Marathons in the canton of Bern

The Bern marathon has two faces. On the shores of Lake Biel, it unfolds a bright course among the vineyards, at the foot of the Jura, where aiming for a fast time is still possible 🍇. In the Oberland and the Emmental, it turns into an altitude challenge. For a marathon in the canton of Bern, it all depends on your mood of the day and your desire to climb.

Lake Biel offers a scenery full of reflections, with Saint Peter's Island keeping watch in the middle of the waters. Jean-Jacques Rousseau took refuge there in 1765 to dream in peace, a program that runners only half follow 😄. June mornings stay cool on the shores, which helps maintain your pace all the way to the end. A few weeks of long runs are enough to approach the lake course with confidence. Higher up, the mountain season starts as soon as the snow recedes, with starts running until October.

The Bern marathon calendar is organized around three dates. In June, the Marathon des 2 Vignobles starts in Tüscherz, on the shore of Lake Biel. In September, the Jungfrau Marathon links Interlaken to the Kleine Scheidegg, facing the great peaks of the Oberland 🏔️. In October, the Napf-Marathon sets off from Trubschachen, in the heart of the Emmental, for one last outing on the ridges before winter. Two of these events are mountain races, so it's best to plan some hill training.

The canton claims rösti as its culinary emblem 🥔, and nobody there will turn down a nicely golden plate after 42.195 km. Spectators are discreet but loyal, with cowbells as the brass band 🐄. From your first marathon to your umpteenth finish line, everyone can choose their race according to their level and their taste for climbs or flat terrain. The other marathons in Switzerland offer plenty to prepare an entire season.