The Triporteur Race returns to Paris at the end of September 2026, a quirky parade.

The Triporteur Race returns to the Cours de Vincennes in Paris on Sunday, September 20, 2026, for its third edition. These prewar delivery tricycles take on a 28.4 km course this time, and registration is free.

Among the quirky events set to charm you this fall 2026, the Tricycle Courier Race returns to Vincennes, weaving across the 12th and 20th arrondissements of Paris, on Sunday 20 September 2026 at 2 p.m. For its third edition, the association again brings together these pre-war delivery bikes on an urban course, covering a distance of 28.4 km with free entry.

What does the 2026 Triporteur Race have in store for Paris?

The principle remains the same: cargo trikes, a city course, and no motors to assist the riders. Electrically assisted devices are still allowed, as long as you leave the battery at home (it will be stored for the day).

What’s changing is the distance. It climbs from 21 km in the previous edition to 28.4 km this year, according to the 2026 course published by the organizers. The stated long-term aim is to reclaim the 40 km of the Tour de Paris run in the 1930s, with another step up with every edition.

The organizers also promise a big screen to show live timings and track positions throughout the race. They aim to field roughly thirty competitors at the start, up from 24 in 2025.

Non-motorized cargo trikes: what are the rules?

The rules come down to a few key points you should know before stepping up to the starting line:

A rear wheel, two front wheels, and a cargo box at least 50 cm wide between the front wheels (exemptions available by contacting the association).
Electric cargo trikes compete alongside pedal-powered models, but the battery must be removed and stored.
Only one rider per cargo trike and only one cargo trike per rider.
Helmet required.

What is the route of the 2026 Triporteur Race in Paris?

The course is set right in the heart of the city, on a short loop to be ridden several times around the Cours de Vincennes. Here is the circuit published by the association:

Start at 2:00 PM: the bus lane on the Cours de Vincennes, at the corner of Boulevard de Charonne.
Right turn onto Boulevard de Charonne.
Right turn onto Rue de la Plaine.
Right turn onto Rue Mounet-Sully.
Right turn onto Rue des Pyrénées.
Right turn to rejoin the bus lane on the Cours de Vincennes.
A 1.42 km loop to be repeated until reaching the 28.4 km total for the 2026 edition (roughly twenty laps).

The definitive map of the 2026 route is posted on the event’s official site, to consult before you come in order to identify sections closed to traffic that day.

Where did the Triporteur Race come from, 1900–1943?

In the first half of the 20th century, the triporteur was the everyday tool of thousands of Parisian delivery workers—bakers, butchers, grocers, couriers. Once a year, they squared off on the streets of the capital with their own service machines, in front of a sometimes sizeable crowd.

The event ran from 1900 to about 1943, before fading away with the war and the motorization of deliveries. The benchmark record dates precisely from 1943, at 34.3 km/h on average, set by Altazin. To equal it over the 28.4 km course in 2026, you’d need to complete the route in 49 minutes and 41 seconds. A challenge sure to fire up the speedsters.

The winner takes home the Marcel Cognasson Trophy, named after the leading figure of the interwar period (seven victories between 1926 and 1935). His family is tied to the revival, a neat throughline spanning the ages. It’s also a little-known Paris story that we’re rediscovering on this occasion.

How to take part in the 2026 Triporteur Race?

Participation is free. All you need is a tricycle; the association provides a classifieds section on its site to buy or rent one. The curious without a three-wheeled vehicle can join the Cyclo-parade, open to all bicycles and all eras, which follows the race.

So mark your calendars for Sunday, September 20, 2026, along the Cours de Vincennes, with a 2:00 p.m. start over 28.4 km. The final route, rules, and registration form can be found on the event’s official site: site officiel de l'événement. Are you planning to line up at the start or come to cheer on the Vincennes runners?