Half Marathon of Pays de Saint Gilles 2026

It is in the region of Pays de la Loire, in the department of Vendée, more precisely in Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez where your next sporting challenge will take place📍. The club of Pays de Saint-Gilles Vendée Athlétisme invites you in the month of August for 2 events, in a magnificent natural setting 🍃. The temperatures 🌡️, ranging between 16 and 23°C, will offer you an ideal climate to enjoy running 😎.

Its climate, way of life, its sandy coasts with a lesser proportion of rocky coasts... Surely, the Côte Lumière will satisfy you 🏖️. But we're not here for camping ⛺️, although Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez is ranked 2nd in towns with the most campgrounds 🥈. “So we're not waiting for Patrick?” No, we're not waiting, because the camping des Flots Bleus is still over 400 km away 😅. So take off your flip-flops 🩴 and put on your sneakers 👟, it’s time to clear your head. And you can do it over 2 different distances. Regardless of the one you choose, you'll start your race on Avenue de la Forêt 🕺. The first event is a 10 km with 1 and a half loops to complete, and for the other event, you will need to complete 2 and a half loops to cover the half-marathon 🤓. No envy, everyone has their loop on this course certified by the Fédération Française d’Athlétisme 🇫🇷. We can also tell you that this loop is flat and fast. It’s composed of 40% road 🛣️, 60% cycle paths 🚲 and forest trails 🌲. This circuit is perfect if you want to perform! Moreover, the half is, this year, a qualifying race for the French Championships! 🏆 So give it your all and try to play the clock 😎. If you cross the finish line 🏁 first, you can raise your arms as if you scored a goal at the Stade de la Forêt! 🏟️

If you wish to extend your weekend, Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez could still hold some nice surprises 🎁 for you. As a recovery, take a walk along the wild coast 🐆 of the Corniche Vendéenne, preferably at high tide if you wish to enjoy hearing the crashing of waves on the cliffs 🌊. For history buffs, you can discover the Bourrines du bois Juquaud. This authentic set of earth constructions covered with reeds reflects life in the marsh at the beginning of the 20th century. History often houses myths, legends... Remains of a bridge to Île d'Yeu? 5 petrified monks, imprisoned to guard the "Trou du Diable"? 😈 The mystery of the 5 Pineaux rocks remains unsolved 🪨. From a culinary 🍽️ perspective, made with bread dough 🥖, garlic 🧄, and butter 🧈, the Préfou is a dish you can serve as an appetizer. The brioche and Vendée brioche, on the other hand, are two soft cakes once associated with religious celebrations ✝️. Respectively hand-braided and oval-shaped with fresh cream, it's up to you to choose which one tempts you the most 🔪. Lastly, in Vendée, know that on candlemas, the usual crêpes 🥞 give way to tourtisseaux or Vendée doughnuts. 😋

Be careful not to count your Semi du Pays de Saint-Gilles chickens before they hatch! 😉