Sport and good humour at the Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB®.

From 17 to 20 May, Alsace will be celebrating with the most eagerly-awaited sporting event of the year. Combining sport and sightseeing, the Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB® brings together 4 intense races that highlight the most beautiful sites in Alsace. Wine-growing villages, vineyards, medieval castles and natural heritage are all in the spotlight, for an event that combines conviviality and sustainability.

4 days of festivities and sport in contact with nature

A little brother of the legendary Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc or UTMB, the Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB® is one of the most exciting trekking, trail and race walking events in the Grand Est region. In 2023, this race became the 5th event on the UTMB® circuit to take place on French soil, a franchise with a worldwide presence that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023.

Participants will have the chance to discover the magnificent landscapes ofAlsace while taking on intense sporting challenges thanks to 4 different routes. From the 171-kilometre Ultra-Trail des Chevaliers to the 34-kilometre Trail des Pèlerins, through the region's vineyards and tourist attractions, all the races will finish in the cobbled streets of Obernai.

Follow the rhythm of the stages through villages and castles

Whether setting off from Colmar (Ultra-Trail des Chevaliers, 171 km) Orschwiller (Ultra-Trail des Païens, 116 km) or Barr (Trail des Celtes, 50 km and Trail des Pèlerins, 34 km), runners will pass through traditional Alsatian villages while discovering the beauty of the region through sport. The unique cultural heritage of the Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin stretches along the Route des Vins, as participants cross the vineyards of Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé, Ottrott and Rosheim, alternating stages on the plains with the wooded slopes of the Vosges, dotted with castles. Saint Ulrich, Haut-Koenigsbourg, Château du Hohlandsbourg, medieval fortresses that tell the story of Alsace from the top of their turrets, where the riders' refreshment points are cleverly placed along the 4 routes. It's a great way to catch your breath while admiring the view!

The Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB® will also be a testament to Alsatian hospitality and conviviality. There's nothing like a good tarte flambée or a slice of kougelhopf to recharge your batteries and make new friends with your neighbours!

A succession of viewpoints over Alsace

The Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB® is the promise of an exhilarating, shared experience through Alsace's nature and dense forests. The course in the foothills of the Vosges offers breathtaking views: from Mont Sainte-Odile and its pagan wall to the belvedere at Haut-Koenigsbourg, participants enjoy spectacular panoramas of Alsace and its vineyards.
The deep forest and steep paths plunge participants into Alsatian nature, before the climb to the Taennchel massif, the highest point of the route. On the Heidenkopf, the most courageous will climb the Mündel tower, dominating the surrounding forest and nature, which is omnipresent during the race.

And where there's nature, there's sustainability. Runners must bring their water bottles and cutlery for a plastic-free race, and are transported to the starting points by shuttle bus. The UTMB For the Planet Foundation, which raises money to encourage projects to protect flora and fauna, is also forging partnerships with local authorities and stakeholders to preserve biodiversity along the route. Taking part in the Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB® therefore makes perfect sense.