Urban Trail of Tours 2026

This year, in the month of February, put away the skis and bring out the sneakers 👟. The people of Tours (yes, that's what the locals are called) have prepared a remarkable circuit for you right in the city center. Even if you won't be racing down the slopes, your poles might come in handy for the hundreds of steps that await you 🪜.

Once again, the organizers have thought of everything. With more than 3,000 runners expected, the atmosphere will be lively and the party will be in full swing 🎉. The event, planned right in the middle of winter will warm up your weekend 🔥. It’s an opportunity to meet people and get some fresh air, even in low temperatures 🥶. If you're really sensitive to cold, a ski suit isn't forbidden, but we can’t guarantee it will bring good performance 😝. Through well-marked courses, you'll discover the lovely city of Tours 🏙️, nestled on the banks of the Loire and the Cher, east of the Centre-Val de Loire region.

To do this, you can choose between 2 courses: a long route of 19 km, the "long run" (almost a half-marathon 😳) and a short route of 9 km, the "short run". Both paths have been designed to allow you to cross emblematic places of the city and soak up the town’s historical aspect. More than twenty highlights will keep you awake throughout your race: the Town Hall, the CCC OD, the Grand Theater 🎭, the University of Tanneurs 🎓, the Tours Library, the Congress Center... as many unusual as iconic places that the city nicknamed "The Garden of France" 🇫🇷 is full of. You won’t be bored, but you won’t be idle either. From a sport viewpoint, it’s respectively more than 800 and more than 1000 steps await you on each course 😵. For comparison, the famous Saint-Gatien Cathedral of Tours has 392 steps high 📈. If you visited the monument during your weekend, you might better visualize the dimension of the challenge that awaits you 😎.

Once you’ve "brought the cup back home" 🏆, you can stroll downtown and wander around the surroundings 🥾. Take your time to visit from inside and explore the monuments that you hastily passed by in the morning 💨. If you still have energy, the Loire and the Cher that cross the peaceful city of Turones forced the inhabitants to construct a variety of bridges such as the Wilson Bridge 🌉, the Ariane Thread Footbridge, or the Saint Symphorien Footbridge, for your pleasure 🫵. And if you’re tired of the urban and wish to see more greenery: nature is not left out. It indeed gives the famous city of Indre-et-Loire its unusual nickname. Thus, the Garden of France is divided into over 50 parks and gardens, including the ancient Botanical Garden of Tours and Jardin des Prébendes d’Oé 🌳. Trust us, it’s not every day you get to visit several remarkable gardens in the same place and the same day 🤩. To finish, if you’re looking for suburban visits and wish to move away from the regional capital, head towards Château de Chenonceau or Château d’Amboise. The latter offers a breathtaking view of the Loire, and you can even plan your next hikes from your perch 🦜, depending on which area catches your attention the most 👀.

So, whether you’re a fan of running, history, or a connoisseur of young sprouts 🌱, you definitely have your place at the Urban Trail of Tours. And don't wait too long to get your ticket, they go like "a quarter of Tours " 🎟️.