Trails in Vendée

From the dunes to the Marais Poitevin

Here, nature running takes on its full meaning with an incredible diversity of terrain that leaves no room for monotony. You'll go from soft sand that paralyzes your calves to the flexible forest trails of the Saint-Jean-de-Monts or Olonne 🌲. The scenery is constantly changing, offering you magical sessions in the heart of the "Green Venice," where the silence is only broken by your breathing and the lapping of the water on the boats 🛶. It is a department where one runs with wide-open eyes, enjoying a unique light on the ocean 🌅.

The trap of relief and sand

Don't look for high mountains, but be very wary of deceptive relief. While the positive elevation seems modest on paper, the reality of the terrain is quite different with the famous sunken lanes and successive dunes that break the rhythm 📉. Head to the Mervent-Vouvant Forest Massif if you really want to work your thighs on steep and technical slopes that surprise even seasoned mountaineers 🥵. It's a school of constant reviving and mental resistance in the face of the elements 🌬️.

The giants of Vendée

The department hosts grandiose events that mark a runner's life and attract crowds. It's impossible not to mention La Foulée des Géants, an absolutely magical nighttime race in the heart of the Puy du Fou that takes you through centuries and spectacular settings ⚔️. For total escape, the Trail of Île d'Yeu offers you a wild island tour with a hint of Brittany, highly sought after for its panoramas ⚓. Long-distance enthusiasts will meet at the Raidlight Vendée Trail in Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, while the Bol d'Air de la Forêt de Mervent will delight those seeking pure technicality and elevation gain among the trees 🌳.

The Vendée trail calendar is ultra complete, allowing you to run with feet in the water in summer or through the winter bocage mud. It's time to choose your atmosphere, look at the races below, and book a bib to come breathe the pure Atlantic air 🌊.