Why is the Médoc Marathon called “the longest in the world”?

This expression is a tongue-in-cheek nod, not a matter of actual distance: the race is still the standard 42.195 km. The nickname comes from the countless tasting stops (wine, oysters, entrecôte) that lengthen the time spent on the course, turning the race into a festive marathon where finishing becomes almost secondary to the experience. A marathon to be savored more than timed.