Trail de la Rosière 2027

Between Savoie and the Italian border, at 1,850 m above sea level, the resort of La Rosière plays a role that suits it perfectly: that of an alpine playground where the trails are only “gentle” in name 🏔️. The Trail de La Rosière takes place there every year in July, in the Espace San Bernardo straddling France and Italy, and offers three trail-running distances: 15 km, 22 km and 40 km, for as many levels of ambition and willingly embraced suffering ⚡️. Guaranteed authentic mountain vibes, with views of Mont Blanc included 😍.

The event has grown up in the mountain pastures of the Haute Tarentaise, a territory naturally made for trail running : ridge paths, airy singletrack, wild valleys, and passes that take your breath away even before you’ve started climbing 🥵. Without being one of the oldest races on the alpine calendar, the Trail de La Rosière has built a strong local and regional reputation over the years, betting on the quality of the routes rather than the number of participants 🤪. The start of all the races sets off from Place des Eucherts, the resort’s nerve center 📍. The 40 km, the leg-busting gem of the event, takes on 3,000 mD+ from 6 a.m. 🦉. The route climbs to the ridge overlooking the Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard, with Mont Blanc as a backdrop, then drops into the Torrent des Moulins valley before climbing sharply back up toward the Ruitor plateau. 🏃 The Lac Noir, perched above 2,400 m, rewards those who’ve held on through the ascent 🏆. The 22 km (1,500 mD+) ranges between 1,500 m and 2,450 m above sea level, passing the Roc Noir ridges, the Fort de la Redoute Ruinée and the Lac du Retour ⏪. The 15 km (800 mD+), almost entirely on singletrack and with no cutoff time, lets you soak in the scenery without being pushed around by the clock ⛰️.

All three formats share the same DNA: technical trails, airy ridge sections, and plunging views over the massifs of the Vanoise and the Italian Alps 🇮🇹. Among the race’s ambassadors are top-level athletes who don’t mess around 💥. Marie Goncalves has won the 22 km twice and keeps a special bond with the resort—this is where she did her first mountain trail outings! 👶 On the 40 km, it’s Arthur Joyeux-Bouillon who reigns supreme: a four-time winner of the event, he holds the record in 4h20 ⏱️. The cutoffs on the long format are strict, with a checkpoint at km 27 in under 6 hours, then 8h30 at Lac du Retour (but runners outside the time limit can switch to the 22 km with the marshals’ approval 🫨). The Trail de La Rosière also stands out for its decidedly family-friendly, well-cared-for spirit 🧑‍🧑‍🧒. The day before the race, a course briefing and a mental preparation session with a neurosensory coach welcome participants—something not so common for an event of this size 📏. On Sunday, a daycare looks after the kids while parents sweat at altitude, and a chairlift opens especially so supporters can cheer runners along the route 👏. Post-race meal, finish-line beer, and a participant gift wrap up the day in a friendly atmosphere, far from the gigantism of some big alpine events ⛰️.

As for food and discovery, Savoie is of course known for its mountain-pasture cheeses like Beaufort or Tomme de Savoie 🧀. A few kilometers away, Bourg-Saint-Maurice makes an ideal stop to enjoy the valley before or after the race 🏞️. And if you still have energy left after 40 km and 3,000 mD+, the Italian border is only a few switchbacks away! ➰ La Thuile and its Aosta Valley side are waiting for you 🤩.

It won’t always be rosy, but it’s well worth the detour! 🩷