 |
| 10 | 5:43 | 9:13 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 57:18 |
| 11 | 5:22 | 8:39 | -35 ft (-11 m) | 1:02:41 |
| 12 | 6:02 | 9:43 | +37 ft (+11 m) | 1:08:42 |
| 13 | 5:30 | 8:52 | -18 ft (-6 m) | 1:14:13 |
| 14 | 5:42 | 9:11 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:19:55 |
| 15 | 5:57 | 9:34 | +29 ft (+9 m) | 1:25:52 |
| 16 | 5:36 | 9:01 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 1:31:29 |
| 17 | 6:06 | 9:49 | +43 ft (+13 m) | 1:37:35 |
| 18 | 5:36 | 9:01 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 1:43:11 |
| 19 | 5:22 | 8:38 | -34 ft (-10 m) | 1:48:33 |
| 20 | 5:36 | 9:00 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 1:54:08 |
| 21 | 5:37 | 9:03 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 1:59:46 |
| 22 | 5:28 | 8:48 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 2:05:14 |
| 23 | 5:31 | 8:52 | -18 ft (-5 m) | 2:10:45 |
| 24 | 5:43 | 9:11 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 2:16:27 |
| 25 | 5:38 | 9:04 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:22:06 |
| 26 | 5:31 | 8:53 | -17 ft (-5 m) | 2:27:37 |
| 27 | 5:39 | 9:05 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:33:16 |
| 28 | 5:51 | 9:25 | +18 ft (+6 m) | 2:39:07 |
| 29 | 5:36 | 9:01 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 2:44:43 |
| 30 | 5:41 | 9:09 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:50:24 |
| 31 | 5:46 | 9:16 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 2:56:10 |
| 32 | 5:33 | 8:56 | -14 ft (-4 m) | 3:01:43 |
| 33 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:07:25 |
| 34 | 5:52 | 9:27 | +20 ft (+6 m) | 3:13:18 |
| 35 | 5:37 | 9:03 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 3:18:55 |
| 36 | 5:40 | 9:08 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:24:36 |
| 37 | 6:02 | 9:42 | +36 ft (+11 m) | 3:30:37 |
| 38 | 5:45 | 9:16 | +9 ft (+3 m) | 3:36:23 |
| 39 | 5:39 | 9:06 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:42:02 |
| 40 | 6:06 | 9:49 | +43 ft (+13 m) | 3:48:08 |
| 41 | 5:42 | 9:10 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:53:50 |
| 42 | 5:11 | 8:21 | -55 ft (-17 m) | 3:59:02 |
| 42.2 | 5:25 | 8:43 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Paris Marathon flat or hilly?
The Paris Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change (2/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 520 ft (160 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Paris Marathon have?
About 520 ft (160 m) of total ascent and 480 ft (150 m) of descent, for a net change of +36 ft (11 m). Elevation is sampled from IGN RGE ALTI (France) and smoothed over 500 m, so it will not match a GPS watch step for step.
What is the hardest part of the Paris Marathon course?
Kilometre 8 (near mile 5) is the toughest split on the course by grade-adjusted effort. Grade-adjusted pace puts it at roughly 8% more effort than flat running. The steepest grade on course is 3.8%.
When is the Paris Marathon?
The Paris Marathon is typically held in early April. The next edition is expected around April 5, 2027. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Paris Marathon?
The field is roughly 55,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Paris Marathon in my goal time?
At an even pace: 3:00:00 needs 6:52/mi (4:16/km); 3:30:00 needs 8:01/mi (4:59/km); 4:00:00 needs 9:09/mi (5:41/km); 4:30:00 needs 10:18/mi (6:24/km); 5:00:00 needs 11:27/mi (7:07/km); 5:30:00 needs 12:35/mi (7:49/km). On this course, grade-adjusted pacing shifts a few seconds per mile between uphill and downhill splits — the pace calculator on this page computes those splits for any goal time.
Plan your Paris race
Marathons with a similar profile
- Grandma's Marathon — 530 ft (160 m) ascent
- California Marathon — 590 ft (180 m) ascent
- Honolulu Marathon — 440 ft (140 m) ascent
- London Marathon — 410 ft (120 m) ascent
How Paris Marathon ranks
- Flattest marathon courses — ranked 16 of 20 (520 ft (160 m) of climbing)
- Hilliest marathon courses — ranked 17 of 20 (520 ft (160 m) of climbing)
- Hardest marathon courses — ranked 17 of 20 (2/5 — 520 ft (160 m) up, 480 ft (150 m) down)
- Biggest marathons by field size — ranked 3 of 20 (≈55,000 runners)
Official race site: https://www.schneiderelectricparismarathon.com/