Saint-Witz Half Marathon 2027
- Next event : Sat, March 20, 2027Date confirmed
- Last event : Sat, March 21, 2026
The event in a few words
Once the race is on, you’ve got to finish it... 💪
In German, Witz means “joke”… but the Vémars climb is no laughing matter 😅. You’ll discover a village with a strong character, the final resting place of the author of Nœud de vipères! The Saint-Witz Half Marathon blows out 45 candles on the eastern edge of the Val-d’Oise 🎂, 25 km north of Paris. Perched on the side of the Montmélian hill, the town of Saint-Witz sits at the junction of three departments: Val-d’Oise, Oise and Seine-et-Marne. Spring is only just beginning in March. Expect around 5°C to 13°C, with a wind that happily sweeps across the Plaine de France and a few showers lying in wait 🌦️.
Simple and effective, a 10.3 km road loop structures the programme. Runners in the “10.3 km of the 3 villages” cover it once, and those in the half marathon twice 🏃. From Saint-Witz, you’ll head through fields towards Plailly, the first village in Oise, where refreshments await you near the church ⛪. After Plailly, the course alternates shaded woodland and exposed stretches where the wind joins the party 💨. Then comes the Vémars climb, the key spot that half-marathon runners will face twice. The first time, you’ll greet it politely. The second time, you’ll tell it exactly what you think 🥵. On the way back to Saint-Witz, a small path runs alongside the ponds and offers a false flat uphill that nibbles away at your last reserves. With 228 m D+ on the half and 110 m D+ on the 10.3 km, this course will force you to keep something in the tank for the second lap 🔄.
Born in 1979, the race is among the oldest half marathons in France 🇫🇷. After four years away, it found its audience again in 2024 and now brings together more than 2,000 participants each spring 🎉. The organising association focuses on an approach that is eco-responsible, with cardboard cups and zero plastic. To help you keep pace, four pacers will accompany you on the 21.1 km to target a time between 1h30 and 2h15 🐇. Short-distance fans can opt for the 5 km “Saint-Witz Circuit”. Children kick things off simultaneously in all three villages 🎈. The youngest get started with the 900 m “Éveil Athlétique”, with no timing and no pressure ⏱️. The 1,200 m “Children’s loop” awaits schoolkids, while the 2,600 m “Youth race” challenges the older ones. Besides a great time, each budding champion goes home with a medal around their neck—enough to motivate parents before their own start 😉. On the walking side, 13.4 km without timing awaits hikers between Saint-Witz, Plailly and Vémars 🚶. On this day, everyone will find their start line 👟.
For the taste buds, the start village delivers on its promises with crêpes, waffles and sandwiches at the refreshment stand 🥞. Just a couple of strides away, Plailly is home to the famous Parc Astérix 🎢—a tasty nod when you know the Gauls were already honouring Teutatès on the Montmélian hill. Literature lovers will step into the museum dedicated to François Mauriac, Nobel Prize in Literature winner in 1952. This museum is housed in the Château de la Motte, which is currently the town hall of Vémars 📚. To extend the weekend, hit the road and head to Chantilly. Yes, the cream sitting on your strawberries really is named after a town 🍦. Chantilly is more than just a can in the chilled aisle—you’ll also find a castle 😄, enough to turn recovery into a tasty stroll 😋.
By Toutatis, these runners are crazy: since 1979, they’ve been jostling at the Saint-Witz Half Marathon to devour the Vémars climb! 🤪
4 reasons to join this race
A word from the organiser:
"The Saint-Witz Half Marathon: as a teenager, it was a dream to run it, and today I’m proud to be its president. In 2011, this event obtained the regional label from the French Athletics Federation, a real reward for all those years of work and for all the volunteers who are there on race day. Back in 2024 after 4 years of interruption post-COVID 19, the Saint-Witz Half Marathon enjoyed huge success in 2025, but especially in 2026, with an explosion in the number of athletes to reach more than 2,500 participants of all ages who expressed how much they enjoyed taking part in this annual event to which they are so attached."
