Beautiful days are coming back, you took your running shoes in your suitcase and you are not very sure where to start? Paris can offer you a nice workout in a wonderful scenery!
Rather Flat, but not too much… Ready for action?
Here are my personal top 3 paths in town.
From King to emperor
Itinerary
From place des Victoires in district 2, take Rue Croix des petits Champs, turn left and enter Palais Royal Garden, admire flowers, and take a chance to do a few squats on Buren’s columns, leave the garden by the French Comedy side, looking carefully you might see the masks of Comedy and Tragedy cheering you up .
Run straight to the Louvre, in the Royal Courtyard, by the pyramid, turn left toward Tuileries Garden.
At half distance from Concorde square (that you see straight in front of you in the distance) turn left and take the footbridge Léopold Sedar Senghor, cross the river and enjoy that wonderful view over the Seine, city island and Orsay Museum (not too fast, this bridge can be slippery when it is wet).
Go down on the other side of the bridge to reach the river bank, now all pedestrian and run along the river toward the Eiffel tower (not till there for this short run).
Come back up by Bridge Alexander the Third, enjoy the beauty of genies and statues.
Take Avenue du General Gallieni in front of you and run to Les Invalides!
Finish stretching on the grass in front of Napoleon who feel very proud of you at that precise moment!
This very enjoyable run is very scenic, you pass by Palais Royal, Louvre, Tuileries, Seine River, Orsay Museum, Alexander the Third bridge and les Invalides.
Easy, not long and flat. Thanks to recent town planning you are not going to cross that many roads and be pretty far from city agitation.
Estimated distance : 4K
2. Run in the city
Feeling like window shopping and working this booty in same time? Easy, a run going up and down in the “Golden Triangle” of Paris.
Itinerary
Start on Concorde square et run up the Champs Elysées, just point the Arch, slowly by the garden first, sprint to cross streets and add interval training this way! Always straight, a few great shops are helping you to keep the pace: dresses, macarons (No we don’t stop!), shoes, coats, …
By an extremely famous French brand of purses, just have a look at their window, tease people lining forever there and turn left on avenue George V.
Let’s go down now! Ouch ours legs!
Some wonderful hotels, le prince de Galles, Georges V Four Seasons, Nop we don’t fall asleep in warm perfumed bedsheets, Keep on running to Place de l’Alma, the gold flame is reminding us the tragic accident of Lady Diana.
Let’s turn on gorgeous avenue Montaigne, just to be sure that we missed nothing for our future shopping: Dior, Chanel, Jimmy, YSL, they are all there! They were just waiting for you.
Back to the roundabout of Champs Elysées, end of workout, let's finish walking a few minutes to Jeff Koons Tulips offered recently by the artist to Paristo commemorate victims of terrorist attacks.
Let’s stretch by flowers to help our brain to select the best boutiques of this morning selection.
Still possible to run back to Plaza Athénée for once in a life time breakfast with amazing pastries of Chef Michalak.
This window shopping is excellent for developing strength and muscles. Slaloming between shoppers and their bags will work your legs, energy and capacity of resistance to the attraction for a pair of shoes.
The avenues are wide and south side of Champs Elysées avenue (left with the Arch of Triomphe facing you) is not too busy and most of time on shade.
Estimated distance : 4K
Caution: Perfect look requested for this run! (I'm waiting for pictures...)
3. Run through the centuries
You want to feel the city, centuries, historic characters moving with you on every step? Follow this longer run!
Itinerary
Start in front of the Hotel de Ville and go down on the riverbanks, stay on right bank of the river Seine for the moment, run toward west and discover City Island, Notre Dame’s cathedral bell towers, the Conciergerie fortress, pass under le Pont Neuf the oldest bridge of Paris, you can take the tunnel and end up by the Louvre or stay along the water, more tricky for your ankles but a way nicer feeling.
Cross the river by the Léopold Sedar Senghor footbridge, still slippery, so be careful!
And reach the left bank of the river, you can now run the all distance to the Eiffel tower, on your way so many wonderful monuments will come such as le Grand Palais, Alexander the Third bridge, Invalides, Musée du Quai Branly and its gorgeous façade of flowers, and of course finally the Iron Lady : la tour Eiffel.
What a jump through Paris history, from middle ages to modern times and big World Fairs.
All this run is on flat terrain and with no traffic along the way.
Estimated ditance : 7K
You can adapt it too!
Ambitious people would add a whole tour around Champs de Mars, and stretch on the grass facing the tower.
More ambitious people would cross Iena Bridge in front of the tower and do all the way back under the trees of right bank.
People caring about details would wave at tourist boats with their 2 hands to add some work out for upper side of body.
😉 Wherever you can run, you can also walk, or pedal, or use an electric scooter (with caution).
Afraid of feeling lonely along the way?
Many great running races are organized from March to November, for all levels.
For 5k, inspired by the party of holy in India, a battle of pigments to celebrate spring. Big party at the end in front of Eiffel tower on rhythm of DJ’s. The best ambience on this improvised dance floor and a bunch of great pics.
Usually taking place in March or beginning April. Ready to welcome spring in Paris?
Personal advice: No cab will be so happy to take you back covered of pigments to your hotel, better plan the metro!
5, 7 or 10 K, for a lady’s race, so plenty of girls, but also men dressed as girls, music bands, and a village down the Eiffel tower for 3 days in September. All for medical research about breast cancer. Inscriptions are open for next September!
Of course, for the brave…
42 K of pleasure (some would say), more than 50 000 runners from everywhere in the world. End by the Arch of Triomphe! Great day for supporters too.
Plan to be in town minimum the day before to take your tracker and bag of goodies in Porte de Versailles exhibition hall.
Searching for a guide to take you through the city? Mixing work out and cultural, have a look at my web site, some tours might interest you...
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