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I don’t think I have ever in my life had more fun running a half marathon. From the amazing outfits, to the gorgeous course, and the excellent wine, this race should be on everyone’s bucket list. Don’t go into the Beaujolais Half Marathon for a PR, or with any type of timed goal. Go into this race with the goal of having fun, meeting new people, and drinking.

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Overview of the Beaujolais Half Marathon

I know some people will say that you shouldn’t run and drink, but all rules are meant to be broken. With 13.1 miles through vineyards, wine cellars, and historical downtowns, this race would be notable even without the wine. But thank the lord, there was lots of wine to be had. Starting and finishing in Villefranche-sur-Saône, the race shows off the local area and brings the entire town out to celebrate.

What is Beaujolais Nouveau?

Beaujolais Nouveau is one of the only wines in the world to go from vineyard to shelves in under one year using carbonic maceration. That is a process in which the entire grape is loaded into a sealed container and filled with carbon dioxide. This creates a faster chemical breakdown that leads to a fermentation time of only a few weeks and a very light and fruity red wine. On the third Thursday of November, the wine is released to the world on Beaujolais Day.

Beaujolais Half Marathon Course

I truly loved this course. Runners start in the center of Villefranche-sur-Saône and then quickly head out of the city. One of the only issues in the entire race happened in this first part. There were several tight turns and small streets that made it impossible for people to run and so the first mile was a mixture of running and walking. 

After you leave the city the majority of the course is running through vineyards, but there are several small villages that feel like they came right out of Beauty and the Beast. Throughout this area many of the locals came out to cheer, support the runners, and check out the costumes. 

The course is very hilly, but once you have some wine you won’t even notice. I’m mostly joking. There were several large hills that runners had to take at different points, but between all the wine breaks they weren’t nearly as intimidating as hills in a normal race. 

My one warning for future runners, is that after the third wine stop, the km markers are no longer accurate. I saw many runners taking these for short journeys to points a good 5-10 minutes up the course.

The Wine

Here’s the part everyone is waiting for. The wine. I was worried heading into the run that red wine would be very heavy and I would not enjoy drinking it as I ran. This was not the case, the Beaujolais Nouveau is a very light wine and it was a perfect mid-race refresher. As part of sustainability efforts by the race, each runner is asked to bring their own plastic cups. The Beaujolais Marathon group also offers cups for three euros with the race logo. 

I don’t know exactly how many wine tastings were on the course, but I will say it was less than promised. The very first tasting did not happen until almost the 6km mark, and there were two on the course map that were supposed to happen before this one. At the end of the day I did around six tastings during the main chunk of the run. I did lose count. Each tasting can take anywhere from 10-30 minutes depending on how long the line is for wine. The very first tasting had the largest crush of people, but as runners spread out so did the lines. 

Near the end of the race there is the Avenue du Cru. This section of the course has wine provided by each of the ten cru’s in the Beaujolais region. I did not stop at all ten, I went to only two tastings in this area. I honestly worry for people who stop at all ten. 

Once you make it past Avenue de Cru you are in the home stretch. But that doesn’t mean the wine is over. After you finish the race there is more wine by the bag pick up and a few other stalls set up for the public to sample some of the wines.

What to Wear

Most races don’t have dress codes, and officially the Beaujolais International Half Marathon doesn’t either. However, almost every runner is dressed up. At the minimum try to coordinate everything you are wearing to be the same color. At the maximum get a group of 30 people in the exact same outfit. 

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Bathrooms During the Beaujolais Half Marathon

You would think with thousands of runners (and wine) there would be lots of bathrooms, but that is not the case. I saw two total during the race. That didn’t stop people though. I saw both men and women running into the vineyards or the woods to relieve themselves as needed.

Beaujolais Half Marathon Expo

Open on the Thursday and Friday leading up to the race, this expo was a great sign of what was to come. And by that I mean there were lots of free wine samples. You can buy the cups here and learn more about other wine races, and unique races around Europe.

Villefranche-sur-Saône

About one hour by train from Lyon, this town is picturesque. There isn’t much to do here but it is a great place to stop and relax before the race. There are plenty of restaurants and gorgeous buildings to walk around and admire. I would recommend arriving the day before the race, as bib pick up is not allowed day of.

Lyon

If you are flying in for this race I would suggest spending a night or two in Lyon to make the most of your trip. I absolutely loved Lyon, it has a fascinating historical section, lots of Roman ruins and delicious escargot. Make sure to visit the Basilica and Roman theater above the city, or if you are more of a science nerd, go to the Confluence.

Registration

Registration for this race requires a medical form filled out by a doctor who has seen you in the last year. You don’t need to have this done at the time of signing up, and they send lots of reminders about it.

If you are ready to commit for Beaujolais Half Marathon, sign up here. If you are looking for a different bucket list race, check out the Midnight Sun Half Marathon in Norway.