Trail of the Bearded Vulture 2026

Put on your sneakers and come do some Gy'alipettes in Faucigny 🤸, just steps away from the Swiss border 🇨🇭.

In the month of June, tie your shoelaces and head towards Haute-Savoie. You're about to frolic among marmots, chamois, and bearded vultures 🦅. Don't worry, the beard is only mandatory for birds, not for you! ✅ The "La Gypaète" association organizes its eponymous trail for a new edition, open to the general public, offering 5 courses for all levels. From 14 km up to 76 km, the circuits will make you discover and suffer 😈. Races take place during the day, and you can see the mountains in all their splendor 😍. Keep your eyes wide open; with a bit of luck, you might spot a few patches of snow. Not enough for skiing or sledging down sledging, but enough to make you smile and forget about your tired legs. With peaks over 1,900 meters, you'll have a breathtaking view of the surroundings and the valley below 👀.

As for the courses, the organization wanted to please everyone 😎. Beginners can line up at the start of the 14.5 km. Beware though, watch the clock: 700 mD+ for 14.5 km is no joke ❌. It will make a significant first experience. Just a notch above, you'll find the 31 km ☝ course. And we know we'll make some happy by announcing that the distance can be done in duo. Yes, you can bring along your buddy or your partner for the adventure and kill two birds with one stone by reducing the duration of the effort at the same time 🧠. Frankly, you have no excuse not to sign up. From now on, we're talking about experienced trailers: 45, 57, and 76 km with a fairly condensed elevation will require preparation on your part 🏋️‍♂️. And when we talk about preparation, we're not just talking about watching all the trail movies you can find 🎬, but really getting your legs moving 2 to 3 times a week 🏃. The 45 and the 57 km are perfect to test yourself before committing to the 76 km next year ⭐️. Because we know you, you'll surely utter the words "never again," "what am I doing here," "it makes no sense to run," but you'll sign up for an even crazier challenge just 48 hours later 🗣️. And if you've already passed that stage and want to commit to the queen distance of 76 km this year, then prepare to climb mountains (and that's not just a figure of speech...) 🏔️. As its name suggests, you will connect 3 lakes, with over 4,700 mD+ in total 🥱. It tires us just to talk about it. Plus, for this course, you start at 4:30 a.m. ⏰ (when everyone is still asleep), you'll see the mountain wake up... and maybe even set if you linger on the Savoyard trails 👀.

Once you arrive in Savoie, take advantage of testing the culinary specialties. We warn you, you're going to gain back all the pounds you just lost 😵. In case you didn't know, the area is highly renowned for its cheeses. Raclette cheese, reblochon or Emmental de Savoie, there's a flavor and aroma for everyone 🧀. We hope you have a strong nose because it's going to be intense! 👃 If you prefer to see the landscape rather than the plate's bottom 🍽️, you can let your desires run wild. To the south, Annecy and its famous idyllic setting await you to hike at your leisure, or simply drift on a pedal boat 🚣‍♂️. To continue your tour of the region's lakes, travel a good forty minutes 🚗 and park near the beaches of Bourget-du-Lac. This vast stretch of water, glacier-born 🧊, is the deepest French lake in the country. However, if France holds no more secrets for you, or you simply want to conquer new forests 🌳, cross the border and visit our Swiss friends. You'll quickly find your way to Geneva and its stunning Lake Geneva. Indeed, you'll see more lakes in a few days than you've seen in your entire life 😳.

A final reminder in case you skimmed through: be sure to bring your best swimsuit and a sturdy nose clip if you have sensitive nostrils 😬. Everything else comes down to your legs 🦵.