On the occasion of the 2026 edition of MARSEILLE-CASSIS – AG2R LA MONDIALE, SCO Ste Marguerite, the event's organizing association, launched Marseille-Cassis Solidaire on May 4th, combining a sporting challenge with civic engagement. This initiative allows participants to secure a spot in the race while supporting a cause of general interest through a charity fundraising model.
Inspired by major Anglo-Saxon marathons like London or New York, Marseille-Cassis Solidaire aims to strengthen the event's social impact and provide long-term support to the local non-profit network in Provence. For this inaugural edition, 1,000 charity bibs were made available, with each Marseille-Cassis Solidaire participant committing to raise a minimum of €200 for one of the 4 beneficiary associations of the 2026 program.
4 CHARITIES, 4 CAUSES
For this first edition, four associations committed to the Provence territory have been selected, each one embodying a key cause and the values of the event:
 LA MAISON DES FEMMES – WOMEN'S RIGHTS & SUPPORT
Provides comprehensive care and medical support to female victims of violence, helping them on their journey to recovery. |
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 SAUVAGE MÉDITERRANÉE – THE ENVIRONMENT Works to preserve marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean by combining awareness campaigns, waste recycling, and low-tech solutions. |
Works to ensure accessible healthcare for all residents of Marseille and is committed every day to fighting inequalities in access to care. |
SPORT DANS LA VILLE – 
FONDATION AMBROISE PARÉ / 
HÔPITAL EUROPÉEN - HEALTHCAREA POWERFUL MOMENTUM: OVER €125,000 ALREADY RAISED
Launched on May 4th for a six-month campaign, Marseille-Cassis Solidaire is already making headlines. In just two months—one-third of the way through—the mobilization is well underway, driven by a great wave of generosity, and over 50% of this inaugural year's goal has already been achieved:
THE PROJECT PHILOSOPHY: RUNNING FOR ONESELF, RUNNING FOR OTHERS
Marseille-Cassis Solidaire was born out of a core conviction: that sport can be a powerful driver of solidarity, visibility, and collective mobilization.
As a result, Marseille-Cassis Solidaire enables each participant:
- To give extra meaning to their race
- To support a cause close to their heart
- To rally their friends and family around a positive challenge
- And to contribute to concrete initiatives across the region
In just two months, the initiative has proven its ability to build connections, foster widespread engagement, and provide fresh visibility to the charities working on the ground every day.
A friendly gathering took place between representatives of the 4 charities and leaders of SCO Ste Marguerite on June 22, 2026, at the sports club's headquarters.
THE NEXT STEPS
The mobilization will continue all summer long and into the fall, featuring key events alongside the charities to keep fundraisers energized, building momentum right up until October 25th.
TESTIMONIALS
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Laurence Fischer - Ambassador for La Maison des Femmes Marseille Provence
A three-time karate world champion, Laurence led a 15-year international career combining athletic performance, teaching, and social commitment. In 2017, she founded Fight for Dignity, a pioneering NGO dedicated to adapting sport to trauma recovery. Since 2022, she has been working in close collaboration with La Maison des Femmes Marseille Provence. "I am a child of Marseille—I grew up here and spent my entire sporting career here. I have already run the Marseille-Cassis race twice. I am deeply convinced of the power of sport and its ability to help people live healthier lives. That is why I founded the NGO Fight for Dignity. Before La Maison des Femmes in Marseille became the beautiful facility that opened in 2025, Fight for Dignity was already offering karate workshops to women back in 2022. We have been working in close collaboration ever since, and I am so proud that we are moving forward hand in hand and supporting one another. It's even better with running shoes on, so I am thrilled to be an ambassador for La Maison des Femmes Marseille Provence for Marseille-Cassis Solidaire 2026!" |
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Noémie Espanet, Charity Runner supporting Sauvage Méditerranée "I am becoming a charity runner for Sauvage Méditerranée to put environmental protection back at the heart of our priorities. This race is a personal challenge with a collective impact: every donation raised becomes a concrete action to make a difference. |
Cyril De Cazalet, President of Fondation Ambroise Paré - Hôpital Européen "At the Hôpital Européen, we welcome patients every day whose life paths make accessing healthcare more difficult. Through the Fondation Ambroise Paré - Hôpital Européen, we take action to foster a more humane, accessible, and supportive healthcare system. By participating in Marseille-Cassis Solidaire, each runner plays an active role in this collective commitment. Every donation and every kilometer covered directly contributes to supporting patients, healthcare workers, and prevention initiatives across our region." |
Lilou, Supported by Sport dans la Ville and benefiting from the association's initiatives thanks to donations "With Sport dans la Ville, I do sports sessions every Wednesday morning, workshops on professional workplace culture, and trips with other young people... I'm also working on getting my driver's license, and I've updated my resume. During my time with the program, I completed a preparatory course to explore careers in social work, which really helped me define my professional goals." |
