North Pole
Marathon^®

Participants should arrive in Paris or Longyearbyen on July 26, 2027, one day before embarkation. Optional round-trip group flights between Paris and Longyearbyen are available at an additional cost.

On July 27, participants joining the group flight will fly from Paris to Longyearbyen (approximately 4.5 hours). Upon arrival, enjoy a short excursion in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost territorial capital.

Runners arranging their own travel to Longyearbyen will meet the group directly at embarkation.

The largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, its name meaning “pointed mountains” in German, Spitsbergen is the last piece of land before the Arctic ice floe. Aboard your ship, you will sail along the extremely spectacular coastline of this icy land. Between millennial glaciers and rugged mountains, you will discover a jagged coastline, hollowed-out by fjords. A unique setting, the refuge of a particularly rich avifauna, offering you the possibility of taking fabulous photographs from the deck of your ship.

Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

We will host the official North Pole Marathon briefing and distribute runner packets. At the same time, the North Pole  Forum^™ will begin, featuring keynote presentations from professors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and other thought leaders. Together, they'll explore pressing topics related to the Arctic, environmental change, and the global economy.

Defined by a 90° North latitude, the Geographic North Pole lies on the Earth’s rotational axis, at the intersection of all meridians. Plunged into darkness for six months of the year, then lit by the sun for the following six months, this mythical site, permanently covered in ice and remote from any land, has fascinated generations of explorers. So far, only a very few people have ever reached it: an exploit which is now accessible to you aboard Le Commandant Charcot.

Upon arrival at the North Pole, the World's Coolest Marathon will take place.

In addition to the North Pole Marathon, participants can enjoy the North Pole Clock Golf Championship and take part in the iconic Polar Plunge - an unforgettable dip at the top of the world. Runbuk will host a special awards ceremony to honor event winners and celebrate runners joining the prestigious Marathon Grand Slam Club, having completed a marathon on all seven continents plus the North Pole Marathon.

Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

The largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, its name meaning “pointed mountains” in German, Spitsbergen is the last piece of land before the Arctic ice floe. Aboard your ship, you will sail along the extremely spectacular coastline of this icy land. Between millennial glaciers and rugged mountains, you will discover a jagged coastline, hollowed-out by fjords. A unique setting, the refuge of a particularly rich avifauna, offering you the possibility of taking fabulous photographs from the deck of your ship.

Arrive back in Longyearbyen and disembark. Participants joining the optional Paris group flight may have time to visit the Seed Vault, explore the Svalbard Museum, and enjoy a short visit around the world’s northernmost territorial capital before boarding the 4.5-hour return flight to Paris.

Participants not joining the group flight may arrange their own onward travel from Longyearbyen.