Race certified by Finishers: event approved by the organizer

Saint Nicholas Night Trail 2026

Next event date confirmed
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Photo credits: Trail Nocturne de la Saint Nicolas
Trail
🌙 Nocturnal🥳 Festive🏞 Nature
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The event in a few words

In the North, you don’t often see the sun... And you won’t see it at all! 🌃

At the Saint Nicholas Night Trail, everything will be decided by the glow of headlamps 💡. See you at the end of November to line up for the most trail night and most festive race in the Hauts-de-France! 🥳 Dress warmly, because in Hénin-Beaumont, it’s going to be freezing! 🥶 To heat up the atmosphere on the start line, a fireworks display will light up the sky 🎆 and musical entertainment will have you dancing under the stars! 🕺 Get your best moves ready—you’ll definitely need to warm up before taking on the trails of Artois, a traditional Picard region 😎.

Lace up your trail shoes 👟, switch on your headlamp, and set off to tackle one of the evening’s routes 💪: 25 km, 18 km, 11 km or even 5 km—you’ll be spoilt for choice! 🤗 Whether you’re an expert on backwoods paths in nature or a newcomer to the discipline, there’s no reason to chicken out 🤪. What’s more, the event is human-sized, so no congestion to slow you down or keep you from the finish-line aid station 🍽️. It’s the perfect opportunity to test your limits and push yourself while enjoying the adrenaline of a small-field race! 🌟 Still, be careful not to just follow the group without trusting the course markings—you might end up in the body of water at Parc des Îles... even though swimming isn’t on the program 😂.

The Saint Nicholas Night Trail is also a chance to improve your standings for the Artois Trail Challenge! 🏆 15 trails to discover the region, races of more than 20 km, and a single final ranking... You’ll have to hit the turbo to climb onto the podium! 🥇

But before you strut around with your medal, extend your weekend and go explore Hénin-Beaumont and the surrounding area once the sun is up! 🌞 You can head back to Parc des Îles to enjoy this green haven once the wildlife 🦆 and plant life are awake 🌄. Did you know? Not far from the town of Hénin-Beaumont lies the mining basin of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais 🪨. You can learn more by heading near Lens, to 9-9bis, a former mining site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site! 🤩 To round off your weekend in style, what could be better than a football match ⚽️ at the Lens Stadium? You’re sure to find a seat: the Bollaert-Denis Stadium has more seats than the number of residents in the city of Lens! Consider ordering a nice hot welsh 🥣 to live the full Northern experience 100% 😜.

Come celebrate Saint Nicholas in Hénin and enjoy its beautiful hills! 🏃‍♂️

5 reasons to join this race

Run in a small group 😎
650 is the maximum number of runners welcomed at the Saint Nicholas Trail! You won’t find traffic jams on the climbs, no waiting to pick up your bib, nor at the finish-line aid station… We’re not far from the dream race, are we? 🥰
Try night trail running 🌙
Hénin-Beaumont is going to be dressed in its finest string of lights! For these trails, you’ll be plunged into the dark and will only be able to rely on your headlamp so you don’t end up lost in the woods! 🌲
Distances for everyone 👐
Here, no ultra trail and no leg-breaking elevation gain! The event champions sharing and discovering the discipline so everyone can take the start 🤗. Over 25, 18, 11 or 5 km, you can take it easy or hit the turbo to aim for the podium!
A festive spirit 🎉
Fireworks, musical entertainment and a finish-line beer: the Saint Nicholas Trail has brought together all the ingredients to be one of the most festive! On the start line, the cold won’t get the runners because the atmosphere will be caliente 🔥.
The Artois Trail Challenge 🏆
This trail is one of the 15 races that make up the Artois Trail Challenge! You’ll need to give it your all across all the events to try to climb to the top of the rankings 💪. After taking part in all these events, you’ll know Artois inside out, a traditional Picard region! 🤓

A word from the organizer:

"When night falls over the spoil tips of the CAHC, the scenery changes completely… and the adventure begins! By the sole light of your headlamp, like the miners of old, set out to conquer an exceptional playground: spoil tips, forest sections, multiple trails, climbs, descents, and a passage around the Bord des Eaux lake. A headlamp. Spoil tips. The forest. The night. And that light moving forward in the darkness… From miner to trail runner, the same light. Are you ready to make the spoil tips shine?"

A distance for every taste

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

You can pick up your bib number on Saturday, November 28, 2026 at Salle Jean Macé (Boulevard des Frères Leterme, 62110 Hénin Beaumont):

  • from 10:30am to 12pm and from 3pm to 4:45pm for the 25 km

  • from 10:30am to 12pm and from 3pm to 5pm for the 18 km

  • from 10:30am to 12pm and from 3pm to 5:45pm for the 11 km

  • from 10:30am to 12pm and from 3pm to 4:30pm for the 5 km

Please note that picking up for another runner is allowed upon presentation of that runner’s ID card.

The races will start on Saturday, November 28, 2026:

  • at the Community Headquarters (Boulevard Schweitzer, 62110 Henin Beaumont) at 6pm for the 25 km

  • at Intersport in Henin Beaumont (Boulevard des eaux, 62110 Henin Beaumont) at 6:15pm for the 18 km

  • at the Club House at 6:30pm for the 11 km

  • at Salle Jean Macé at 5pm for the 5 km

Yes, shuttles will be provided from Salle Jean Macé to reach the start locations:

  • shuttle (bus) departure at 5:15pm for 25 km runners

  • shuttle (bus) departure at 5:45pm for 18 km runners

  • shuttle (walking group) departure at 6pm for the 11 km

  • shuttle (walking group) departure at 4:45pm for the 5 km

No, it is not mandatory; however, you will need to present a PPS certificate dated less than one year before the race date.

  • For the 25 km: €30 until 09/30/26, then €32 until 10/31/26, then €34

  • For the 18.5 km: €22 until 09/30/26, then €24 until 10/31/26, then €26

  • For the 11 km: €14 until 09/30/26, then €16 until 10/31/26, then €18

  • For the 5 km: €9 until 09/30/26, then €11 until 10/31/26, then €13

All runners will receive a goodie and a soup at the finish. 25 km runners will also get a beer at the finish.

An exclusive event T-shirt can be purchased when booking your bib number (€20).

Yes, for the 18 km and 25 km events, intermediate aid stations are planned at km 8 and km 15 respectively.

Yes, time limits are in place for the 25 km only:

  • At km 6 at 7:30pm

  • At km 15

Yes, you must have been born in:

  • 2009 or earlier for the 25 km trail

  • 2009 or earlier for the 18 km trail

  • 2011 or earlier for the 11 km trail

  • 2013 or earlier for the 5 km trail

If you still have questions, you can contact the organizers by phone at 06 77 06 99 66 or 06 44 03 29 28.

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Trail Nocturne de la Saint Nicolas
Trail Nocturne de la Saint Nicolas
Trail Nocturne de la Saint Nicolas
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