Choosing between Paris Marathon and Zhengzhou Marathon? This page puts the essentials side by side — next race date, elevation, typical weather, field size, and entry difficulty — with a short overview of each course below.
The headline differences between both races. Follow each marathon link for the full route map, elevation chart, and entry details.
| Detail | Paris Marathon | Zhengzhou Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 4 April 2027 at 8:30 am | Sunday, 18 October 2026 at 7:00 am |
| Elevation | Mostly flat with gentle undulations - approx. 42m above sea level. ↑ 164 m · ↓ 157 m · net +7 m | Very flat - approx. 104m above sea level. ↑ 50 m · ↓ 50 m · net 0 m |
| Typical weather | Cool to mild and humid spring | Mild autumn |
| Typical participants | Approximately 54k finishers | Approximately 36k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Moderate | Competitive |
The Paris Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 54k finishers on an urban road in Paris, France. The course starts on the Champs-Élysées near the Arc de Triomphe and finishes on Avenue Foch. The route passes Place de la Bastille, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Bois de Vincennes. Mostly flat with gentle undulations; no major hills or cobblestone sections.
The Zhengzhou Marathon attracts approximately 36k finishers each October through Henan province's transport hub on the Yellow River. The course links the Zhengdong New Area CBD towers, Erqi Memorial Tower, and the Songshan foothills approach on wide Henan boulevards. October's mild central-China weather and a largely flat profile make it one of the country's fastest major mass-participation marathons.
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