Eiffel Tower Vertical and Paris Marathon: the spring challenges

Sports enthusiasts, it's time to plan your stay at the Hotel Les Tournelles Paris! The Eiffel Tower Vertical, that formidable climbing race, will present a daunting challenge for even the fittest runners in March. Then, in early April, the famous Paris Marathon will bring together runners and spectators from all over the world.

The Eiffel Tower Vertical; the goal is the summit!

This unique and highly demanding race certainly throws down the gauntlet of challenge to its participants. The objective is to attain the summit of the world’s most visited monument as quickly as possible by ascending its 1665 step open-air iron stairway, which is, thankfully, cleared of tourists for the occasion! The 279-metre climbing race against the clock takes place at night.

Organised every year since 2015, the Eiffel Tower Vertical has joined the other successful vertical races taking place around the world, such as that of the Empire State Building in New York (86 floors and 1576 steps). For the 2017 edition, Poland's Pyotr Lobodzinski distinguished himself by climbing the tower in 7 minutes and 54 seconds, while the women’s race was won by the Australian Suzy Walsham, who reached the top in 9 minutes and 34 seconds. It’s a wonder they didn’t get there in the same state as the Tower ... on all fours!

On March 15th the Iron Lady will play host to 129 athletes (symbolising the number of years of the Tower’s existence). To attend the start, get to the foot of the tower by 20:30!

Paris Marathon, crossing Paris at a run

This famous 42.195 km running event has taken place annually in the streets of Paris since 1976, and this year will continue the grand tradition when the city hosts the 42nd edition on April 8th, 2018. The Paris Marathon offers the runners a wonderful opportunity to combine personal challenge with discovering one of the world’s loveliest cities! This marathon is now one of the biggest in the world in terms of participants (around 50,000), nationalities (140) and great sporting performances.

The start of the race is scheduled for 8:30 on the Champs-Elysées. The runners head downhill and around the Place de la Concorde, then turn into the Rue de Rivoli. The route takes in the Place de la Bastille and makes a loop of the Bois de Vincennes on the eastern edge of Paris, later following the Seine and heading to the Bois de Boulogne before the grand finish on the Avenue Foch. A muscular itinerary that will include the most beautiful Parisian monuments and landmarks. Who, if anyone, will beat the 2017 twin triumph of the Kenyan couple Paul Lonyangata (2h 6m 10s) and his wife Purity Rionoripo (2h 20m 50s), setting a new record for the event ... Find out the answer on April 8th, 2018.

Photo credit : Official website of the event