Paris 20km: which streets will be closed this Sunday, October 11? The restrictions

The 2026 Paris 20km race takes place this Sunday, October 11, 2026, starting at the Pont d'Iéna and finishing at the base of the Eiffel Tower. For this 48th edition, the Police Prefecture has issued its decree: road closures and parking bans will affect the 7th, 8th and 16th districts, as well as central Paris.

Good news for those waiting on the official text: we’re no longer in the realm of speculation. Bad news for drivers: the scheme is a bit longer than last year. We’ve combed through the decree for you.

When is the 2026 Paris 20km and where does the course go?

Now known as Harmonie Mutuelle 20 km de Paris, the race is celebrating its 48th edition. Nearly 35,000 participants are expected at the starting line.

The para-athletics race starts at 8:45 a.m., with the elite race following at 9:00 a.m. The course reads like a postcard of western Paris: Trocadéro, the Arc de Triomphe, Avenue Foch, the Bois de Boulogne, Porte de Saint-Cloud, then a return along the Seine’s quays to Pont Royal before heading toward the Champ de Mars. For full coverage of the event, our article on the 20 km of Paris 2026 has all the details, and we also spotlight the star athletes of the 48th edition.

• To be read
• Paris 20km 2026: Metro, bus and stations closed this Sunday
• Paris 20km 2026: course route, schedules, parking, and pre-race information
• What's on this weekend in Paris and Île-de-France, October 9–11, 2026?

Where is parking prohibited for the Paris 20km race?

According to order no. 2026-01283, signed on October 6, 2026, the first restrictions take effect this Friday. Parking is prohibited on avenue Joseph Bouvard (7th arrondissement) from Friday, October 9 at 6:00 p.m. until Sunday, October 11 at 6:00 p.m. It is there, at the foot of the Iron Lady, that the finish area will be set up.

On Sunday, October 11, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., parking will also be banned in two areas of the 7th arrondissement:

• Quai Jacques Chirac, between Avenue de La Bourdonnais and Rue de la Fédération;
• Avenue de Suffren, between Quai Jacques Chirac and Rue du Général Lambert.

A word of advice: if your car is parked in this area, move it by Friday evening. Illegally parked vehicles may be fined and towed to the impound lot.

Which roads are closed on Saturday and Sunday mornings?

Joseph Bouvard Avenue will be closed to traffic starting Saturday, October 10 at 8 a.m., and this will run until Sunday at 6 p.m. On Sunday, from 1:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., vehicles are prohibited on several lanes in the 7th and 16th districts:

• The Pont d'Iéna bridge;
• Warsaw Square;
• Jacques Chirac Quay, between Avenue de La Bourdonnais and Rue Jean Rey;
• Branly Quay;
• United Nations Avenue.

From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Georges Pompidou Avenue will be completely closed to traffic up to Place de la Concorde, just as the Louis Blériot quay is. The underground passage linking the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde to reach Georges Pompidou Avenue will be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Which exits on the ring road are closed?

Motorists arriving via the ring road should also plan ahead. From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., several exit ramps will be closed in the 16th arrondissement:

• Exit ramps off the outer ring road at Porte Dauphine and Rue Henri de Vaulx;
• Exit ramps off the inner ring road at Porte Lafond, Porte Molitor, and the road known as AU/16;
• Exit ramp No. 6 off the inner ring road at Porte de Saint-Cloud.

Which streets are closed along the race route?

That's the heart of the operation. From 8:20 a.m. to 3 p.m., all vehicles are banned on the streets that make up the route, in central Paris and in the 7th, 8th, and 16th arrondissements. A small difference from 2025: the reopening is at 3 p.m., versus 2 p.m. last year. Here is the full list:

• Poland Square;
• New York Avenue;
• Alma Square (westbound carriageway) ;
• President Wilson Avenue;
• Marceau Avenue;
• Presbourg Street;
• Foch Avenue (central carriageway) ;
• Marshal Lattre de Tassigny Square (northbound carriageway) ;
• Road from Porte Dauphine to Porte des Sablons ;
• Longchamp Alley ;
• Queen Marguerite Alley ;
• Veterans Junction ;
• Auteuil Boulevard ;
• Molitor Gate Square ;
• Murat Boulevard ;
• Saint-Cloud Gate Square ;
• General Niox Street ;
• Saint-Exupéry Quay ;
• Georges Pompidou Way, including the tunnels from the Alma Bridge to the Place de la Concorde ;
• Tuileries Quay ;
• Aimé Césaire Quay ;
• Royal Bridge ;
• Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Quay ;
• Edouard-Glissant Promenade ;
• Seine Banks Promenade ;
• Gisèle Halimi Promenade ;
• Orsay Quay ;
• Resistance Square ;
• Rapp Avenue ;
• General Gouraud Square ;
• Joseph Bouvard Avenue ;
• Jacques Rueff Square.

Only priority public‑interest vehicles (emergency services, police) are exempt from these bans.

How to get around Paris this Sunday, October 11?

The simplest option is to leave the car in the garage. For the duration of a morning, western Paris becomes a giant athletic track, and crossing the Seine between the Alma and the Pont Royal feels like a test of patience.

On the public transport side, the day won’t be easy either, with three métro lines shut on Sunday for construction. We break down the situation in our piece on the metro, buses, and stations closed for the 20 km Paris race, and in our roundup of metro, RER and Transilien disruptions from October 5 to 11, 2026. Also keep in mind the usual Sunday closures tied to Paris Respire, which are added to those for the race.

How to watch the race live?

No bib this year? The banks of the Seine and the Bois de Boulogne offer great vantage points to cheer on the runners, without having to elbow your way at the Champ-de-Mars. For those who prefer the sofa, ICI Paris Île-de-France and france.tv will broadcast the race starting at 8:35 a.m.

As for the rest of the day, our top picks what to do this Sunday, October 11, 2026, in Paris are brimming with ideas, just like our guide what to do this weekend in Paris and Île-de-France.

Paris 20km 2026: course route, schedules, parking, and pre-race information
The Paris 20K returns for its 48th edition at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, in the 7th arrondissement: 35,000 runners, a free expo village, and a children's race will enliven the weekend of October 9–11, 2026. [Read more]