Marathon Beneva de Québec

In the picturesque narrow streets, along centuries-old fortifications and the waters of the Saint-Charles River and the St. Lawrence River 🌊, unfolds, in September, a flagship event: the September 🎒, the flagship event: the Québec Beneva Marathon 🏃‍♀️! It offers not only the mythical distance of 42,195 km, but also a half marathon, a 10 km and a 5 km 😯. No need for snowshoes in autumn, but rather a good pair of sneakers and a big dose of energy 🔋 because there is a bit of elevation around here (yes, the views are earned 🤷): 315 meters on the marathon and 185 meters on the half. One thing’s certain: you’ll understand why Québec City has two neighborhoods referred to as Upper Town and Lower Town! 😂

Aaaah, Québec… the name of the Canadian province alone evokes long snowy winters, dogsleds 🐺 carving their path across vast pristine plains, rogue bears 🧸 (don’t worry, you won’t meet any 😅), pancakes drizzled with maple syrup (yummy 🤤), French founder Jacques Cartier, the famous razor-sharp accent… and a vocabulary full of false friends! 😛 Here, defending the Québécois French is a true religion (amen)! Even the stop signs are translated into French and the famous hot dogs are... dogs hot! (🐶🔥 lol) The provincial capital, also named Québec, still flaunts a 'old Europe' vibe that French people love 🇫🇷. Québec architecture and history are so remarkable that UNESCO inscribed the city as a World Heritage site! 🌍 If you sprint through this city of 600,000 people, calm but charming, you won’t get bored! 😌

That said, the Québec Marathon route doesn’t just wind through two neighborhoods; it offers a condensed tour of the city’s most beautiful sights across three boroughs and an astonishing nine neighborhoods 🤯. Measured to international standards and awarded “Gold” by the Quebec Athletics Federation, the event starts from the Exposition Park, Trade Show Centre and quickly reaches the riverbank of the Saint-Charles River 🌊. It goes without saying that your route will depend on which race you choose. And obviously, the longer you run, the more you’ll see! 😉 But to give you an idea (and inspiration), you’ll especially get to enjoy the Victoria Park 👑, the Abraham Plains (one of the world's largest urban parks), the Anse-à-Cartier Park and the Pointe-aux-Lièvres 🐰. It’s safe to say you’ll see green on this September day 🌳 (though perhaps a bit of orange too 🍂😏). There will also be blue along your path 🔵, thanks to the frozen Saint-Laurent River Saint-Laurent River. For the city, routes will take you through iconic neighborhoods such as the Lower Town, the Old Limoilou or the Old Quebec. While wandering through Québec City’s historic heart, you’ll see some of the province’s most beautiful monuments: the Hôtel-Dieu, the Notre-Dame Basilica ⛪, the Château Frontenac 🏰, the Parliament Hôtel, Saint-Louis Gate or the Citadelle 😍.

And after the effort, comfort! How about treating yourself to a good poutine and taking it to the Observatoire de la Capitale? 🥡🕶 The spectacular panorama over the entire city will surely make you want to explore more and maybe plan a shopping session in the city’s trendy neighborhoods 💸. And if you want to enjoy more of the region’s wild nature, you can go admire Montmorency Falls.In short, get ready, put on your toque: you’ll need to sprint to the registration platform to stand a chance at snagging a bib! 🤞