Marathon des Gueules Noires

A marathon that doesn't just line up 42.195 km. Here, you cross a border, you change scenery, and you follow a common thread: running between France and Belgium.

The 42km.be connects Saint-Amand-les-Eaux to Hensies, with a clear idea: a direct line through the former mining lands, conceived as a tribute to those who shaped the region. A marathon simple in its principle, but loaded with meaning in what it tells.

Course focus:

The route connects France to Belgium over 42.195 km, passing through urban areas, greenways and sectors marked by the industrial past of the North.

The profile remains generally rolling, but not totally smooth. The course offers surges and some hilly sections, with passages that require staying focused if you want to maintain your pace.

You gradually advance towards Belgium crossing emblematic places: former mining sites, greenway sections, border municipalities. It's not spectacular scenery in the mountain sense — but it's terrain that has a real identity, with a clear reading of your effort from the first to the last kilometer.

Refreshment stations are distributed along the course and the time limit set at 5h30 leaves room to go all the way in good conditions.

5 (very) good reasons to come:

• A cross-border marathon — few events actually make you pass from one country to another while running
• A signature atmosphere — event conceived also as a moment to share, with entertainment, food trucks and living space at the finish
• A tribute anchored in the territory — race conceived around the history of the "Gueules Noires"
• Accessible in its format — open to runners, walkers and handisport
• Logistics designed for point A → point B — shuttles planned between start and finish to simplify your organization