Running in France

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/28/sports/28iht-athlete28.html?_r=0 "...Paris can be inhospitable to joggers, partly for the same reasons that I and about 30 million annual tourists love it: big cobblestones, narrow cafe-lined sidewalks and urban planning that in many places thankfully prioritized historic preservation."

Here's a recent article: http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/07/21/travel/paris-at-the-speed-of-sneakers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Nicole, I don't have any insights as far as on which side of the street to run, or waving...I ran early in the morning (around 0600-0700) in Paris so didn't encounter very many peoplethere were a few out there but we just all did our thing. I also stayed in Le Marais, off Rue Quincampoix, and would just head down Boulevard Sebastopol to the Seine. You can run along the sidewalk above the Seine, or head down to run along the Quai, right alongside the water. A few times I would cross over to the other side..crossing either onto and over Ile Saint Louis or Ile de la Cite. The first morning I was there running, I came across the Notre Dame! Having never been to Paris, I remembered thinking...I am running by the Notre Dame! Holy Cow!! I had to stop and look (and take cell phone photos)...never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be running in Paris. Didn't go to any of the other places you listed; I ran in Bayeux, France just asked the hotel clerk where a good running path was and off I went. Happy Running. --also--mindful of the cobblestones and the fact I was running in a different place, I took extra care looking around and down.

My running days are behind me, but Strasbourg looks like a pretty good city for jogging. The old city center has a rather large traffic-free zone.

Hi Nicole- Many years ago we used to jog in the Luxemburg Gardens- no worry about twisting an ankle on cobblestones! Just a thought...

Yes, Luxembourg Gardens and the Tuileries.

If you stay in smaller towns you might find it tricky in some places to run on small, narrow roads. Don't be deterred, just be careful because they're not as used to seeing runners. But in Paris there are many more runners in the morning, especially on the weekends. Luxembourg is great for running with other people, but you will need to loop to get your training distances. Along the river is great for scenery, just be aware of cobbles in some places. You could head south from the Marais to the river and then either west to loop at Tuileries or south to loop in Luxembourg Gardens. Then be sure to walk past a bakery on the way back :-). I'll be doing some of the same in September and I think the gates of Luxembourg open around 7:30am, which is about when the sun will be up, too. Have fun! Excellent running info on Paris: Secrets of Paris. Strasbourg.

In Paris, I have observed many runners in the park that is beside the Eiffel tower. It looked like team members (all in the same outfits), ran together, in addition to others of all shapes and sizes. Made for some great people watching for the non-runner. Although I have not seen runners along the sidewalks that run along the river Seine, it would seem reasonable to do so. I often walk along the river at different times of day to capture photos in varying light. Such a wonderful walk. The bridges never cease to amaze me, their beauty is astounding. Although I have been to Nice, I cannot speak for that. Near Villefrance-sur-mer, 5 km outside of Nice, I see many runners going around the outcropping of land that is between Villefrance and Beaulieu sur Mer. I did the walk around that, gorgeous, though sometimes the dried long pine? needles on the sidewalk were slippery, so even with walking footing in certain areas needed attention. Many runners passed me on my walk there. Again, a gorgeous walk along the ocean. On some maps I have found online, there are walks up Mount Boron (a high hill really) which could be a run. This is above Villefranche towards Nice. I believe there are paths to walk or run between Nice and Villefranche. I will be exploring this when I go in September. You could do some googling to find running clubs that might have some additional information. Have a great time. June

Thanks, all for your insight and links to check out. Having more recently become a runner, I'm looking forward to exploring these cities from a slightly different perspective.

Nicole - I trained for my first marathon 2 years ago while in France. I ran in both Paris and Nice. In Paris we were staying near Tuilleries so I mapped out a route that would take me through Tuilleries, cross the Seine, up to Eiffel Tower and then back along the Seine till I knew where I was again. I got a good run in and did see other runners, especially in the Tuilleries. I also ran in Nice along the Promenade de Anglais - a wide pedestrian walk along the sea - that was stunning and there were lots of other runners out. Basic tips - go early, especially in Paris, so as to avoid having difficulty with traffic. If you have not already done so, invest in a Garmin type watch - this way you can run, take wrong turns, etc. and still record your distance/time without going back to a map to figure out where you were. Also, if you have any landmarks it (like the Eiffel Tower) it allows you to basically wander till you get to where you are going. Take a fuel belt/hand held water bottle if you will be out long enough to need it. I wouldn't want to figure out water faucet locations in any city but my own.