Races Marathon · Caen, France
Marathon de la Liberté
Marathon de la Liberté is a flat marathon in Caen, France, held each June. A point-to-point run from the Normandy coast at Courseulles-sur-Mer to central Caen, past Juno and Sword beaches, Ouistreham and Pegasus Bridge. The organiser lists about 110 m of climbing in total. Early to mid June on the Normandy coast is usually mild, with temperatures of 12 to 21°C and some risk of sea breeze or showers. On a course as flat as Marathon de la Liberté, even splits are everything; the classic mistake is banking time in the first third.
Page rebuilt 2026-11-14 · race facts not independently verified — confirm dates and entries on the official race site
When
June
next: Sunday 13 June 2027
Course
flat
Marathon
Conditions
Early to mid June on the Normandy coast is usually mild, with temperatures of 12 to 21°C and some risk of sea breeze or showers.
Racing this course well
A point-to-point run from the Normandy coast at Courseulles-sur-Mer to central Caen, past Juno and Sword beaches, Ouistreham and Pegasus Bridge. The organiser lists about 110 m of climbing in total.
On a course as flat as Marathon de la Liberté, even splits are everything; the classic mistake is banking time in the first third.
Getting a place
- How you get in
- Open entry: first come, first served
- Entries open
- Entries for 2027 opened on 4 November 2026
- Price
- From €65 for the first month, rising to €84 in the closing weeks (2027 race)
- Places
- 5,000 runners
Official Marathon de la Liberté site →Checked November 2026
Race day
- Next race
- Sunday 13 June 2027
- Start time
- 09:10
- Time limit
- 5 hours 30 minutes
- Pacers
- Pace groups from 3:00 to 4:45
- Also on the day
- half-marathon, 10k
The course in numbers
The route follows the landing beaches to Ouistreham, passes Pegasus Bridge and finishes in the centre of Caen.
- Layout
- Point-to-point
- Total climb
- 110 m
- Men's course record
- 2:12:37 (Sorri Abdisa, 2012)
- Women's course record
- 2:35:23 (Elisabeth Chemweno, 2008)
- Course status
- FFA Bronze label
Worth knowing
- First run in 1988.
- The course passes through 17 towns linked to the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy.
- It is a qualifying race for the French marathon championship.
- Free shuttles take marathon runners from the Parc des Expositions in Caen to the start, but none run back from the finish.
- Entry needs either a valid FFA licence or a Pass Prévention Santé.
Pick your goal for Caen
Pace charts, weekly structure and timelines for the most common marathon goals:
The date shown is the one the organiser has announced. Change it if yours differs.
Build your training around Marathon de la Liberté.
RunV works backwards from race day to today. Your plan adapts when life interrupts, and you approve every change. It does not adapt to this specific course — the pacing guidance above is where the course knowledge is.
Everything above stays free and complete — this is an optional next step, not a paywall.
Asked often
- When is the Marathon de la Liberté?
- The next Marathon de la Liberté is on Sunday 13 June 2027 in Caen, France. It is held each June.
- Is the Marathon de la Liberté course flat?
- A point-to-point run from the Normandy coast at Courseulles-sur-Mer to central Caen, past Juno and Sword beaches, Ouistreham and Pegasus Bridge. The organiser lists about 110 m of climbing in total.
- How do I enter the Marathon de la Liberté?
- Open entry: first come, first served. Entries for 2027 opened on 4 November 2026. Price: From €65 for the first month, rising to €84 in the closing weeks (2027 race).
- How should I train for the Marathon de la Liberté?
- Train specifically for Caen — terrain, conditions, goal pace — and let the plan flex around real life. With RunV Premium you can adapt your plan to fit your week.
Not sure what to target? Predict your marathon time from a recent race →
More marathon races
Supplements research for this distance
Build for Caen — around your actual life
RunV engineers your block backwards from race day in June — and adapts it when training doesn't go to script. You approve every change.
