Paris City Council Awards Marathon Contract to Cadence Group

The Paris City Council decided on May 20 to award the contract for organizing the next four Paris marathons and half-marathons to the Cadence group. The Cadence group includes Havas, which is owned by the Bolloré family. The contract covers events that drew 66,000 participants in 2026.

The award followed a public tender process launched in April 2025.

The youth and sports department evaluated bids on three criteria: management proposal, financial offer, and environmental approach. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire was absent from the final debate. The decision was not made by the mayor or his predecessor Anne Hidalgo.

Council member Sophia Chikirou of La France Insoumise opposed the choice. She stated that entities linked to the Bolloré group should not receive the contract. The same statement criticized the decision as a commercialization of sport and questioned the group's environmental and social commitments.