Mont-Blanc Marathon 2026

Prepare your thighs and your retinas, we're taking you to touch the stars in the land of the ice giants! 🏔️

The Mont-Blanc Marathon is not just a simple foot race, it's a real epic (quite vertical we grant you) 📈. It is nestled in Haute-Savoie, in the heart of the mythical Chamonix valley ⛰️. Imagine yourself at the foot of the roof of Europe, surrounded by 10,000 runners from the four corners of the globe to defy the laws of gravity and your abilities ⚡️. With no less than 8 events on the program, this event has become the global crossroads of running 🏃. The race takes place at the end of June and announces as it should the start of the summer holidays (you might start them a bit sore…) ! 😬 What is certain is that the Mont-Blanc massif offers you a playground as splendid as it is demanding‼️

As mentioned, the list of races is long, very long, a bit like the courses ✅. Naturally, given the name, you can join as a purist on 42 km (with its 2,540 mD+, don't forget). If you are a warrior, prepare yourself for the 90 km adding up to 6,330 mD+🔥. For a clean ascent, the “Vertical Kilometer”, allows you to cover 3.8 small km, but with 1,000 mD+, oh yes, that's intense! ☄️ Back to a slightly more classic format (or almost). You can commit to a 23 km with 1,680 mD+ or a 10 km with 325 mD+, finally something more reasonable 🧘‍♀️. The children won't laugh for long, because they too have dedicated routes: the “Mini Cross”, which goes from 800m to 3 km for the older ones 👧. And for children who are no longer very young, but far from old, “The Young Race” allows young adults to challenge themselves on 7 km (633 mD+) or 13 km (1,200 mD+) 💪.

For this race, prepare yourself for a total immersion in scenery that would make Premier de Cordée look like a beginner's film🤣. You will tread the paths of the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve, a sanctuary where the chamois watch you pass with a hint of superiority 😎. The profile is alpine, in fact VERY alpine: we frequently operate between 2,000 m and 2,500 m altitude⭐️. Let's not lie, you'd better have appropriate training, or you will not enjoy it too much… 🙂‍↔️ And then, the technicality is everywhere: narrow single tracks, tricky roots and those famous panoramic balconies that take your breath away (if the elevation hasn't already) 🏞️.

Carried by about 1,000 electrified volunteers, the organization turns each refreshment station into a true mountain festival🎉. And that's the entire DNA of the Chamonix Sports Club. This association, founded in 1905, cultivates this excellence in conviviality👯. By the way, the other major topic is: the environment🍀. This marathon actively commits to have the least impact possible: since 2021, plastic bottles have completely disappeared, and have been replaced by an ingenious drinking water distribution system💦. Additionally, we savor local products, like the tomme from Montroc farm or the diots from Viret house, because after the effort, comfort is enjoyed locally🧀. And because apparently, for them it's not enough, the event is also a solidarity adventure! 💝 The funds raised through solidarity bibs help finance sports projects for the 300 young people of the valley, and to support medical research. In short, they are a bit of the bosses at everything 🫡.

And if before leaving we made a little historical point, it never hurts 🙃. The history of the race is as fascinating as the race itself. It all began on July 1, 1979 with the Mont-Blanc Cross, launched by enthusiasts of the CAF de Chamonix 💕. At the time, there were 450 pioneers braving the incline towards Planpraz 📍. The event grew little by little, joining the Golden Trail World Series and attracting the world's top athletes 🌏, while maintaining its club spirit. In the end, today there are 8 races in one single event, bringing everyone together for an extraordinary challenge⭐️.

Well, the arguments are pretty clear, we wonder what more you'd need to participate in this race 👐.