More than four decades of history...
The idea for Marseille-Cassis was born 47 years ago, in spring 1979.
Created by André Giraud, who fell in love with the majestic landscape between Marseille and Cassis while regularly running along the La Gineste road with a friend as they trained for their next marathon.
Organised by SCO Ste Marguerite, with the support of the City of Cassis, the first edition took place on Sunday, October 28, 1979, in a light drizzle, thanks to the efforts of a few friends and their families, as well as local institutions, all more motivated than ever.
1st edition of Marseille-Cassis
Nearly 1,000 registered and more than 700 runners meet at the start of the Boulevard Sainte Marguerite, in front of the Bar des Sports which hosted at that time within it the omnisports club of the SCO Ste Marguerite.
After 22 kilometers of effort, the runners of the first edition arrive in the heart of the small village with Provençal charm, in front of the Town Hall of Cassis on the place Baragnon. Alain Angelvy and Fabienne Rai would forever remain its first winners.
In October 1980, the riders were ready for a second start from the Boulevard Michelet in Marseille. La Gineste is now closed to traffic and can accommodate the 1900 runners who are present.
In 1981, 2,500 runners headed for Cassis, with a new finish set up at the Stade du Pignier. This marked the beginning of the Marseille-Cassis half marathon and its 21.1-kilometre course.
The race, qualified as "International Classic" in 1987, quickly became a rendezvous for Sunday runners and chronos addicts who now make their entry on the Port of Cassis to cross the finish line. A new distance of 20.308 km is adopted.
Professional runners from European countries began gathering in Provence on the last Sunday of October, bringing the race its first international-level victories.
The road-racing phenomenon continued to grow, with participation increasing every year and reaching the milestone of 10,000 runners in 1988, for the tenth edition
In the 1990s, Marseille-Cassis became a springboard for leading international participants, determined to win the race or set foot on the road of La Gineste whose course is recognized as demanding and serves as a reference.
Each year, new athletes from different countries, especially from the African highlands, race for the first time on the climb of La Gineste and break records.
For its fifteenth edition, Marseille-Cassis welcomed 12,000 participants.
The 2000s brought a new boom and an additional dynamic to the race through ever more important media coverage.
Marseille-Cassis was broadcast for the first time live on television on France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in 2005.
With extensive, multi-channel coverage provided by long-standing media partners such as La Provence and France Bleu Provence, alongside many other media outlets, Marseille-Cassis could now be followed near and far by runners’ friends and family and passionate sports fans alike.
A new milestone for the event, with 15,000 runners taking part.
What once took weeks soon took just days: everyone was scrambling for Marseille-Cassis bibs, which by the 2010s were sometimes snapped up within just a few hours.
A new 20-kilometre distance was adopted. The race now had an official format recognised by the national athletics authorities, opening up new performance opportunities for runners seeking qualifying times.
Priority starting corrals, based on runners’ target times, were introduced, giving record-seekers the chance to start in a favourable position in a race whose field continued to grow year after year.
It was in 2015, on the 19.6-kilometre course, that Kenyan Edwin Kipyego set the men’s record for the event in 57'18".
Construction work in the usual start area in Marseille forced the organisers to exceptionally shorten the course by 400 metres, bringing it to 19.6 kilometres. As the shortest distance in the race’s history, this edition remained memorable for many runners who achieved their best times.
For the 39th edition, 17,000 participants take off over a distance of 20 kilometers. Big change for the race whose finish leaves the port of Cassis to be done on the heights of the city in the middle of the vineyards on the Avenue des Albizzi.That same year, Edith Chelimo set the women’s course record in 1:05:58.
In 2019, for Marseille-Cassis’ 40th anniversary, no fewer than 20,000 participants once again took on the challenge.
After the truce imposed by the health crisis in 2020, the race is quickly regaining success and maintaining its popularity rating. Two years later, in 2022, Marseille-Cassis is once again full with no less than 20,000 registered. The craze for the great historical classic of running is still intact, like in 2024 when registrations for the 45th edition closed within just a few hours.
This decade is also marked by new commitments on the environmental and solidarity front.
Starting in 2021, the race supports several major national causes: the Work of the Sapeurs‐Pompiers' Wards, Pure Ocean for the protection of marine biodiversity, awareness about organ donation, and the fight against breast cancer through the "Rose Challenge". (Paoli‐Calmettes Institute research program), as well as the fight against cystic fibrosis with the On’Tchao association.
The race is also committed to a more sustainable future by opting for eco-responsible actions and raising awareness of environmental respect.
Marseille-Cassis takes a new turn and AG2R LA MONDIALE becomes the title partner for the next three years.
In 2026, the race’s solidarity programme evolved with the creation of Marseille-Cassis Solidaire, supporting four organisations committed to four different causes: women’s rights with Maison des femmes Marseille Provence, the environment with Sauvage Méditerranée, inclusion with Sport dans la Ville, and health with Fondation Ambroise Paré - Hôpital Européen.
That same year, the organisers strengthened their environmental commitment by launching more sustainable initiatives and awareness-raising actions.
More than 64 different countries and nationalities
From runners from Marseille and Cassis to participants from around the world, more than 64 countries and nationalities from every continent are now represented in the field.
After all these years, the calendar now features one date like no other, forever marked: the last Sunday of October. In the heart of autumn, it is the annual meeting point for regulars and for everyone who loves not only running, but above all a one-of-a-kind course linking Marseille and Cassis.