Paris Olympics 2024: Explore the Paris marathon route from your home

Paris Marathon 2024: Experience the historic Paris Olympic marathon route, passing iconic landmarks like the Palace of Versailles and Eiffel Tower.

As the Summer Olympics unfolds in stadiums and arenas, one event will be held along a truly iconic route - the Olympic marathon. The path, same as the one that women in the 18th century took to the King Louis XVI’s palace demanding reforms, is a powerful reminder of the March of Versailles, a key moment from the French Revolution.

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On 5 and 6 October 1789, a large group of women, shopkeepers, and workers from Paris gathered at the Hôtel de Ville to demand bread and arms. Joined by men, between 6,000 and 7,000 Parisians marched from Paris to Versailles to bring King Louis XVI back to the Tuileries, an imperial palace in Paris. This historic march led to Louis XVI agreeing to ratify the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The 42km-long marathon route for the Paris Olympics, which connects the modern event with a pivotal moment in history, is a tribute to this march.

The marathon, which starts at Hôtel de Ville, will take you through several historic monuments, iconic parks, forests, and Palace of Versailles, spread across nine districts in the Île-de-France region.

The Olympic marathon begins in the Paris City Hall’s square, where you stand. The Hôtel de Ville was built between the 16th and 17th centuries, with a façade stretching 143 metres. Hôtel de Ville’s walls have seen some of the country’s pivotal political moments. For instance, in 1848 French statesman Lamartine declared France a Republic from here.

As you approach the three kilometre mark, you will pass the Opera Garnier. The building’s vast premises were used for the Paris Opera in the 19th century, and later for ballet.

Inside, you can see sprawling staircases and marble-floored hallways, historic paintings and beautiful ceiling work.