Trails in Savoie

Bordering Italy 🇮🇹, located north of the Alps massif, Savoie (73) is one of the gateways to France. And what a gateway, my friend! The city of Chambéry, the capital of Savoie, might be your starting point to run this department covered with mountains ⛰, what do you think? Once you've visited some historical monuments such as the Cathédrale Saint François de Sales or the Château des Ducs de Savoie, you can finally escape! Your legs are just waiting for it in front of all these natural spectacles... Unless you give in to the pleasure of a good ski descent ⛷, one of the area's flagship sports. With so many famous resorts at the same time... Names? Albertville, Val d’Isère, Tignes, Méribel, Courchevel... We warned you, serious stuff! Also abundant are the charming villages of Savoie. After your sports achievements on trails or slopes, you can stop with your family to stroll in Bonneval-sur-Arc, on the list of the most beautiful villages in France, or in Chanaz, the "little Savoyard Venice" (we're not the ones saying it! 😅). You can probably enjoy there all possible gastronomic delights to achieve your best times: charcuterie, cheese, wine... Save the Savoyard fondue for your post-race. Obviously, many parks dot Savoie, including the Vanoise National Park, the first created in France in 1963. The fauna and flora will delight you; if you're attentive, you'll spot chamois and marmots. Shhh 🤫. The Bauges Massif Regional Park or the Chartreuse Natural Park are other possible destinations to feast on forest runs 🌲, which cover 32% of the Savoyard territory. Hikers are also in paradise, with 4 GR (5, 9, 65, and 96) trails throughout the department, totaling 2000 kilometers of marked paths... Shores are abundant here even though we're from the sea! How many majestic lakes does Savoie possess... Lake Geneva, Lake Annecy, Lake Bourget (the largest freshwater lake in France 🇫🇷), Lake Aiguebelette... The list is long and it dazzles 😍! Oh, and it would be a shame for a mountainous department like Savoie, if we forgot to mention the highest mountain in the department: Grande Casse, 3855 meters high, a summit located near Tignes, in the heart of the Alps...

So, ready to check out the trail running calendar in Savoie? Inevitably, with 90% of territories covered in mountains, the department is a haven for trails... Let's start with a name that will delight cycling and Tour de France enthusiasts 🚵🏼‍♀️: the Trail du Galibier - Thabor. The race takes place over the famous pass. It's great, the organizers have thought of those who would like to share this suffering 😅: the event's short trail can be run in pairs... The main event race, a long trail, is a multi-stage race taking place over several days. The Trail EDF Cenis Tour, taking place in Cenis as its name suggests, could also be a great destination. If only because the organizers have thought of the kids, and that's so nice. With the planned children's race, they can enjoy the Lac Mont-Cenis! The whole family can have fun. Adults, on the other hand, will choose their challenge from the 6 other distances offered. Including an ultra trail that really delivers 💪 Savoyard wood! Feeling nostalgic about the 1992 Albertville Olympics and Edgar Grospiron's exploits? The 6000D La Plagne is for you then. The Glacier de la Plagne will tower over you throughout the race... Another event that smells like winter sports? Here's the Méribel Trail and its 4 events, from 5 to 50 kilometers. Discovery trail, short trail, and long trail, there's something for everyone. Joking aside, this kind of race is perfect for beginners who want to test themselves. No excuses!

Ready to dive in? ⛷ 🏃🏽