D-Day Landings

The D-Day Landings Marathon (Marathon de la Liberté) is one of France’s most historic marathon races, held along the Normandy coast. The race starts in Courseulles-sur-Mer at Juno Beach and finishes in Caen, guiding runners through several important sites connected to the Allied landings of June 1944. The course follows coastal roads and inland routes linking key historical landmarks including Juno Beach, Sword Beach, Pegasus Bridge, and the Ouistreham Casino. Runners experience a mostly flat route (Start ~9 m, Finish ~7 m) in the first half along the coastline before gradual rolling sections appear later in the race as the course approaches Caen. Known for combining sport with remembrance, the marathon allows participants to run through places that played a crucial role in World War II history. With strong international participation and official recognition by the French Athletics Federation, the race has become one of the most iconic destination marathons in France.