This summer Savoie Mont Blanc continues to cement itself as one of the best destinations for trail running in the world with new trail running events and more marked trail runs for varying ability levels.
- New marked trail runs in Arêches-Beaufort and even more marked trails in Chamonix
- New trail running events including the Interlac Trail and Le Trail des Moulins in La Rosière
Trail Running in Arêches-Beaufort
In Arêches-Beaufort 12 new marked trails have been created for different abilities – ranging from green to black trails. You can buy a topographic map of the routes for just three euros and this year there will also be a dedicated area where you can test equipment including trainers and sticks.
Trail Running in Chamonix
In Chamonix there are even more marked runs as the ‘Vallée du Trail’ now includes a total of 18 marked trail runs varying from ‘small’ to ‘XL’. The small trails are suitable for people looking to run for between 45 minutes to 2 hours and the XL trails aimed at serious runners who could be on the trails for over 9 hours. The maps can be downloaded online (www.valleedutrail.com) or an overview is available at the tourist office.
With the trail running event season in full swing, there are even more new events on Savoie Mont Blanc’s trail running calendar, including the Interlac Trail and Le Trail des Moulins à la Rosière.
Interlac Trail
The Interlac Trail that runs from 19-20 July, is a new event where competitors race between France’s two largest lakes – Lake Bourget and Lake Annecy. Starting at Lake Annecy, competitors can choose their distance – with 77km being the longest distance and 17km the shortest. The race finishes with competitors putting their feet in Lake Bourget.
Le Trail des Moulins in La Rosière
For trail runners looking for something more mellow, Le Trail des Moulins in La Rosière takes place on 20 July and consists of 22 km route starting at 1200m and finishing at 2400m. Runners ascend 850m over alpine routes at the foot of the Col du Petit Saint Bernard with spectacular views of Mont Blanc.
The event season then continues with some of the classic long distance trail runs taking place in the region including the Ultra Tour du Beaufortain on 19 and 20 July, the 6th edition of the Tour des Fiz on 27 July, the Trail du Galibier on 17 August and the famous Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc from 25-31 August.
For those looking for a challenge, runners can test themselves against the pros at the Défi des Arolles organised by the Arêches-Multisport Club. Participants can take on the local professionals in a race of 3.2km but with 700m of elevation. The friendly local event takes place several times over the summer, with the next event running on Thursday 10 July.
For more information on trail running in Savoie Mont Blanc and a full list of events, get your trail running shoes on and visit www.savoie-mont-blanc.com