In this blog, we tell you about what goes on behind the scenes. Because the FULL MOON trail is first and foremost a story of men and women ... and even of artists who each bring their talent, energy and know-how to our project. It's time to talk about trophies and podiums!

Alain PARIS : sculptor from Marseille

His biography tells us that " 2600 years ago, Marseille was born, a luminous, cosmopolitan, emblematic, mysterious and magical city. A divine creation, it took Alain PARIS, an artist from Marseille, into its bosom to create the Crapaud . Biiim !!! Hold on to your hats.

Alain is a colourful artist, who surprises and delights with his excesses. In Marseille, his toads are scattered around the city, on rooftops or on the side of the road. Many of them are stowaways, but hey... Since 2013, they have been adopted by the people of Marseille and intrigue as much as they amuse.

My first meeting with Alain was at the Marseille Marathon village in 2016. He sculpts on the spot; I pass in front of his mini-stand and I call out to him because I've already seen his frogs in the city, "but no, they're toads". But the current passes immediately. We sniff each other, we make a first collaboration, then a second one and without warning, a beautiful friendship is woven between us.

The Marseilles toad transformed into a werewolf

When I give him the pitch for the FULL MOON trail project, Alain visualises the full moon and these runners crossing the hills from Aix to Marseille. In his mind, they are actually werewolves: their faces change, they move fast, in a mad race to reach their destination before daybreak. You have to survive the night. They are proud and wild, these runners. But when they arrive in Marseille, they return to their normal state and no one could guess their secret. A few days later, he calls me:

• Eric, I'm going to make you the werewolf race trophies.
• What's that? Ah yes... werewolves. Uh, wait, we didn't talk about this with the other Eric
• No. I make them.
• Well OK Alain... You do the werewolf trophies. I don't feel like I have a choice 🙂

68 trophies in total

The 12 scratch trophies are original and unique works of art, which come with their certificate of authenticity. Made in plaster in his workshop and then painted, Alain will display them in the start village before the race: come and see them! And to reward the category podiums, Alain has also made 56 pieces that are half toad and half werewolf, all black. They are both cute and scary, and you'll have to run fast to get yours.

More information on the work of Alain PARIS: https: //paris-alain.com/

Bonus: for a free lesson in Marseillaise, here is the making-of of one of the trophies, a bombardment of Marseillaise expressions that will only hurt your zygomatic!