A distance for every taste
Half MarathonTOP
13.4 km
10.3 km
5 km
2.6 km
1.2 km
Kids
- Saturday, March 20, 2027
- Elevation gain : 228mD+
- 400+ runners in the last edition
- 1 loopx21.0975 km
A few more words
Start on rue de Paris, in the heart of Saint-Witz 🏘️. After a first kilometer through the village streets, the course dives into the woods of the Montmélian hill and drops about fifty meters down to Plailly 📉. Then it’s flat around the village and its church, where a refreshment station awaits you. Right after that, around the 4th km, the road kicks up along the forest: about 50 m to climb in one go, the key section of the loop 🌲. Once up there, you’ll head back down through the vast agricultural plains toward Vémars 🌾, on a long, fast stretch where the wind loves to mess with your pace 🍃. The return to Saint-Witz comes as a false flat uphill that nibbles away at your last strength 📈, all the way to the small path lined with ponds that leads to the finish line. The whole thing repeats twice: with 228 mD+ in total, the climb at the 4th km comes back to greet you around the 14th, right when your legs start to negotiate, before the final sprint 🏁.
13.4 km : Walking 13.4 km
Walking- Saturday, March 20, 2027
- 1 loopx13.4 km
A few more words
No stopwatch to keep an eye on at the Saint-Witz Walk: here, you lift your eyes from your watch to enjoy the scenery 🗺️. From Rue de Paris, the route leaves Saint-Witz through the woods of the Montmélian hill and gently descends toward Plailly, about sixty meters lower 🦔. After crossing the village, you'll take a wider path than the runners, on a big loop through the agricultural plains where the horizon stretches as far as the eye can see 🔭. Around the 7th km, a gradual climb brings you back to the edge of the forest, the only notable effort of the outing 🐢. The rest follows paths and small roads across the fields, near Vémars, before a gentle false flat uphill to reach the finish in Saint-Witz 🎯. No aid stations line the course: slip a water bottle and a few snacks into your bag; the finish-line stand will take over 🧃.
10.3 km : The 3 Villages
Road Running- Saturday, March 20, 2027
- Elevation gain : 110mD+
- 300+ runners in the last edition
- 1 loopx10.3 km
A few more words
A single loop, three villages: the "10.3 km of the 3 villages" lives up to its name 🚀. Starting from rue de Paris, you’ll leave Saint-Witz to dive into the woods of the Montmélian hill, a descent of about fifty meters that drops all the way to Plailly 🛝. After the refreshment stop at the church, the road climbs toward the 4th km along the forest: about 50 m to swallow in one go, the only real difficulty of the course 🪜. Then it’s onto a long, fast section through the agricultural plains to Vémars, where the wind will happily play party pooper 🪁. Two refreshment stops mark this stretch, between Plailly and Vémars and then in Vémars, with bananas and oranges to recharge the batteries 🍌. The last two kilometers climb on a false flat toward Saint-Witz, before the final sprint at the end of the little path lined with ponds 🥳. With 110 mD+, this rolling 10 km remains accessible, as long as you save a bit of juice for the climb at the 4th km.
5 km : Saint-Witz Circuit
Road Running- Saturday, March 20, 2027
- 100+ runners in the last edition
- 1 loopx5 km
A few more words
Short format, almost flat profile: the "Saint-Witz Circuit" has everything of a launchpad to nail a fast time over 5 km ⚡. From Rue de Paris, you’ll cross the residential neighborhoods of Saint-Witz on a gentle downhill before reaching the fields south of the village 🌱. A path then runs straight ahead between crops and rows of trees all the way to the outskirts of Vémars, the lowest point of the route, where you’ll turn around at the halfway mark 🪃. The return follows the same section, then veers onto a small path lined with ponds along the west side of the village 🐸. Only a slight false flat uphill over the last few hectometers comes to sting the calves before the finish, where refreshments await 🔥. A great gateway for a first race, as well as for regulars who want to test themselves without a hill to swallow.
