The Montmartre Solidarity Vertical Run will not take place on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The event, which was set to bring together athletes and notable figures on the famed steps of Montmartre, was canceled at the last minute due to a decision by local authorities tied to the city’s schedule.
The organizers are keeping the charitable aspect of the initiative alive with a virtual challenge on HappyCulture's Instagram account. Starting at 3 p.m., every like will trigger a €1 donation to the Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque foundation, with a target of 70,000 likes.
Paris is home to many neighborhoods that draw both tourists and locals alike. Among them, Montmartre and its iconic hill rank among the most recognizable. But before you reach the base of the Sacré-Cœur and soak up the panoramic view of Paris, you’ll have to conquer several flights of stairs.
This backdrop has long hosted a vertical charity race organized by HappyCulture. The idea is simple: climb the stairs up Montmartre Hill as fast as possible while taking part in a fundraiser to help children with congenital heart defects.
The race continues the tradition of solidarity running events held in Paris and the Île-de-France region, but with a twist: here the challenge is vertical above all. This approach is also seen in other events, such as Vertigo, the vertical race staged at La Défense.
Over the years, the event has raised tens of thousands of euros in aid of Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque, an organization that helps children with serious heart defects who cannot be operated on in their home countries come to France to receive the care they need.
Athletes, sports stars, public figures, and former Koh-Lanta adventurers have regularly taken part in the challenge. The French sprinter Jimmy Vicaut is notably among the athletes who tackled the Montmartre stairs in previous editions.
We’ll have to wait to reconnect with the participants at the foot of the funicular. In the meantime, the solidarity challenge continues online on September 24, 2026: every interaction with the dedicated HappyCulture post helps drive the fundraising forward for Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque.
Location
Montmartre funicular
7 Rue Foyatier
75018 Paris 18
Route planner
