La Parisienne: Women-Only Races And Walks In Paris

Looking for a fun and unique way to spend an October weekend in Paris? If you’re a woman, you should definitely check out La Parisienne-a women-only 10km race with free workshops and activities throughout the weekend. Not a big runner? There’s also a 7km run or 7km walking competition to enjoy!

This was the beginning of my 39th trip to France. It began in Paris and ended two weeks later in Toulouse! I covered 1000 km and saw so many beautiful villages and had many more unique experiences. Here’s a link to my itinerary: Trip #39 to France: Autumn Adventures In Paris And Occitanie.

1. The 10km La Parisienne Race

(a) Registering For The Race

I’ve got some great news! It’s actually really easy to enter a French race these days. As I described in this post, “PPS: New Medical Certificate for Paris Marathon & French Races” more and more races in France are no longer requiring you to submit a doctor’s certificated to enter. It was a hassle getting the note and paying for it, but now, you just need to make sure you’re healthy enough to participate. No extra cost and very fast confirmation.

In addition to the 10K race that I entered, there’s also a 7K race and 7K walk. I loved the race itself, but I also really enjoyed also the opportunity to take part in ongoing activities (workouts). The entry fee to ranged from 25€ to 47€ (depending on when you registered) and yes, I got a t-shirt, swag, and medal.

(b) Weather

The weather in October can be pretty nice with cool mornings and evenings but pleasant during the day. But it can be unpredictable too. Just make sure to pack layers!  It was cloudy and chilly the weekend of the race, around 13° C, but luckily, it didn’t rain. I regretted wearing a jacket because I got too warm, but I was glad I had it afterward because I got cold. I should’ve just checked my jacket and grabbed it at the finish line.

(c) Race Theme

The 2024 theme for La Parisienne was “Flower Power,” and it was all about embracing the 1960s vibe. The organizers even encouraged participants to dress like they were from that era, with “peace and love” vibes everywhere. At the race village, which was located at Stade Emile Anthoine, there were giant displays promoting the theme. People were taking tons of selfies and photos with these super colourful and amusing inflatables.

(d) Race Village

I picked up my race kit at the village, which included an orange t-shirt, snacks, and samples. The medal they gave out at the end of the race was cute, fitting the “Flower Power” theme.

Around the perimeter were food trucks, booths selling sports gear and nutrition, and pop-up stores selling women’s products. They even gave out free samples and coffee.

2. La Parisienne Race Weekend

The La Parisienne race began in 1997 and has been taking place in Paris for the past 27 years. Their main goal is to empower women, promote the benefits of sports for women, and support women’s health and well-being. A healthy body and a healthy mind, right?

(a) Weekend Program

The village had entertainment and sports activities on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There were singers, fit boxing, body jam, cardio workouts, Pilates, and yoga. The only paid workshop was for yoga, which I signed up for.

(b) Yoga By The Eiffel Tower

Yoga took place in the open-air field of the race village, with the Eiffel Tower towering over us. It was the day before the race and was open to men and women for just 10€.

Yes, I brought my yoga mat to France. I really debated if I should bring it or just a towel. In hindsight a yoga towel would have been fine and certainly less of a hassle leaving me more room in my suitcase.

There were a few hundred people who took part in this 1.25-hour activity that was led by Elodie Garamond, author, podcaster, and creator of Tigre Yoga Club and certified pilates teacher, Lugdivine Meytre.

Although their instructions were in French, the yoga poses were universal, so I just followed what everyone else was doing. Unfortunately, it started raining about halfway through the event. That’s the downside of participating in an outdoor event in October…the weather can be unpredictable. I left early because the rain was too heavy, even though I was wearing a rain jacket.

This was my 7th race in Paris. If you’re interested in doing a race in France, check out my other races in this post: Running In France: Exceptional Marathons And Races.

3. What I Liked And Didn’t Like About La Parisienne

(a) Liked

Focus On Women

The atmosphere around La Parisienne during race weekend is incredibly uplifting. It’s all about women supporting women with activities, products and resources dedicated to women. I have only done races with both men and women, so looking out at the sea of women gathered at the staring line was truly inspiring.

The Race Course

I really enjoyed the route of the La Parisienne race. Some of the places we passed by and the streets we ran on were really cool. I love starting at the Eiffel Tower, running along the Seine River, through Place de la Concorde, and crossing Pont Bir Hakeim—one of the best places to take photos of the Eiffel Tower.

The race begins at the Eiffel Tower and follows a scenic route along the Seine River, along famous roads like Avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Champs-Élysées, through Place de la Concorde, along Rue de Rivoli, past the Louvre Pyramid, and crossing Pont Alexandre III and Pont Bir Hakeim before seeing the finish line at Stade Emile Anthoine.

Throughout the race, there was a lot of support, not just from families and well wishers yelling out, “Bon Courage”,  but also from many bands and singers. It kept everyone’s spirits up and gave us the energy to keep moving to the finish line!

(b) Didn’t Like

I should preface by saying that I would run this race again without hesitation. I’m just pointing out a few things about the race that are actually typical for many races in Paris.

Cobblestones

Like many other races in Paris, running on cobblestones is inevitable. It’s Paris, after all! The city is old and cobblestone streets are just one of the things that makes it so special. I’m just not crazy about running on cobblestones. My biggest fear is slipping, especially if it is raining or has rained. So you just have to be extra careful.

Bottlenecks

Supposedly there were 20,000 participants the entire weekend with about 7600 in the 10km race. There were start corrals, where runners were grouped based on their estimated finish time. This facilitated an easier start so each group left at designated times.  The beginning of the race, however, was still crowded and slow. There just wasn’t an opportunity to run fast until many minutes into the race.

Like all the other races I’ve done in Paris (like the Paris Marathon, the Semi-Marathon de Paris, and the 20km de Paris), there were bottlenecks when the course narrowed or when runners entered tunnels. Everyone slowed down! So if you’re looking to get your fastest time, you might not be able to do it.

Accessing The Start Line

At the best of times, the area around the Eiffel Tower is pretty busy, but on race day, it’s crazy! The race starts at the Eiffel Tower, and many roads and pathways are closed. Getting to the race can take longer than usual.

You just have to build this into when you’ll leave your hotel to get to the start. The volunteers at the race village were super helpful in giving advice and clarifying what roads would be open or closed on race day. And they spoke English if you needed to speak in English!

Water

I was really surprised there was only one water station, located at the 6 km mark with  bananas and water. I realize it was only a 10km race, but I expected perhaps one more station. I was glad I brought extra water. At the finish line there was more water and fruit bars.

Intrigued enough to consider running this race? The date for next year’s La Parisienne race hasn’t been confirmed yet, although it’s usually mid-October. If it’s like this year, they’ll probably announce it mid-December.

Here is a link to the race website: https://la-parisienne.net/

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