Marathon du Cognac 2026: tracking, the Charente cycle path and the finish in Jarnac

The Marathon du Cognac is on Saturday 14 November 2026. It starts at 9:15 in the centre of Jarnac, about 15 km up the Charente from Cognac (official marathon page, programme). The loop takes runners through the cognac vineyards and along the river, through a cognac cellar at one point, and past aid stations that put out oysters and local charcuterie next to the water. If someone you care about is running it, this guide covers how to know where they are right now, and how to get your voice to them when they need it most.

Independence notice: Cheerlify is an independent service. It is not affiliated with the Marathon du Cognac organisers or sponsors, and it is not the event's official application.

The race at a glance

The start place and cut-offs come from the 2026 race rules and the 2025 runner's guide (PDF). In mid-October the site's runner's booklet page still linked that 2025 file, so look at the official site again in race week.

Mind the clock: France is on winter time by then (UTC+1). From the UK, Ireland or Portugal, Jarnac is an hour ahead of you; from most of central Europe it's the same time.

1. Official tracking: chip timing, results after the race

Runners wear a disposable chip on the bib (race rules). Results go up on the official results page and on the French athletics federation's site, athle.fr.

Here's what that gets you on the day:

• No live tracking app has been announced. As of mid-October the organisers hadn't published a tracking app or a live results page for 2026. Cognac is a festive regional race, and it doesn't have timing mats every 5 km like the big city marathons.
• The results are the official record, and the chip time is exact. In 2025 they came out as a PDF ranking with final times.
• Between the start and the finish you may see nothing at all. The cut-off checks at km 13 and km 30 are for the organisers and aren't announced as public splits. If live splits do turn up in race week, they'll still jump from one reading to the next. More on the difference: chip timing vs GPS tracking.

2. Live GPS on the map, between start and finish

So mid-race, the runner's own phone is your only window: GPS tracking through Strava Beacon, Garmin LiveTrack, plain location sharing or Cheerlify. We compared them here: marathon tracking apps compared. Cheerlify snaps the dot to the course, which shows you the kilometre they're on and an arrival estimate for any point. In Jarnac that answers the practical questions: is there time for a coffee between the bridge at km 13 and the finish, and when do you have to leave Triac to be back in town for the last kilometre?

Tip: use both. The GPS dot tells you where they are and how long until they reach you; the chip result gives you the exact time once it's over.

The course, stage by stage

Based on the organisers' course description and the 2025 runner's guide. We measured the kilometres on the course in the Cheerlify race catalog, so take them as approximate:

The organisers sell it as a race for pleasure, between the river and the vines, and the food backs that up. The 2025 guide lists oysters, boudin, rillettes, cheese and charcuterie alongside the water and fruit, plus "la p'tite goutte" for anyone who asks. Runners should bring the eco-cup handed out at bib pick-up, because the aid stations have no cups. The tough bit starts around km 26 on the riverside path: six flat, quiet kilometres with hardly anyone watching, right before the km 30 cut-off. A voice in their ear helps most there.

Where to watch

The course runs out into the countryside and spectator spots are spread thin, so pick a plan and stick to it. What we'd suggest:

• The centre of Jarnac, three times. You get the start at 9:15 on place du Château, the Jarnac bridge at about km 13 (roughly 65–90 minutes in for most runners) and the finish, all a few minutes' walk apart. It's the easiest plan, and the one we'd choose.
• Bourg-Charente, about km 4–6, by the Château Marnier-Lapostolle. It comes early, and since the race starts in Jarnac it only makes sense if you're staying on that side.
• Triac, about km 34–36, a few kilometres east of Jarnac on the last loop. Watch them go by, then head back for the finish; the arrival estimate tells you if you'll make it.
• The riverside path (km 26–32). Few spectators get there and it's awkward by car. If you'll walk or cycle out, yours may be one of the only voices they hear on that stretch. Riding alongside the runners isn't allowed (race rules).
• The finish and race village, which had food, a cloakroom and showers for runners in 2025. Agree on a meeting point there beforehand.

Getting there: TER trains and regional buses run to Jarnac from Cognac and Angoulême, and the start is about 800 m from the station. In 2025 the organisers put on free shuttle buses from Cognac to Jarnac station on race morning (booking required), with returns in the afternoon. In mid-October the 2026 shuttles hadn't been announced. Drivers coming from Cognac should know the road at "Bout des Ponts" closes from 8:00 (getting there, 2025 runner's guide). And if you can't make the trip, GPS tracking and voice cheers work the same from your sofa.

Weather

The Charente in mid-November is usually cool, and the river can be misty or damp first thing. If you plan to stand at the bridge for the start and then hang around for the finish, dress in layers and look at the forecast on Friday.

Be in their ears on the Charente cycle path

Around km 26 the course leaves the villages behind and picks up the Flow Vélo path along the river. It's flat and lovely, and almost silent: no bands, no crowd, just the water and whoever is running ahead. The km 30 cut-off falls halfway along it.

With Cheerlify you can send a voice or video cheer while your runner is on the course, and it plays in their earbuds right away. You can also record one in advance and choose the kilometre it plays at. Their music dips, your voice comes in, then the music returns. Where we'd put them:

• km 29, on the path by the Charente: "Quiet out here, I know. Listen to the river and keep your rhythm."
• km 35, on the Triac loop: "Seven to go. You've run this distance a hundred times in training."
• km 41, back in Jarnac: something only you can say to them.

The race rules say nothing about headphones. One earbud, or open-ear headphones, lets them hear a cheer clearly and still hear marshals and traffic.

For the runner: in the Cheerlify app, pick Marathon du Cognac from the race catalog. The official course is already loaded, so you don't need a GPX file. Share the link and the code with your supporters. Running the half? Pick Semi-marathon du Cognac instead: it has its own course, so the map, the kilometres and the arrival times follow the 21.1 km.

Supporters open the link and enter the code in a browser, with no app or account. If several of you are following, each person can take a different kilometre. Stuck for words? Here are 30+ cheering lines for every stage of a race.

Race-week checklist for supporters

1. Save your runner's bib number. Bibs are collected on Friday 13 November only; there's no pick-up on race day.
2. Sort out travel: train, regional bus, or a shuttle seat from Cognac if the organisers run them again. Driving? The road at Bout des Ponts closes at 8:00.
3. Get the GPS tracking link from your runner and test it on Friday.
4. Their phone should start fully charged, with battery saver off and location permission set to "Always".
5. Have cheers ready, at least one for the riverside path (km 26–32) and one for the finish, or plan to send them live from wherever you are.
6. If you're going: start, bridge and finish in Jarnac, plus a meeting point agreed at the race village.

Frequently asked questions