Why is the Diagonale des Fous an obsession for so many French runners?

Between legend and fervor: the Réunion magnet
Photo credits:

Wikimedia Commons

Why is the Diagonale des Fous an obsession for so many French runners?

The Grand Raid de La Réunion obsesses French runners because it combines myth with a unique fervor. Voted the most mythical ultra in the world, it sparks a level of popular enthusiasm no other race can match: crowds day and night on the trails. Earning the finisher title then becomes a national dream 🇫🇷.