Backyard of Hope 2027

"I believe in you, I believe in everything I see", so if you want to prove to us that you can do it, come visit us in September, at the Backyard of Hope 🤝.

Once summer is over and your tan is nicely golden, set your course for Lourmarin, a little village that smells like Provence, to come challenge yourself in a friendly, upbeat atmosphere 😊. The people of Lourmarin (and the women of Lourmarin too, of course) welcome you to the Vaucluse 🏡, at the gateway to the Luberon for a race bursting with color. The first edition of the Backyard of Hope sets up here for a full day and offers you two innovative concepts in a single event: a Backyard and a Color Run 🤪.

The principle of the backyard can be summed up in one sentence: a 6.7 km loop with 120 m of elevation gain to complete in one hour maximum, on marked, sunlit paths, to be repeated as many times as possible 🥵. A new start is given every hour, and you have to be ready to go, otherwise you’ll be disqualified 😳. You get it—this isn’t a joke of a race. Effort management is essential in this kind of event, and we recommend being at least somewhat trained if you want to cross the finish line 🏁. Here, consistency matters more than top speed, and the real challenge is in recovery between two loops. At most? The organization stops the clock at 8 loops 🔁, saving you from having to take several days off work 😬. Indeed, the world record stands at more than 110 loops, which is more than... 5 days of non-stop running! Going back to the office must have been tricky 😂.

If the idea of running 8 x 6.7 km doesn’t appeal to you much, you can also line up for more traditional formats 🏃. Urban courses of 5 km and 10 km are offered to discover the area gently and keep things as accessible as possible 🫶. With a mid-morning start, even the start is made easier for you. And to truly run stress-free, no timing is planned for either event. As a bonus, the races are done to the rhythm of colors and on-site entertainment: colored powder, drums 🥁, DJ set and choirs—the day is shaping up to be more than festive 🥳. But this event stands out above all for its charitable impact: every lap counts double, since the event is organized as part of the Virades de l'Espoir, in support of the Vaincre la Mucoviscidose 💕 association. In short, you run for a charitable cause and you’ll quickly realize it changes everything. Thanks to volunteers and spectators, you’ll never feel alone, even in the individual events 🎉.

After your last lap, keep a bit of energy to enjoy the surroundings 👀. Wander through the streets of Lourmarin, take a look at the local giant: the Château de Lourmarin, then treat yourself to a waterside break in Cucuron 🌿. Once you’re done recovering, you can opt for a little trip to Bonnieux and its breathtaking view. And if you want to end it all gently, a drink on a terrace in the village square is the most Provençal aid station there is 🍷.

So, ready to race the clock while the Luberon plays postcard-perfect? In Lourmarin, hope makes you run, lap after lap 🏃.