2.6 km : The Youth Race
Road Running
1.2 km : The Children's Loop
Road Running- Saturday, March 20, 2027
- 1.2 km
Races for children / juniors 👶
3 children's courses are offered:
- A 2600 m race
- One of 1200 m
- One of 900 m
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
You can pick up your bib at the Pierre Salvi gymnasium, rue de Paris, 95470 Saint-Witz, during one of two time slots of your choice:
Friday 19 March 2027 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Saturday 20 March 2027 from 10:00 am
An identity document (ID card, passport or driving licence) or your licence is mandatory, including for minors. No bibs are sent by post. Walkers also pick up their bib at the gymnasium at the same times.
All events take place on Saturday 20 March 2027 in Saint-Witz:
For Éveil Athlétique (900 m): 1:00 pm
For the children's loop (1,200 m): 1:20 pm
For the youth race (2,600 m): 1:40 pm
For the Saint-Witz circuit (5 km): 2:00 pm
For the 10.3 km of the 3 villages: 2:30 pm
For the Saint-Witz walk (13.4 km): 2:40 pm, rue de Paris, by the Foyer Rural
For the Saint-Witz Half Marathon (21.1 km): 3:30 pm
The three children's races take place simultaneously in Saint-Witz, Plailly and Vémars. The races in Plailly and Vémars are managed by each municipality, with registration via the schools or at the town hall.
No, it is not required; however, you will need to present a PPS certificate dated less than one year before the race date.
The minimum age depends on the event:
For Éveil Athlétique: children born between 2018 and 2020
For the children's loop: children born in 2016 and 2017
For the youth race: children born between 2012 and 2015
For the Saint-Witz circuit (5 km): runners born in 2013 and earlier
For the 10.3 km of the 3 villages: runners born in 2010 and earlier
For the Saint-Witz Half Marathon: runners born in 2009 and earlier
For the Saint-Witz walk: adults, or over 16 with parental authorisation
The 2027 prices are as follows:
For Éveil Athlétique, Children's loop, Youth race: €2
For the Saint-Witz circuit (5 km): €8
For the 10.3 km of the 3 villages: €13
For the Saint-Witz Half Marathon: €21
For the Saint-Witz walk (13.4 km): €10
A €2 discount applies to FFA licence holders on the 5 km, the 10.3 km and the half marathon. To run multiple events, contact the organiser before registering to obtain a discount code. Registration is online only until Friday 19 March 2027. No on-site registration is possible.
Yes, there are cut-off times on the Saint-Witz Half Marathon:
1h30 at 10 km
2h10 at 15 km
3h to cross the finish line
You will find solid and liquid refreshments:
For the 10.3 km: 5 points—at Saint-Witz before the start line, at the church in Plailly, between Plailly and Vémars, in Vémars, and at the finish in Saint-Witz
For the half marathon: the same points on each of the two loops, with an additional station in Saint-Witz before the second loop
For the other races and the walk: refreshments at the finish
Drinks are served in cardboard cups. Sorting bins are set up after each aid station.
Your registration includes:
a medal for all finishers
electronic chip timing, except for Éveil Athlétique
aid stations along the 10.3 km and half-marathon courses, then at the finish of all races
Yes, bag drop and changing rooms will be provided by the organisation at the Pierre Salvi gymnasium:
bag drop upstairs, reserved for participants in the 5 km, 10.3 km and half marathon
accessible changing rooms; changing is only permitted in these areas
a few showers available, with no guarantee of hot water for everyone due to the crowds
If you still have questions, for any request to change race, email Adeochrono before 19 March 2027 at noon: adeochrono@gmail.com. For other questions, use the event’s official website.
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