Marathon of Freedom 2026

Running on historic grounds is a constantly renewed pleasure. The Marathon of Freedom 🗽, also known as Currents of Freedom, is in this category. In the Calvados, at the heart of Normandy, this race created in 1988 takes place in mid-June, gathering over 30,000 participants who pay tribute in their own way to the soldiers who fell during the D-Day Landings. Running and history, it's an excellent mix to exercise and cultivate oneself at the same time. 

The organizers offer you 7 distances to satisfy your desires. For the youngest, there are Liberty strides reserved for children and the Liberty rollers, a skate-run held on a closed 2 km circuit to get you warmed up. You can also participate in Rochambelle, a women's run-walk 🏃‍♀️ of 5 km in support of the fight against cancer, or the 10 km Credit Agricole Normandy which will showcase the heritage of Caen through places such as Saint-Pierre Church, Chateau and Abbey-aux-Hommes. ⛪️ Finally, if you feel like a soldier at heart, come try the Semi-Marathon Pegasus which starts, as its name suggests, from Pegasus Bridge 🌁, or even (for the future running generals!) the Marathon, which can be run solo or in relay. 

The name of the event pays tribute to the "Rochambelles" 👩. The primary objective is to raise funds for the fight against women's cancers. It's a solidarity race! 🎗️

The Marathon of Freedom may be a road race but you are invigorated by the sea breeze pushing you to excel 💨. Starting from Courseulles-sur-Mer, a town dear to Oldelaf with an eponymous song which makes you realize that trying wheels on sand carries some dangers, you run alongside the D-Day beaches and the iconic sites of the Battle of Normandy such as the beaches of Sword and Juno 🏖. You will also make a detour by the Ouistreham casino to the rhythm of the orchestras along the way. Upon reaching Caen, the splendid Jean-Marie Louvel esplanade indicates that you are almost done with your 42.195 km! 

After the race and a good nap, set off to explore the Norman lands and the typical small Norman villages where you can sit down to enjoy the famous tripe à la mode de Caen, camembert cheese 🧀 as well as a Norman tart accompanied by cider and Calvados 🍾.

So, Caen you come then?