The HOKA Semi de Paris is the city's half marathon, with around 40,000 runners on the first Sunday of March. It is organised by Cadence Running United, which also runs the Paris Marathon, and no two editions are the same: the course changes every year to take runners through different streets and neighbourhoods, with the aim of covering all 20 Paris arrondissements over four editions.
Entry is by lottery. It is free to enter, stays open for about three weeks in September, and your chances are the same whatever day you apply. Around 110,000 runners entered the most recent draw, for at least 35,000 general places and 1,000 reduced-price Gateway places. For the official entry and all details, head to the HOKA Semi de Paris website.
Key dates
- Lottery WindowExpected Sep 2027
- Race dayMar 7, 2027
Windows are shown to the month until the organiser confirms them. Subscribers get the exact day, by email, on the morning it opens.
This year's lottery has closed. The next window is expected Sep 2027. Set up a BibsAlert now and we'll email you the moment the Paris Half Marathon lottery reopens, so next time you're first in instead of locked out.
How to enter the Paris Half Marathon
Most places are allocated through a free lottery, with charity, corporate and reduced-price routes alongside it and an official resale platform once the draw is done.
1. Lottery
Enter online on the official lottery platform during the September window. It is free to enter and you must turn 18 by the end of the race year. Only one entry per person is allowed, and duplicate entries can void all of them. The day and time you apply make no difference to your chances. You can enter alone or as a team of 2 to 6 people: if one member is selected in a draw, the whole team is. Results go out by email from the start of October, and selected runners have 72 hours to register and pay the 79 euro General Entry Fee, after which the place is offered to another runner. If places remain, further draws are held and then a waiting list is drawn, and runners who were not selected stay in them automatically. Holders of a valid FFA licence pay 75.05 euros.
Your right to register is personal and cannot be passed to someone else, and the bib is personal too: the only way to take over another runner's entry is the official resale platform below.
2. Gateway Race Bib (Dossard Passerelle)
1,000 places are set aside at 25 euros for runners who receive the RSA or AAH, hold a CROUS need-based grant, or are registered as jobseekers with France Travail. Answer yes to the Gateway question when you enter the lottery and upload the matching proof: if it is accepted, you go into a single separate draw for these places, and if you are not drawn or the proof is not accepted, your entry moves into the general lottery.
3. Charity Entries
The Dossards engagés programme guarantees a place without the lottery. Choose one of more than 50 partner charities on the dedicated platform and send a short application, which the charity accepts or declines. If accepted, you pay a 40 euro participation fee, which is not refundable and does not count towards your fundraising, then raise at least 210 euros in donations. Your place is confirmed once you reach that minimum. If you do not, the charity can cancel your entry and give the bib to another runner.
4. Corporate Entries
Companies can enter their employees through a dedicated registration track. Details and a contact form are on the official Corporate Entries page.
5. Official Resale
An official resale platform opens in December 2026, letting you safely buy an entry from another runner.
6. Tour Operators
Partner tour operators are set to offer travel packages that include a race entry, plus services to help plan your stay in Paris.
The course
The HOKA Semi de Paris has no fixed route: the course changes every year, and each edition's map is revealed in the months before race day.
- Distance: 21.0975 km (13.1 miles)
Start, finish and start time are announced with each year's course.
The organisers aim to run through all 20 Paris arrondissements over four editions, so each year brings different neighbourhoods and a different way through the city. Expect a real mix of terrain: riverbanks, wide avenues, neighbourhood streets and squares, with climbs, false flats, long straights and cobblestones along the way. Refreshment stations, medical assistance and runner services are set up on the course and at the finish.
Why run the Paris Half Marathon?
- A new course every year: no two editions follow the same route, so even regulars see new streets.
- All of Paris, edition by edition: the organisers aim to cover all 20 arrondissements over four editions.
- A distance to race: the organisers pitch the half as a course to chase your time, not just a long run.
- Run for a cause: more than 50 partner charities offer guaranteed places through the Dossards engagés programme.
Didn't get in?
If you weren't selected in the Paris Half Marathon lottery, you still have options:
- Charity entries: Many official charity partners offer guaranteed places in exchange for fundraising commitments. Check the official website for partner organizations.
- Wait for the extra draws: if places remain after the first draw, further draws are held and then a waiting list is drawn, and runners who were not selected stay in them automatically. Keep an eye on your inbox and spam folder.
- Use the official resale platform: from December 2026, you can safely buy an entry from another runner on the organiser's own platform.
- Run for charity: the Dossards engagés programme has no draw. Get accepted by one of more than 50 partner charities, pay the 40 euro participation fee and raise at least 210 euros.
- Ask your employer: companies can enter their employees through the official Corporate Entries track.
- Avoid unofficial bibs: the right to register and the bib itself are personal, so the official resale platform is the only way to take over a place.
- Try a similar race: Check the related races below for races with similar entry types, dates, or locations.
- Apply again next year: Set up a BibsAlert so you don't miss the next entry window.
Questions runners ask
What are the chances of getting into the Paris Half Marathon?
Approximately 33%. This figure is based on the most recent edition, odds vary year to year as application volume changes.
Is the Paris Half Marathon a lottery?
Yes. The HOKA Semi de Paris allocates its places through a free lottery that stays open for about three weeks in September. Only one entry per person is allowed and duplicate entries can void all of them. The day and time you apply make no difference to your chances.
How much does the Paris Half Marathon cost?
The General Entry Fee is 79 euros, paid only if you are selected and confirm your place. Eligible runners can apply for a Gateway Race Bib (Dossard Passerelle) at 25 euros, and holders of a valid FFA licence pay 75.05 euros.
What happens if I am selected in the lottery?
Results go out by email from the start of October. You then have 72 hours to register and buy your bib, after which the place is offered to another runner. Your selection is personal and cannot be passed to someone else, and the bib is personal too: the official resale platform is the only way to take over another runner's entry.
Can I enter the lottery with friends?
Yes. You can enter as a team of 2 to 6 people. If one member is selected in a draw, the whole team is, but places offered later from the waiting list go to individuals only. On race day everyone runs at their own pace.
Can I still get a place if I am not selected?
Yes. Further draws and then a waiting list are held if places remain, and you stay in them automatically. You can also run for one of the partner charities, enter through your company, or buy an entry on the official resale platform, which opens in December 2026.
Looking ahead
The lottery opens in early September and stays open until the end of the month, about six months before race day. Results go out by email from the start of October, and selected runners have 72 hours to confirm and pay. Set up a BibsAlert to get notified when the next lottery opens.