Since Anne Hidalgo announced that she would not run for re-election in 2026 at the beginning of the year, the race for the Mayor of Paris is definitely on! After proposing earlier this year to drastically increase the number of pedestrian streets, candidate Emmanuel Grégoire, former first deputy of our beloved mayor, is back with a new and quite original proposal. As an enthusiastic jogger, he has decided to take on a monument: the Paris Marathon.
50 years and major changes
In a column published on the site of Huffpost, Emmanuel Grégoire revealed
It's his will to use the Paris ring road as the next stage of the Paris Marathon. A « political and urban gesture for the potential future mayor, who hopes to redefine the image of the ring road, which is often criticized by both its users and local residents. This decision breaks the mold as the race, launched in 1976, is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary.Le Marathon de Paris @parismarathon, c'est aujourd'hui ! 🏃♂️🏃🏃♀️
— Mairie du 12e (@Mairie12Paris) April 13, 2025
Les coureurs partent dans 30 minutes et vont traverser 7 arrondissements de Paris dont le 12ème.
Voici les restrictions de circulation et de stationnement mises en place par la @prefpolice
👉https://t.co/VnyOwb5XMq pic.twitter.com/coTPlmeaJl
For Grégoire, this measure is part of a desire to enhance the image of this road, but also aims to stop viewing it as a barrier between Paris and surrounding cities, and instead see it as a connection between the capital and Greater Paris. He even goes so far as to draw a parallel with the Seine, which is becoming a giant swimming pool, the candidate wants to transform the ring surrounding Paris into a place to walk, bike, and run through. In short, the project is clear: to make it a shared, peaceful, green space – a place of breathing, not suffocation.
A setting that is likely to spark debate
Well, on paper, we can understand the motivations behind this wish, which would mark a major upheaval in the history of the périphérique, entirely deserted of cars. This is great news for the
Mon premier marathon de Paris.
Une expérience incroyable, une foule dingue, une organisation parfaite et un parcours magique.
Probablement la plus belle course de ma vie ☺️ pic.twitter.com/XMsntMlHhS